UK EEA2 residence card and working

Eclair · Post by **Eclair** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 8:41 pm

Hello I just moved here to the UK. My civil partner is an Irish National and I'm from the US. I was advised by a few solicitors that I may come over to Northern Ireland rather than apply for the EEA Family Permit. Problem us, because of that...I cannot work. My partner just started their job and is getting a payslip soon. They are also getting a National Insurance number soon. I read in previous posts on waiting for more pay slips but obviously I need to start working and need that confirmation letter (they refused to give me a national insurance number). Do we need to put in bank statements of what we have? The problem we have is, all my saved money is currently in Euros (and since we just moved here we have no utility bills yet and thus no bank account...) and the rest of my partner's saved money is in a credit union in the south. Are EEA2 applications readily rejected? Is it alright for me to put in the application 1 payslip (as it's biweekly pay and she just started), our passports and pictures, and partnership certificate? Will I then be able to work with that certificate they send me?

ribena · Post by **ribena** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 8:50 pm

You can start working if you already have a EEA FP altho it takes a bit of convincing the employer.

Eclair · Post by **Eclair** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 8:55 pm

ribena wrote:You can start working if you already have a EEA FP altho it takes a bit of convincing the employer.

I already stated that I was advised by multiple solicitors to just come into Northern ireland since they claim the Dublin consulate would have most likely refused me...

So while I'm legally here because my partner is exercising her right, I cannot work as I have no proof I can... My question was if showing a payslip would be enough as she just got her job (proof for the EEA2)...I really need that letter of confirmation so I may start working...and they already refused me a National Insurance number because I have no proof I may work...

And do they suspect people of convenience marriages a lot? I'm not sure if I'm supposed to put all our chat logs and other proof in this EEA2 as well...or bank statements but we don't have a bank account yet...

yankeegirl · Post by **yankeegirl** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 9:49 pm

You might be able to apply based on the one payslip and letter from the employer, but I'm not 100% sure about that. It would also be a good idea to put in any bank statements you have. It is just a bit more proof that you guys can support yourselves. Has your partner looked into opening a UK bank account yet? That's something you guys might want to look into.

You might also want to contact the Law Centre in Belfast. They offer a telephone immigration advice service. I can PM you the number if you like. I called them about a year and a half ago and they were really helpful.

EEA2 applications aren't readily refused. You have to show that you are a family member (submitting the civil partnership certificate) and that the EEA national is exercising a treaty right (proof of employment).

Don't worry about sending in the chat logs, it's not necessary.

Eclair · Post by **Eclair** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:03 pm

problem is it's a pain to get a bank account here...we haven't gotten a utility bill yet so they're refusing to give us an account (we have to wait until the end of the month to get our first bill). The other problem is half our money is in her credit union account in the south. She has a receipt slip stating the amount and we could send that along with the application... The documents say nothing about a certain amount being required to have saved, but currently on us we have about...2,400 pounds with us and 1,600 pounds equivalent in the credit union..the main home office site says nothing about refusal on grounds of not having enough saved or income...

the law center was the place that told me to come here without the family permit, but now I'm stuck unable to work...once I get authorization to work we'll be making more anyway...

yankeegirl · Post by **yankeegirl** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:49 pm

that really sucks:(

This is just an idea... and I have no idea if it will work, but perhaps your partner coud change her address with her credit union down south, and request that they send her a bank statement to the new address in Northern Ireland, and see if that would be acceptable proof. When we came up from Dublin, my husband was banking with AIB and had a hell of a time getting a bank account in the north, and had to get one ASAP as his new job only paid wages by direct deposit, so he changed his address with AIB,had them send a statement and used that as proof of address here in the north. However this was early 2005, so I'm not sure if it would still work, but if it does, it might be a wee bit quicker than waiting for the utility bill.

You're right, i don't think it's *mandatory* to submit financial info, and there isn't a required amount of income needed, I was just looking at it from the angle of making sure all bases were covered since she is newly employed. Better to be overly thorough than not thorough enough lol.

In all honesty though, there's nothing stopping you from putting in the application now, and submitting more payslips once they are recieved, since they take 6 months to actually process the application. People have submitted EEA2 applications with a letter that they will send the passport at a later date (if it's needed for urgent travel) so I don't see why it would be any different with payslips. Just make sure to include a letter from her employer along with the payslip verifying that she is employed and what type of employment (permanent, temporary, etc).

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:21 pm

Residents of ROI can open a Sterling account in the North, with Ulster Bank. They simply have to visit a branch in the North, with proof of address in the South, plus photo ID (passport). I've done it myself. Does your partner still have an address in the South, and proof of it?

yankeegirl · Post by **yankeegirl** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:43 pm

Residents of ROI can open a Sterling account in the North, with Ulster Bank. They simply have to visit a branch in the North, with proof of address in the South, plus photo ID (passport). I've done it myself. Does your partner still have an address in the South, and proof of it?

Off topic, but when did they start doing that and is it widely known? It was Ulster Bank who we were with in the beginning and they never mentioned that, it would have saved us many headaches back then! It was actually our local Ulster Bank branch that had made the suggestion when we first came up here to have his bank down south send him a statement at the new NI address and that they would accept that as proof of address. Of course, that was 3 years ago now, so maybe it's a new thing.

Eclair · Post by **Eclair** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:58 pm

Wow thank you for that information! I'm not sure if she has proof of her address though...hmm I'm assuming it's on her passport. We get the utility bill right around the same time she gets her first payslip so that works out anyway. Was just concerned on how strict they are about these things, obviously I do not want to get rejected. She's only working minimum wage but it's a full time job...

My other huge worry was being able to work afterwards, i heard it's hard to get a job even WITH the certificate sent by the Home Office...I worry they may still refuse me a National Insurance number...

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:59 pm

yankeegirl wrote:
Residents of ROI can open a Sterling account in the North, with Ulster Bank. They simply have to visit a branch in the North, with proof of address in the South, plus photo ID (passport). I've done it myself. Does your partner still have an address in the South, and proof of it?
Off topic, but when did they start doing that and is it widely known? It was Ulster Bank who we were with in the beginning and they never mentioned that, it would have saved us many headaches back then! It was actually our local Ulster Bank branch that had made the suggestion when we first came up here to have his bank down south send him a statement at the new NI address and that they would accept that as proof of address. Of course, that was 3 years ago now, so maybe it's a new thing.

I'm not sure, tbh. I opened my UB a/c in Belfast about a year ago. 'Twas a 5 hour drive from our home in the South, but worth it, imo. It's handy to have a UK bank account.

I opened mine with an ESB bill and my passport.

Eclair · Post by **Eclair** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:10 am

Ok...it's not on the passport...it might be on the info from the credit union...hopefully they accept that. She never paid any utilities in the south either.

So if I just send in my civil partnership document, a payslip, the contract, and if we can the show the proof of funds...we'll be alright? I really need to be able to start working soon

thsths · Post by **thsths** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:59 am

benifa wrote:Residents of ROI can open a Sterling account in the North, with Ulster Bank. They simply have to visit a branch in the North, with proof of address in the South, plus photo ID (passport). I've done it myself. Does your partner still have an address in the South, and proof of it?

In fact, any European citizen can open a bank account anywhere in Europe. Residence in the country of the bank is not required.

Now banks do not usually want to encourage this, so you may get just a basic account (no overdraft, no interest, and maybe even a monthly fee). But it is your legal right to get an account.

Tom

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UK EEA2 residence card and working

UK EEA2 residence card and working