EEA4 fast processing times or wishful thinking

[Aporta]

Hi, I have been learning from this forum and I hope you can all help me as well.
I am in the UK at the moment a family member of a EEA National (my father) exercising treaty rights right. my 5 years visa will end on the 1st May 2014. i am preparing to apply for PR. after finishing university, i got a full time Job far away from my father which means i was most of the time living away from home. my bank statements, telephone bills, wage slip and all docs were still sent to my fathers address as I still came there every weekend. the transations on my bank statements were mostly made outside the county where my permanent address was (my father's house) my questions are:

1. if i send my my bank statements as prove of address for the past 5yrs for the EEA4 application, will it be a problem as most of the transactions were made outside the city?
2. I am now 29 yrs old, will UKBA say I am not dependant on my father?
3. will I need to prove I was financially dependant on my father for all the 5 yrs? ( I have been in full time employment since UNI)
4.. will I need to prove how i entered the UK as I dont have such documentation anymore

you answers would be greatly appreciated and frankly speaking I am desperate and confused. thank you in advance for your help.

[sam&dani]

HI All Happy new year

Just want to to give news we got our EEA3 EEA4 today. I can not explain how much happy we are so finally there is hope.

We send application on 7th Nov 2013 which mean 2 months (with holidays)..wow wow

Whould like to thank all seniors for help and God Bless Them


yeaaaaaaaaa

Hi i would like to ask u please...did u send ur eea3 and eea4 togother in 1 envelope in 1 go...and what documents u provided
Fof bothe applications.?i will apprdciate ur ufgent answer.

[Respecteu]

HI
Yes we put EEA3+EEA4 both application in one envelop. Documents we send all whatever we can because more doc and less headache later on so put all utility bills, p60,bank statments, any house or flat contract if you got one, anything where you can proof genuine relation and EEA National treaty rights.


Good Luck

[sam&dani]

HI
Yes we put EEA3+EEA4 both application in one envelop. Documents we send all whatever we can because more doc and less headache later on so put all utility bills, p60,bank statments, any house or flat contract if you got one, anything where you can proof genuine relation and EEA National treaty rights.


Good Luck

Thanx Alot for ur reply...i really appreciate it...

[sam&dani]

HI
Yes we put EEA3+EEA4 both application in one envelop. Documents we send all whatever we can because more doc and less headache later on so put all utility bills, p60,bank statments, any house or flat contract if you got one, anything where you can proof genuine relation and EEA National treaty rights.


Good Luck

Thanx Alot for ur reply...i really appreciate it...

[kristine015]

Thought I'd share a bit of my current situation

2003 came in UK Northen Ireland as a family member of an EEA via my step dad
2007 got EEA2 Residence permit valid April 2012
2010 applied for British Citizenship. Someone from UKBA on the phone adviced me that I automatically qualify to apply for BC and didn't need ILR or PR.
2010 june/July application for BRitish citizen denied due to a driving conviction in 2008 (no insurance/out of my control as it was cancelled by my step dad without my knowledge)
2010. Parents divorced and separated.
2011 lost my passport with RC attached to it.
2012. March Received new passport.
April Got married to my 1 and half year relationship boyfriend.
April Visa expired.
August. applied EEA4 and put my husbands name as sponsor. Ukba wrote back asking for my original sponsor which is my step dad. Or re apply using my husband as spouse. (Couldn't get documents from step dad due to the fact tat he left uk and now divorced to my mum.

2013 February. Capita got in contact with me stating I no longer have the right to live in the UK. At this point I just gave birth to my baby 2 weeks before they contacted me.
2013 July sent application eea4
August got all documents back. No fee included.
6th august sent all documents with fee
28th agust COA received with work.
2014 25th february. 6 months past. Rung them today to see about any progress, woman on the phone very helpful. Said the case is still on going process and will take another month or two. If still haven't heard from them to ring back again.

today 18th march 2014 I got my PR it's a sticker inside my passport Wooooooooop Woooooooop thank god!! Thank you thank you

Time line: 7months!!

[chaoclive]

Congrats Kristine! You can relax now.
Have a guinness for me.

[kristine015]

Thank you chaoclive good luck to you and your partners application xx Happy Belated St. Paddys day! The luck of Irish

[chaoclive]

Cheers! Keep in touch!

[Stoli]

Thought I'd post here too

Applied for EEA4 - documents received by HO on 11th of Feb (2014), to this day (20 march) they have not even taken the payment!

[Cricket_boy]

Hello All,

I have been following this thread ever since I applied for my eea4 residence card.

Hers's my story -

21st Jan 2014 - Complete application sent
29th Jan 2014 - COA Received

Didn't make any contacts with the HO

20th March 2014 - Passport received with other documents. Happy to see this getting it done under 2 months as my job and family takes me out of the country every month

My 2 cents here is to make sure the application is filled correctly and answer what they (HO) are asking instead of justifying yourself with your own situation. I am sure HO will help if you do have a genuine concerns.

Wishing you all the very best and please feel free to contact me if you want to have a chat here.

Regards

[Stoli]

Okay, now I am even more puzzled as to why oh why my application has been so .. stuck?

They received it on 11th Feb, and have not touched it since!

[blooms]

Stoli: Have you received your COA? If not, that is a valid reason to call them.

For what its worth, my application was coincidentally also sent on Feb 11.
On Feb 12 they issued a letter that they received my application.
The money was taken out on Feb 13.
The COA was issued on Feb 17.

Now, I'm just waiting but hoping for a quick turnaround. I only submitted an EEA4. We included bank statements, utility bills, council tax, tenancy agreements etc. from the past 5 years, all chronologically ordered.

[Stoli]

Have just spoken with smb in HO (by the way, new tel number: 03001232253 . Waiting time was less than 1 minute! the guy was very nice.) and they advised that apparently I had a case ID number AND that the payment had been taken. I guess they must have done so either last Friday or today as I can see nothing on my bank statement, even as pending balance. 28 working (!!) days to take the payment. I guess I'm in for a loooong wait for the decision.. Sigh

Another update is that now - apparently - non-EEA applicants also have the right to ask for their passport, online through https://www.gov.uk/visa-documents-returned without withdrawing the application by doing so.

[SouthWest1]

hi all,

A friend of mine sent his EEA4 application by Post on 13/01/2014 and received his PR today 26/03/2014 dated to 28/02/2014.
around 7 weeks ( funny also as fees were deducted on 05/03/2014 after the card was issued!!!)

I think this proves that it is a lucky dip once it comes to any EEA application. I must admit his was straight forward pretty much.

Good luck to any one waiting.

[Stoli]

I had another conversation with HO yesterday. More fun and games

So apparently they had taken the fee from my account on 19 February (after having received the docs on 11th Feb). Seriously, I checked ALL my accounts - no money taken out. Wonder whom they charged for my application?
Anyway. So I tell them - please issue me with a COA because since its been absolute ages I may decide to take up a new job offer. In order for me to change employment I do need some sort of documentation, right? Conversation went something like this:
HO: Riiight, but a COA has not been issued.
ME: Well, issue it please?
HO: It is only issued when you apply for EEA2.
ME: No its not.
HO: Yes it is. Since you're applying for EEA4 there would be no COA for you.
ME: Yes there would, this is my second application for EEA4 and I had COA the first time round. Also, it would make perfect sense, don't you think?.
HO: ...long pause... Ooooh. Oh? Let me check with my colleagues.
...pause...
...heavy breathing...
HO: okay, I have emailed the caseworkers, it will take them a couple of days to respond.

Then she took my mobile number (why didn't they have it?)


Uhh

[Ajenta83]

*sigh* perhaps someone new in the job took your Phone call. I won't be suprised.
Keep us posted how it goes...good luck!

[avellana86]

WAHOO! Just received PR after EEA4 application - well within 2 months. SO HAPPY!!!

Our timeline was as follows:

15/02/14 - Sent application via Special Delivery, return postage envelope included
19/02/14 - Received letter dated 17/02/14
28/02/14 - Received COA
03/04/14 - Received passport and documents back, PR is sticker in passport not separate card, dated 31/03/14.

The case was a complicated one for proving treaty rights as his EEA wife was variously a student, employed, self-employed, job seeking, self-employed again. We also relied heavily on bank statements (thankfully easy to get re-issued as they still had the same accounts) as they were missing bills and tenancy agreements and P45s and other documents. We also had to do 2 years' back-dated self-assessment tax returns as she had not been registered as self-employed...

We sent a really organised folder, everything labelled and in order. We only sent EEA4 form, not EEA3. Below is a list of documents supplied.

COVER LETTER +

1. For proof of relationship
a. Certificate of marriage

2. Proof that continuously resident in the UK January 2009 - present
a. EEA bank statements, multiple (one every 3-4 months)
b. Non EEA bank statements, multiple (one every 6 months)

3. Proof of EEA continuously exercising treaty rights in the UK for five years (from January 2009 – present)

i. When studying (January 2008-April 2011)
a. Letter confirming her enrolment at University
b. Statement of loan payments received from the Student Loans Company (payments also highlighted in bank statements)

(No CSI as also in employment alongside her studies – see section ii. below)

ii. When she was employed (January 2009-July 2011, January 2014-present)
a. Letter from HMRC detailing employment history for the tax years 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12.
b. P45 from XX
c. Contract of employment from the XX
d. P45 from XX
e. Contract of employment from XX

Payments from employment are highlighted in bank statements.

iii. When she was seeking work (September-October 2011)
a. Letter confirming entitlement to JSA
b. P45 from JSA

Payments from JSA are highlighted in bank statements in yellow. Benefits received were also noted in SA tax returns 2011/12 and 2012/13 (see section 3.iv.a. below).

iv. When she was self-employed (April-May 2011, September 2011 – present)
a. Copies of submitted SA tax returns 2011/12 and 2012/13 (printed from HMRC website)
b. Summary of tax liabilities (printed from HMRC website)
c. Income records for tax year 2011/12, 2012/13 and current 2013/14
d. Class 2 NICs invoice from HMRC

Payments from self-employment are highlighted in bank statements.

1. xxxxxx (April-May 2011)
a. Fee invoices from xxxxxxxx
b. Letter from HMRC confirming national insurance contributions exception

2. XXXXX (2011 – present)

b. Limited company accounts 2012/13, as submitted to Companies House
c. Business cards
d. Certificate of company incorporation on 14/03/2013
e. Share capital memorandum listing EEA and non EEA as shareholders
f. Invoices, several
g. Company bank statements, several
h. Marketing materials: print-outs of website, Facebook page, and Amazon listing

3. Nannying, casual/part-time (October 2011 – present)
Please see documents in section (vi) above.

Additional documents
A five-year timeline showing EEA activities and joint places of residence.
Individual personal statements supporting the application.


Super happy the application was accepted and so quickly too, I hope this will help others - don't lose hope!!! And it pays to be organised!!

Thanks to everyone on the forum, your support has been incredibly helpful.

Off to celebrate!!

[Hubba]

WAHOO! Just received PR after EEA4 application - well within 2 months. SO HAPPY!!!

Our timeline was as follows:

15/02/14 - Sent application via Special Delivery, return postage envelope included
19/02/14 - Received letter dated 17/02/14
28/02/14 - Received COA
03/04/14 - Received passport and documents back, PR is sticker in passport not separate card, dated 31/03/14.

The case was a complicated one for proving treaty rights as his EEA wife was variously a student, employed, self-employed, job seeking, self-employed again. We also relied heavily on bank statements (thankfully easy to get re-issued as they still had the same accounts) as they were missing bills and tenancy agreements and P45s and other documents. We also had to do 2 years' back-dated self-assessment tax returns as she had not been registered as self-employed...

We sent a really organised folder, everything labelled and in order. We only sent EEA4 form, not EEA3. Below is a list of documents supplied.

COVER LETTER +

1. For proof of relationship
a. Certificate of marriage

2. Proof that continuously resident in the UK January 2009 - present
a. EEA bank statements, multiple (one every 3-4 months)
b. Non EEA bank statements, multiple (one every 6 months)

3. Proof of EEA continuously exercising treaty rights in the UK for five years (from January 2009 – present)

i. When studying (January 2008-April 2011)
a. Letter confirming her enrolment at University
b. Statement of loan payments received from the Student Loans Company (payments also highlighted in bank statements)

(No CSI as also in employment alongside her studies – see section ii. below)

ii. When she was employed (January 2009-July 2011, January 2014-present)
a. Letter from HMRC detailing employment history for the tax years 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12.
b. P45 from XX
c. Contract of employment from the XX
d. P45 from XX
e. Contract of employment from XX

Payments from employment are highlighted in bank statements.

iii. When she was seeking work (September-October 2011)
a. Letter confirming entitlement to JSA
b. P45 from JSA

Payments from JSA are highlighted in bank statements in yellow. Benefits received were also noted in SA tax returns 2011/12 and 2012/13 (see section 3.iv.a. below).

iv. When she was self-employed (April-May 2011, September 2011 – present)
a. Copies of submitted SA tax returns 2011/12 and 2012/13 (printed from HMRC website)
b. Summary of tax liabilities (printed from HMRC website)
c. Income records for tax year 2011/12, 2012/13 and current 2013/14
d. Class 2 NICs invoice from HMRC

Payments from self-employment are highlighted in bank statements.

1. xxxxxx (April-May 2011)
a. Fee invoices from xxxxxxxx
b. Letter from HMRC confirming national insurance contributions exception

2. XXXXX (2011 – present)

b. Limited company accounts 2012/13, as submitted to Companies House
c. Business cards
d. Certificate of company incorporation on 14/03/2013
e. Share capital memorandum listing EEA and non EEA as shareholders
f. Invoices, several
g. Company bank statements, several
h. Marketing materials: print-outs of website, Facebook page, and Amazon listing

3. Nannying, casual/part-time (October 2011 – present)
Please see documents in section (vi) above.

Additional documents
A five-year timeline showing EEA activities and joint places of residence.
Individual personal statements supporting the application.


Super happy the application was accepted and so quickly too, I hope this will help others - don't lose hope!!! And it pays to be organised!!

Thanks to everyone on the forum, your support has been incredibly helpful.

Off to celebrate!!

Thanks for spending your time posting your success story in such a detailed manner. People reading this forum may sometimes think the process is actually more difficult than it is, mainly because only hairy problems end up being posted here. Hearing success stories such as yours is very productive.

[malanjinho]

It seems that the processing speed is really getting better. I got my resident card day before yesterday as well submitted the application on 11 February 2014...took less than 2 months. Pretty happy!

[iwantmyresidenceasap]

Hi All

Submitted my application EEA4 earlier this week.
I will keep everyone posted, fingers crossed.

[Ajenta83]

Hi, same here..both EEA 3&4. Will keep you guys posted!!!

[iwantmyresidenceasap]

Hi All

Submitted my application EEA4 earlier this week.
I will keep everyone posted, fingers crossed.

COA received within 3 days with employment rights issued too. Does that mean it is now queueing up?

[RedMar]

Hi all,

I just thought I would share my experience to provide some optimism and moral support to those who are still waiting for a decision on their application. I received my PR in the post on Saturday and felt so happy but also very confused at the very short period of time it took to process my application. When I applied for the EEA2 5 years ago, I applied through a solicitor. It took 8 months for me to receive my Residence Card and even that was only after the intervention of my MP, Solvit and several complain letters. So when I applied for the PR this time (through the EAA4 route), I was really prepared for the worst. However, I have been very pleasantly surprised and cannot believe how much the process seems to have changed.

- Application type: Permanent Residence (EEA4 route)
- Citizenship: Algerian
- Partner's citizenship: Maltese
- Date application sent (Special Delivery): 10/02/2014
- Date application confirmation letter received: 15/02/2014 (letter dated 12/02/2014)
- Date COA received: 24/02/2014 (COA dated 14/02/2014)
- Date passport requested back (I had to request my passport back for urgent travel and I still had a valid RC in it): 10/03/2014
- Date passport received (using the special delivery envelope I included): 14/03/2014
- Date PR received (by a signed-for letter that they provided): 5/04/2014 (PR dated 27/03/2014)

On the Saturday I received the PR, I was leaving my home to go to the post office to send them another special delivery envelope for the return of the PR. I checked my letter box and was surprised to find the package from them containing all my documents and the PR (attached to a paper that says Immigration Documentation, valid for 10 years).

Supporting documents that I included with my application:

- My passport
- My spouse's national ID card (she couldn't send her passport because of travel plans)
- Marriage Certificate
- My spouse's pay slips and P60 forms for the past 5 years (60 payslips and 5 P60s)
- Council Tax statements for the past 5 years (5 in total) as proof of residency, these are addressed to both myself and my spouse
- Water Bills for the past 5 years (10 in total), also addressed to both of us
- Mortgage statements for the past 4 years (4), also in both our names, these weren't necessary to include

I put all similar documents in transparent plastic pockets with a label at the top that states what they are (all payslips together, all council tax statements together...etc.). I did not send any documents that relate to myself or my work history.

Good luck to all of you who are still waiting for a decision. Big thanks to everyone who shared their experience and advice.

Red

[Stoli]

Genuinely happy for you guys!! Wish I can tell a happy story some day soon too!

My turn to provide some entertainment though

Received all my documents back last Thursday, stating application were invalid because I needed to pay. (duuh..)
The very very VERY disgusting thing about it is that I have of course provided them with my cc details. I am 100% sure.
And I called them THREE times to enquire why payment had not been taken out yet, only to hear "oh everything is okay, do not worry, just wait".
So the really disgusting thing: I had my application form wire binded. You know, to prevent pages from falling everywhere and being lost. So this wire was bent. This happens when one rips pages out of a wire-binded document. So they pretty much ripped the payment page out, lost it. And that was the end of it. By the way, the documents were sent from Liverpool which I found a bit strange given the circumstances.

I have sent the documents again this Saturday. And I am planning to write a complaint.