Travel to France, with EEA family permit

[Dihanhan]

Hello,

I have a question about travelling with EEA family permit. I am a Chinese and my boyfriend is a French. We are in a long relationship (almost 3 years) and we are living in the UK. I have an EEA family permit stating EEA FP: FAMILY MEMBER To join (my boyfriend's name). It is valid for 6 month from 26/09/2016 to 26/03/2017.

We are planning to go to France together for Christmas (from 24/12/2016 to 05/01/2017). Here comes the problem. After contacting TLScontact, I have learnt that I cannot apply for Schengen visa in the UK since I need to have 3 months valid UK visa left when I come back from France. In this situation, what should I do?

Can I travel to France without a Schengen visa? Will they let me go through the border? Hope somebody can help me out here.

Many thanks!

[noajthan]

FP is only for entry into UK.

Start here:
https://eumovement.wordpress.com/2010/0 ... to-travel/
- note cautions that apply

[Dihanhan]

FP is only for entry into UK.

Start here:
https://eumovement.wordpress.com/2010/0 ... to-travel/
- note cautions that apply

Thanks very much for the information. I guess I just need to figure out how to apply for a Schengen visa then.

[noajthan]

FP is only for entry into UK.

Start here:
https://eumovement.wordpress.com/2010/0 ... to-travel/
- note cautions that apply

Thanks very much for the information. I guess I just need to figure out how to apply for a Schengen visa then.

Yes, that would surely smooth your journey.
Bon voyage!

[Dihanhan]

FP is only for entry into UK.

Start here:
https://eumovement.wordpress.com/2010/0 ... to-travel/
- note cautions that apply

Thanks very much for the information. I guess I just need to figure out how to apply for a Schengen visa then.

Yes, that would surely smooth your journey.
Bon voyage!

Hi today I went to France Consulate and they told me that I cannot apply for a Schengen visa since my UK permit is only valid for 6 months. But they told me to go to King's cross to ask France border if I can travel with my EEA FP. I went to the entrance of Eurostar and the staff there asked a France police working there to help me. The France police checked my passport and EEA FP and then he said I don't need a visa to go to France as long as I travel with my partner. Do you think it will be ok for me?

[noajthan]

Hi today I went to France Consulate and they told me that I cannot apply for a Schengen visa since my UK permit is only valid for 6 months. But they told me to go to King's cross to ask France border if I can travel with my EEA FP. I went to the entrance of Eurostar and the staff there asked a France police working there to help me. The France police checked my passport and EEA FP and then he said I don't need a visa to go to France as long as I travel with my partner. Do you think it will be ok for me?

You don't need a visa as per the MRAX ruling - as decribed in link posted above.
Without a visa (just partner, marriage certificate etc etc) you may face delays, questions, stress. Or you may not.

A Schengen visa would eliminate most if not all of that.

[Dihanhan]

Hi today I went to France Consulate and they told me that I cannot apply for a Schengen visa since my UK permit is only valid for 6 months. But they told me to go to King's cross to ask France border if I can travel with my EEA FP. I went to the entrance of Eurostar and the staff there asked a France police working there to help me. The France police checked my passport and EEA FP and then he said I don't need a visa to go to France as long as I travel with my partner. Do you think it will be ok for me?

You don't need a visa as per the MRAX ruling - as decribed in link posted above.
Without a visa (just partner, marriage certificate etc etc) you may face delays, questions, stress. Or you may not.

A Schengen visa would eliminate most if not all of that.

OK I see. Hopefully we can make it. Thanks very much!

[kimarie606]

Dihanhan, my husband and I are in the exact same situation as you. I am French and my husband is Senegalese and we live in the UK; he has an EEA family permit which expires in April. We were planning on traveling to France next weekend (via plane) as I had assumed he could do so with the EEA family permit. I've since done some research, and now I'm really not sure. I emailed the embassy and their answer was confusing, and frankly I think misinformed.

So, I'm wondering what happened?!? Were you able to get into France? I would so appreciate some insight into this confusing situation. Thank you!

[kimarie606]

Dihanhan, my husband and I are in the exact same situation as you. I am French and my husband is Senegalese and we live in the UK; he has an EEA family permit which expires in April. We were planning on traveling to France next weekend (via plane) as I had assumed he could do so with the EEA family permit. I've since done some research, and now I'm really not sure. I emailed the embassy and their answer was confusing, and frankly I think misinformed.

So, I'm wondering what happened?!? Were you able to get into France? I would so appreciate some insight into this confusing situation. Thank you!

[Dihanhan]

Dihanhan, my husband and I are in the exact same situation as you. I am French and my husband is Senegalese and we live in the UK; he has an EEA family permit which expires in April. We were planning on traveling to France next weekend (via plane) as I had assumed he could do so with the EEA family permit. I've since done some research, and now I'm really not sure. I emailed the embassy and their answer was confusing, and frankly I think misinformed.

So, I'm wondering what happened?!? Were you able to get into France? I would so appreciate some insight into this confusing situation. Thank you!

Hi Kimaried606, I went to France embassy and the guy guiding the door didn't let me in. He checked my visa and adviced me to go to King's cross ask the French border control for Eurostar. I went there and asked some French staff they said that I don't need a visa. However we were still not convienced. So I went to apply for Schengen visa. Again the staff didn't let me apply at the very beginning because I do not have 3 month valid UK visa after coming back from France. I firmly insisted and explained my situation and then they let me apply but they told me I only have 50% chance. Two days later I got Schengen visa.

When we came back from France, at the UK border control, some staff told me that I can go through EU national path since I have EEA family permit. So I suggest you try to apply for Schengen visa first and if get rejected just try to travel without it.

Hope it helps!

[Wanderer]

Eurostar is at St Pancras not Kings Cross....

[Dihanhan]

Eurostar is at St Pancras not Kings Cross....

well they are nearby...

[Wanderer]

Eurostar is at St Pancras not Kings Cross....

well they are nearby...

Used to be at Waterloo, platforms are still there, unused now......

[kimarie606]

Hi Kimaried606, I went to France embassy and the guy guiding the door didn't let me in. He checked my visa and adviced me to go to King's cross ask the French border control for Eurostar. I went there and asked some French staff they said that I don't need a visa. However we were still not convienced. So I went to apply for Schengen visa. Again the staff didn't let me apply at the very beginning because I do not have 3 month valid UK visa after coming back from France. I firmly insisted and explained my situation and then they let me apply but they told me I only have 50% chance. Two days later I got Schengen visa.

When we came back from France, at the UK border control, some staff told me that I can go through EU national path since I have EEA family permit. So I suggest you try to apply for Schengen visa first and if get rejected just try to travel without it.

Hope it helps!

Thanks so much for this reply! Can I ask for some more specific details... What do you mean by "firmly insisted" - did you do this over the phone with TLS? How exactly did you apply for the visa? I saw the 3 month stipulation and just assumed it wasn't worth trying, but this is giving me hope! Especially since the trip is in one week... If he can't get a Schengen visa in time, we'll just try to travel with the EEA Family Permit, but it sounds like the visa option is worth a try. Thanks again for your help!!

[gokulatti]

I don't think there will be any problems but most probably delays and questions for eea permit holder due to relationship. I have an eea permit for unmarried partners issued in netherlands since my partner is working in holland. we did go to london on eurostar a while ago from lille (we were visiting her hometown).

They did ask me how I am related, I immediately said we are unmarried partners living together in netherland, and took out our rental contract and invoice for last 6 months and the insurance that my partner is paying for both of us from her work. I also said we are in a relationship for the past 5 years prior to netherlands we studied in norway and asked if they want to see more proof over all those years I have all the pdfs on my usb.

The guy looked at the long queue and then at me and my partner and asked her are you exercising your rights she said yes and immediately let me through didn't even stamp my passport.

I think the residence permit should clearly state " family member of a EU/union/EEA national"

[Dihanhan]

Hi Kimaried606, I went to France embassy and the guy guiding the door didn't let me in. He checked my visa and adviced me to go to King's cross ask the French border control for Eurostar. I went there and asked some French staff they said that I don't need a visa. However we were still not convienced. So I went to apply for Schengen visa. Again the staff didn't let me apply at the very beginning because I do not have 3 month valid UK visa after coming back from France. I firmly insisted and explained my situation and then they let me apply but they told me I only have 50% chance. Two days later I got Schengen visa.

When we came back from France, at the UK border control, some staff told me that I can go through EU national path since I have EEA family permit. So I suggest you try to apply for Schengen visa first and if get rejected just try to travel without it.

Hope it helps!

Thanks so much for this reply! Can I ask for some more specific details... What do you mean by "firmly insisted" - did you do this over the phone with TLS? How exactly did you apply for the visa? I saw the 3 month stipulation and just assumed it wasn't worth trying, but this is giving me hope! Especially since the trip is in one week... If he can't get a Schengen visa in time, we'll just try to travel with the EEA Family Permit, but it sounds like the visa option is worth a try. Thanks again for your help!!

I sent many emails to TLS and their response was not clear at all so I booked appointment with them and then I went there on the appointment day. The staff didn't let me apply but I asked them to talk to their manager and explained my situation. After that they asked me to write an explaination letter along with the application and telling me that it is my decision to apply.

Since your trip is in one week I don't think you can get an appointment in such short notice. You can try from rhe website first.

[kimarie606]

Just thought I would update you all After all our research, we decided to try our luck. Luckily, my husband was allowed to travel by plane with his EEA FP from the UK to France, and had no issue with border control at either end. We did not get the sense authorities were very informed/concerned - they just glanced at the EEA FP and stamped his passport. I don't know if this is standard practice or we were just lucky, but thought it was worth informing anyone in a similar situation! Thanks for the advice found here.