EEA Family permit for NON EEA National

martin001 · Post by **martin001** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 1:04 pm

Hiya,

I'm an Irish passport holder but also a UK national (born in Northern Ireland) and i have lived in London since i was 2 yrs old.

I am going to be getting married to my American girlfriend in America on 25th of June 2008.

I realise that i will need to get an EEA Family Permit for my wife once we are married for her to be able to accompany me back to London, to do this i understand i have to show bank statements/pay slips etc to show that i am working in the UK, however, i cannot find how many months payslips have to be shown? I have read on the british embassy website that it is 3 months, whereas another website states 6 months and the ukvisas.gov.uk website just says "your contract of employment, wage slips, letter from your employer" so can anyone with experience on this shed some light?

Also, i realise that the VAF5 application form has changed just recently in October 2007, has the application process changed at all?

Thanks for any information!

yankeegirl · Post by **yankeegirl** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 1:25 pm

Hi. When I applied for the family permit in March, I submitted 6 months of my husband's payslips. We figured it was better to err on the side of caution lol. We also had letter from husband's employer, lease, both passports and birth certificates, marriage certificate and 6 months of bank statements. For a family permit application, only submit your Irish passport.

The process in the US has changed quite a bit recently. You can no longer apply in person. Your future wife will have to apply on-line, and then either send in the documentiation through the post or via a courier. She will also have to make an appointment to have her biometric data collected. Try checking out www.uk-yankee.com On their visa and citizenship board, there was a poster on there who just went through this new application process. (The biometric requirement just came into effect December 3rd).

Also check out www.britainusa.com That will have info on how to apply and will inform you of which consulate the application need to go (LA, NY or Chicago)

martin001 · Post by **martin001** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 1:41 pm

Hey yankeegirl, thanks alot for the info, i'll be spending the next few hours on those websites lol.

When i go over to the states in June to get married, do you think we would be able to complete the application process within 3 weeks? (work constraints

) assuming that i will be using the courier service to speed things up.

Thanks again

VictoriaS · Post by **VictoriaS** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:11 pm

You have a choice, by the way, of whether to apply using UK or EEA rules.

Victoria

yankeegirl · Post by **yankeegirl** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:14 pm

You might be able to but it would probably be a good idea to have a back up plan just in case. Maybe a ticket that could be changed for your partner? She wouldn't have to enter the UK with you, so if it doesn't all come through before you leave, maybe she could change her ticket and follow you in a few days.

martin001 · Post by **martin001** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:30 pm

Thanks victoria, i did consider the UK visa route but it was very expensive and i was told that it's easy to get rejected and when i consider the fact that me and my girlfriend have only met twice with only a few photographs and emails as evidence, i'm quite sure we would be rejected!

Yankeegirl, that sounds like a good idea. Can i just ask, does this new process mean that we won't have to go to the Los Angeles consulate at all and all communication, including the outcome of the application will be via post?

One more question sorry! I have read the guidance notes for the VAF5 application form and it states that the only evidence required to prove our marriage is legitimate is our marriage certificate, are photos, emails, letters also required?

Thanks for any more info!

VictoriaS · Post by **VictoriaS** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:41 pm

Be aware that the EEA route has got trickier of late. You will need to do a lot tp prove this is a legitimate relationship.

Victoria

martin001 · Post by **martin001** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:46 pm

Hi Victoria, if they do require more evidence than the marriage certificate why do they not mention it in the application form? I wish they would just be clear about things like this!

Do you have any suggestions on what we could provide as evidence?

Thanks again

VictoriaS · Post by **VictoriaS** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:49 pm

They are never clear about these things. They don't want to be helpful!

Do a search here for kind of evidence people provide to prove an established relationship.

Victoria

martin001 · Post by **martin001** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:58 pm

Damn, it sounds so much easier when yankeegirl got hers!

Do you think mine would be rejected if we only provided marriage certificate and some photographs as evidence?

Thanks again, i'll do some more research!

Martin

VictoriaS · Post by **VictoriaS** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:20 pm

Yes. You have only met twice, so you are going to have to do a bit more work to prove the relationship is real.

Victoria

yankeegirl · Post by **yankeegirl** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:58 pm

Damn, it sounds so much easier when yankeegirl got hers!

Circumstances were different. My husband and I had been together a couple of years before marrying and we had a two year old child lol.

As Victoria suggested, try going through other threads to get ideas of what others have supplied. Phone bills, screen shots of emails, private messages and so on.

martin001 · Post by **martin001** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:28 pm

Thanks for the replies,

In light of the evidence that i would have to show, the only real difference between the EEA route and the UK spouse visa route is the cost?

VictoriaS · Post by **VictoriaS** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:45 pm

In practice, in some consulates, this is almost the case. Your girlfriend is American, so it is easier, but as you have no history of living together it makes things a lot more complex.

You will probably find the maintenence and accommodation test is a little easier.

Victoria

martin001 · Post by **martin001** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:48 pm

Which route would you guys suggest i take? considering that i will only have photographs, letters, emails, plane ticket stubs and a marriage certificate as evidence.

Thanks so much for your help!

VictoriaS · Post by **VictoriaS** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:51 pm

How many? Going back how long? WHat are your finances like? Where will you be living? How did you meet? Have you met twice now, or will the wedding be the second time?

Victoria

martin001 · Post by **martin001** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 6:01 pm

Around 30 photographs over 3 diffrent outings

Letters, Emails going back 8 months

I am employed full time and have about 3000 gbp in savings

We will be living in my 1 bed flat in London

We met in December 2006 through mutual friends when she was visiting London.

The wedding will be the 3rd meeting.

Thanks again,

VictoriaS · Post by **VictoriaS** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 6:04 pm

Get some supporting letters from the friends then.

Victoria

martin001 · Post by **martin001** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 6:08 pm

Didn't think of that, thanks. So you think this evidence will suffice for the EEA Family Permit? as proof of relationship that is.

Post by **JAJ** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:43 am

martin001 wrote:Thanks victoria, i did consider the UK visa route but it was very expensive and i was told that it's easy to get rejected and when i consider the fact that me and my girlfriend have only met twice with only a few photographs and emails as evidence, i'm quite sure we would be rejected!

Are you aware that the EEA route means that she will have to wait longer to become a British citizen, as the wait for permanent residence is longer.

Unless you are able to figure out the "ppron method" for naturalisation, assuming that loophole is not closed in the next few years.

martin001 · Post by **martin001** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 8:41 am

Hi Jaj, thanks for your post, i had a look into the PPRON method briefly and it states that is for only British citizens, would this mean i would have to get my wife to the UK via a UK spousal visa? do you think i'd get a spouse visa with the evidence that i've listed?

thanks for any help mate.

hopehan · Post by **hopehan** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:13 am

i think the evidences you ve had are enough for ur wife to come uk .the most important thing is u need provide evidence that you and ur wife will live in uk without any public refunds.

my husband is also from EEA and british. and we only met twice within one year during which we keep in touch through phone and emails.and i just provided emails.engagement photos and his payslips,bank statements.property certificate.then i got 6month fiancee visa to uk and married in uk .

martin001 · Post by **martin001** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 6:26 pm

Thanks for the in info hopehan, puts me at ease a little

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EEA Family permit for NON EEA National

EEA Family permit for NON EEA National