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Helloworkingamerican wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:02 pmI am an American and my wife is a German citizen, and we both live in Germany. We would like to move to the UK, specifically Scotland.
I just received a job offer in Scotland, which would start at the end of October or early November, depending on what time frame works best for us to move there.
I am planning on applying for an EEA Family Permit. Will this allow me to work in Scotland? I would earn enough money to support both of us until she finds a job, but she probably won't begin her job search until after we arrive in Scotland. My only worry is whether I can legally work in the UK with an EEA Family Permit.
After we move to the UK, we will apply for a settlement visa. I have read this, but it does not answer any questions whether I am allowed to work with the EEA Family Permit: https://www.gov.uk/family-permit/eea-family-permit
Thank you in advance!
You can work with an EEA Family Permit as long as your wife is exercising treaty rights, but employers tend to be reluctant to believe it, prefer to see a COA with documented work rights or a residence card.workingamerican wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:02 pmI am an American and my wife is a German citizen, and we both live in Germany. We would like to move to the UK, specifically Scotland.
I just received a job offer in Scotland, which would start at the end of October or early November, depending on what time frame works best for us to move there.
I am planning on applying for an EEA Family Permit. Will this allow me to work in Scotland? I would earn enough money to support both of us until she finds a job, but she probably won't begin her job search until after we arrive in Scotland. My only worry is whether I can legally work in the UK with an EEA Family Permit.
After we move to the UK, we will apply for a settlement visa. I have read this, but it does not answer any questions whether I am allowed to work with the EEA Family Permit: https://www.gov.uk/family-permit/eea-family-permit
Thank you in advance!
In what case does an EEA residence card not allow work? Some COAs come without the right to work, but that's for unmarried partners or where it's not clearly established that the applicant is indeed a family member.Zerubbabel wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:39 pmHelloworkingamerican wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:02 pmI am an American and my wife is a German citizen, and we both live in Germany. We would like to move to the UK, specifically Scotland.
I just received a job offer in Scotland, which would start at the end of October or early November, depending on what time frame works best for us to move there.
I am planning on applying for an EEA Family Permit. Will this allow me to work in Scotland? I would earn enough money to support both of us until she finds a job, but she probably won't begin her job search until after we arrive in Scotland. My only worry is whether I can legally work in the UK with an EEA Family Permit.
After we move to the UK, we will apply for a settlement visa. I have read this, but it does not answer any questions whether I am allowed to work with the EEA Family Permit: https://www.gov.uk/family-permit/eea-family-permit
Thank you in advance!
If you have an EEA family card, usually you can work anywhere in the UK. It's only in some marginal cases that they deliver them without the righ to work. As your wife is EEA, you will get a card with a right to work.
Your wife need to come to the UK and show that she is exercising treaty rights. This means she is installed in the UK and having some sort of activity.
Then, you apply for an EEA family member card. You will first get a COA (Certificate of Application) but email or post and you can already work with that.
ALKB wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 3:24 pmIn what case does an EEA residence card not allow work? Some COAs come without the right to work, but that's for unmarried partners or where it's not clearly established that the applicant is indeed a family member.Zerubbabel wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:39 pmHelloworkingamerican wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:02 pmI am an American and my wife is a German citizen, and we both live in Germany. We would like to move to the UK, specifically Scotland.
I just received a job offer in Scotland, which would start at the end of October or early November, depending on what time frame works best for us to move there.
I am planning on applying for an EEA Family Permit. Will this allow me to work in Scotland? I would earn enough money to support both of us until she finds a job, but she probably won't begin her job search until after we arrive in Scotland. My only worry is whether I can legally work in the UK with an EEA Family Permit.
After we move to the UK, we will apply for a settlement visa. I have read this, but it does not answer any questions whether I am allowed to work with the EEA Family Permit: https://www.gov.uk/family-permit/eea-family-permit
Thank you in advance!
If you have an EEA family card, usually you can work anywhere in the UK. It's only in some marginal cases that they deliver them without the righ to work. As your wife is EEA, you will get a card with a right to work.
Your wife need to come to the UK and show that she is exercising treaty rights. This means she is installed in the UK and having some sort of activity.
Then, you apply for an EEA family member card. You will first get a COA (Certificate of Application) but email or post and you can already work with that.
OP is asking about EEA family permit (entry clearance), which can be applied for to accompany the EEA family member, so they can move together. No need for the wife to move ahead of him on her own.
Do you have any recommendations for where to get private health insurance? We could get it privately in Germany, but do you know if the UK requires that it is a certain type of insurance?ALKB wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 3:20 pmYou can work with an EEA Family Permit as long as your wife is exercising treaty rights, but employers tend to be reluctant to believe it, prefer to see a COA with documented work rights or a residence card.workingamerican wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:02 pmI am an American and my wife is a German citizen, and we both live in Germany. We would like to move to the UK, specifically Scotland.
I just received a job offer in Scotland, which would start at the end of October or early November, depending on what time frame works best for us to move there.
I am planning on applying for an EEA Family Permit. Will this allow me to work in Scotland? I would earn enough money to support both of us until she finds a job, but she probably won't begin her job search until after we arrive in Scotland. My only worry is whether I can legally work in the UK with an EEA Family Permit.
After we move to the UK, we will apply for a settlement visa. I have read this, but it does not answer any questions whether I am allowed to work with the EEA Family Permit: https://www.gov.uk/family-permit/eea-family-permit
Thank you in advance!
Your wife would exercise EU treaty rights as either a jobseeker or self-sufficient through your income. In that case you'd both need private health insurance (CSI) on top of NHS access until she starts working herself.
You can then apply for either pre-settled status - UK domestic immigration law, free of charge - or a Residence Card for family members or EEA nationals - EU law, provided you arrive before Brexit happened, £ 60, you will then need to apply for pre-settled status before a certain deadline depending on when and if Brexit happens.
End of October/beginning of November may be a tricky time to move to the UK, especially if a no deal Brexit happens on 31st October.
I hope you have a good time in Scotland! I lived in Edinburgh for six years and miss it dearly.
You cannot take up job with first 6 months EEA visa unless "permitted to work" stated on your remarks section of EEA visa. Your employer will need to make visa check to Home Office and HM will answer to them that you cannot take up job. - when you call HO EEA visa section, they will tell you this info.workingamerican wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:02 pmI am an American and my wife is a German citizen, and we both live in Germany. We would like to move to the UK, specifically Scotland.
I just received a job offer in Scotland, which would start at the end of October or early November, depending on what time frame works best for us to move there.
I am planning on applying for an EEA Family Permit. Will this allow me to work in Scotland? I would earn enough money to support both of us until she finds a job, but she probably won't begin her job search until after we arrive in Scotland. My only worry is whether I can legally work in the UK with an EEA Family Permit.
After we move to the UK, we will apply for a settlement visa. I have read this, but it does not answer any questions whether I am allowed to work with the EEA Family Permit: https://www.gov.uk/family-permit/eea-family-permit
Thank you in advance!
Thanks for all of the information. It all seems to be a bit unclear when reading online whether someone is allowed to work under the EEA family permit.Blacksea28 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2019 9:55 pmYou cannot take up job with first 6 months EEA visa unless "permitted to work" stated on your remarks section of EEA visa. Your employer will need to make visa check to Home Office and HM will answer to them that you cannot take up job. - when you call HO EEA visa section, they will tell you this info.workingamerican wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:02 pmI am an American and my wife is a German citizen, and we both live in Germany. We would like to move to the UK, specifically Scotland.
I just received a job offer in Scotland, which would start at the end of October or early November, depending on what time frame works best for us to move there.
I am planning on applying for an EEA Family Permit. Will this allow me to work in Scotland? I would earn enough money to support both of us until she finds a job, but she probably won't begin her job search until after we arrive in Scotland. My only worry is whether I can legally work in the UK with an EEA Family Permit.
After we move to the UK, we will apply for a settlement visa. I have read this, but it does not answer any questions whether I am allowed to work with the EEA Family Permit: https://www.gov.uk/family-permit/eea-family-permit
Thank you in advance!
Even though you can come with your EEA spouse and she can start look for job but it is not counted as exercising treaty rights because in order to have Job seeker status officially, your wife needs to move here and look for job at least 90 days and then, she needs to visit job center to register there as job seeker. They will ask for evidence that she moved to the UK and looking for a job for more than 90 days and still could not find... Otherwise she won't be counted as job seeker so that means no exercising treaty rights.
Therefore, do not go to EEA route, just apply for EU settlement scheme in the same time with your wife through android app. It takes some time, but no treaty right or financial or health insurance requirement and faster than EEA route.
But anyway, you cannot take up job legally until your final EU settlement scheme COA.
I can suggest you one of below,
1-) You can come at least 1 month before and apply right away to settlement scheme and I believe in 1 month you would receive your COA/BIO card. (In certain cases it is very straight forward, i.e. I received my RC card in 20 calendar days upon arriving to the UK)
2-) Your wife can start looking for job and if possible can get job offer with starting day earlier than you(even one day earlier than you would be sufficient), then you can provide marriage act, copy of EEA visa, your wife's job contact to your employer to prove that you are family member of an EEA and your wife is exercising treaty rights. Then it is up to your employer to take risk or not. Depends on how qualified and imortant for the business you are, they can wait with HO employee check. (For me it worked and they did such check after my COA). Vast majority of employers do not want to take risk because they can receive 20K GBP penalty and they can be in HO black list etc.
3-) May be your employer can sponsor your visa and once in the UK you can apply EU settlement scheme and change your status.
I would recommend you the first option, I believe it would resolve the issues, in case of 2-3 weeks more delay, your employer could just wait until you get COA
Good luck!
Whenever my husband applied for an EEA family permit (by the way, it's not a visa by definition) it always took about three weeks including sending back and forth between Berlin and the decision-making post - in Düsseldorf if I remember right.workingamerican wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:31 am
I am going to make an appointment at the UK Visa Office (I forget the name of the actual office) in Berlin for the EEA Family Visa, and that should take ~5 days to hear an answer, at which point I will be able to live & work in the UK for 6 months until my wife gets her Residence card (or settled status).
Is there anything that I am forgetting to do?
Thank you again!
Okay she will apply for pre-settled status, but do we have to be living in the UK in order to apply for pre-settled status? Or is this something that she can apply for while still living in Germany?ALKB wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:38 am
Whenever my husband applied for an EEA family permit (by the way, it's not a visa by definition) it always took about three weeks including sending back and forth between Berlin and the decision-making post - in Düsseldorf if I remember right.
It's you most of all who is in need of a residence card or pre-settled status. Your wife could either apply for a certificate of registration (EU law) or pre-settled status. She won't be eligible for settled status until she has spent five years in the UK, exercising treaty rights.
I never needed to look into this because I was always working from day one whenever we moved to the UK (first England, then after a stint in Asia, to Edinburgh) and as such it was very clear that my husband was entitled to an EEA family permit, once we applied for it before moving, we moved together and he started work a few days after me.workingamerican wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:49 am
Do you have any recommendations for where to get private health insurance? We could get it privately in Germany, but do you know if the UK requires that it is a certain type of insurance?
My wife will probably take a few months to find the right job for her, so we will need this at least for a few months.
Thank you for your help!
We are very excited to live in Edinburgh! We've visited twice and absolutely love the city
Thank you for all of the advice!! Especially the advice about the flat, we will definitely take this into considerationALKB wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:59 am
I never needed to look into this because I was always working from day one whenever we moved to the UK (first England, then after a stint in Asia, to Edinburgh) and as such it was very clear that my husband was entitled to an EEA family permit, once we applied for it before moving, we moved together and he started work a few days after me.
I think BUPA offer CSI and doing an online search a few comparison websites came up, so there should be plenty of providers.
Edinburgh is mostly fantastically beautiful (and in some places depressingly ugly), albeit a lot darker than Berlin in winter (about two hours daylight less per day) and most years we had the heating on 10-11 months in the year. It might be worth considering a well-insulated flat with double glazing over historical charm. The building we lived in was from 1749 and although the walls were more than a meter thick, they seemed to keep warmth out rather than in. Upside: two additional hours of daylight in summer when compared to Berlin
Your wife should also register on the electoral roll as soon as you move. It will give you an official piece of correspondence that can be used as proof of address for opening a bank account, registering with a GP, etc.
To be very honest, if it were me, I'd not dawdle with starting to work, not with Brexit coming up and everybody being horribly confused about everything and EU national's rights in particular. Even if it's just part time in a job that she doesn't want to keep for long, her having a job would make everything a lot easier for you and keep the authorities off your back until you got your residence card or pre-settled status. She could always take a break later on, as long as you both have CSI.
Based on a bit more research, I think I should go for point #1, because a Residence Card will become invalid after December 31, 2020 according to: https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-uk-residence-card ,workingamerican wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:33 amFrom what I understand, I have 2 options:
1. After I arrive in the UK, my wife and I should apply for pre-settled status. Once I get my pre-settled status approved, I can then show my employer my pre-settled status, which will give me the right to work.
2. I can apply for a residence card as a family member of an EU citizen after I arrive in the UK. The downside is that this can take up to 6 months.
My wife and I are planning on going to Edinburgh on October 14th. My wife will try to get a part-time job before we arrive, so that it is easier for me to start working. I am supposed to start my job on November 5th.
Which direction should I go in (point 1 or 2) so that I can legally start working in time. Or is there another option that I am not aware of?
Thank you all for your help and advice.
I would do both 1 and 2. (I read elsewhere that you can chose to apply for two different EEA family permits from abroad: under EU law or under settlement scheme, not sure whether it matters at this point which one you go for.)workingamerican wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:33 amFrom what I understand, I have 2 options:
1. After I arrive in the UK, my wife and I should apply for pre-settled status. Once I get my pre-settled status approved, I can then show my employer my pre-settled status, which will give me the right to work.
2. I can apply for a residence card as a family member of an EU citizen after I arrive in the UK. The downside is that this can take up to 6 months.
My wife and I are planning on going to Edinburgh on October 14th. My wife will try to get a part-time job before we arrive, so that it is easier for me to start working. I am supposed to start my job on November 5th.
Which direction should I go in (point 1 or 2) so that I can legally start working in time. Or is there another option that I am not aware of?
Thank you all for your help and advice.
I hadn't thought about applying for a residence permit as well as pre-settled status, but that's a great idea! Especially with all of the uncertainty with Brexit.ALKB wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:45 amI would do both 1 and 2. (I read elsewhere that you can chose to apply for two different EEA family permits from abroad: under EU law or under settlement scheme, not sure whether it matters at this point which one you go for.)workingamerican wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:33 amFrom what I understand, I have 2 options:
1. After I arrive in the UK, my wife and I should apply for pre-settled status. Once I get my pre-settled status approved, I can then show my employer my pre-settled status, which will give me the right to work.
2. I can apply for a residence card as a family member of an EU citizen after I arrive in the UK. The downside is that this can take up to 6 months.
My wife and I are planning on going to Edinburgh on October 14th. My wife will try to get a part-time job before we arrive, so that it is easier for me to start working. I am supposed to start my job on November 5th.
Which direction should I go in (point 1 or 2) so that I can legally start working in time. Or is there another option that I am not aware of?
Thank you all for your help and advice.
1 to get proof of work rights as soon as possible; 2 to still have proof of your EU rights at least until Brexit occurs. 2 might be a moot point if there will be a no deal Brexit on 31st October and the application ceases to exist but could still be a good thing to have if there is an extension or Brexit is cancelled or some other scenario we don't even dream of now.
Getting a part time job/non-high skilled job from outside of the UK is very difficult. Those kinds of jobs are usually given by handing in CVs personally either to the place directly or an employment agency and having on-the spot interviews or an interview very shortly after. If she is not in the UK and available for an interview, it's likely that she won't get a response at all. She can try but should be ready for a lot of radio silence.
If you want to PM me, I can give you the name of a company that seems to be one of the places where all the foreign language people end up at first. Not fantastic but solid. I worked there for my first six months in Edinburgh. They hire every Monday and offer part time jobs, too.
If you arrive before Brexit, your wife still has the right to vote in regional elections. As the UK does not have address registration which automatically gets you registered to vote in Germany, she has to call (or maybe it's possible online, now, too) the council and register for voting. This will give you a piece of official mail to your Edinburgh address within a couple of days. Registering also helps with building credit, since banks access the electoral roll to check details. I didn't know that and was only able to get a UK credit card after changing my 'closed' registration to an 'open' one - not sure whether these were the exact terms but something to that effect.
You are welcome!workingamerican wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:58 amI hadn't thought about applying for a residence permit as well as pre-settled status, but that's a great idea! Especially with all of the uncertainty with Brexit.ALKB wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:45 amI would do both 1 and 2. (I read elsewhere that you can chose to apply for two different EEA family permits from abroad: under EU law or under settlement scheme, not sure whether it matters at this point which one you go for.)workingamerican wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:33 amFrom what I understand, I have 2 options:
1. After I arrive in the UK, my wife and I should apply for pre-settled status. Once I get my pre-settled status approved, I can then show my employer my pre-settled status, which will give me the right to work.
2. I can apply for a residence card as a family member of an EU citizen after I arrive in the UK. The downside is that this can take up to 6 months.
My wife and I are planning on going to Edinburgh on October 14th. My wife will try to get a part-time job before we arrive, so that it is easier for me to start working. I am supposed to start my job on November 5th.
Which direction should I go in (point 1 or 2) so that I can legally start working in time. Or is there another option that I am not aware of?
Thank you all for your help and advice.
1 to get proof of work rights as soon as possible; 2 to still have proof of your EU rights at least until Brexit occurs. 2 might be a moot point if there will be a no deal Brexit on 31st October and the application ceases to exist but could still be a good thing to have if there is an extension or Brexit is cancelled or some other scenario we don't even dream of now.
Getting a part time job/non-high skilled job from outside of the UK is very difficult. Those kinds of jobs are usually given by handing in CVs personally either to the place directly or an employment agency and having on-the spot interviews or an interview very shortly after. If she is not in the UK and available for an interview, it's likely that she won't get a response at all. She can try but should be ready for a lot of radio silence.
If you want to PM me, I can give you the name of a company that seems to be one of the places where all the foreign language people end up at first. Not fantastic but solid. I worked there for my first six months in Edinburgh. They hire every Monday and offer part time jobs, too.
If you arrive before Brexit, your wife still has the right to vote in regional elections. As the UK does not have address registration which automatically gets you registered to vote in Germany, she has to call (or maybe it's possible online, now, too) the council and register for voting. This will give you a piece of official mail to your Edinburgh address within a couple of days. Registering also helps with building credit, since banks access the electoral roll to check details. I didn't know that and was only able to get a UK credit card after changing my 'closed' registration to an 'open' one - not sure whether these were the exact terms but something to that effect.
Thank you for all of the detailed info, you have really helped relieve some of my stress through this whole process
I tried PM-ing you but it says that I am not authorized to read private messages. My account is pretty new on here, so maybe that is why?
It is 30 posts and any nonsense posts to increase your post count will be removed and the PM function permanently disabled. PM function is a privilege and can be withdrawn if it is abused.workingamerican wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 12:06 pmok this should be my 10th post, so hopefully it lets me now
Ok it seems to be that it is 30 posts. So it seems like I can't send you a PMALKB wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 12:03 pmYou are welcome!workingamerican wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:58 amI hadn't thought about applying for a residence permit as well as pre-settled status, but that's a great idea! Especially with all of the uncertainty with Brexit.ALKB wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:45 amI would do both 1 and 2. (I read elsewhere that you can chose to apply for two different EEA family permits from abroad: under EU law or under settlement scheme, not sure whether it matters at this point which one you go for.)workingamerican wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:33 amFrom what I understand, I have 2 options:
1. After I arrive in the UK, my wife and I should apply for pre-settled status. Once I get my pre-settled status approved, I can then show my employer my pre-settled status, which will give me the right to work.
2. I can apply for a residence card as a family member of an EU citizen after I arrive in the UK. The downside is that this can take up to 6 months.
My wife and I are planning on going to Edinburgh on October 14th. My wife will try to get a part-time job before we arrive, so that it is easier for me to start working. I am supposed to start my job on November 5th.
Which direction should I go in (point 1 or 2) so that I can legally start working in time. Or is there another option that I am not aware of?
Thank you all for your help and advice.
1 to get proof of work rights as soon as possible; 2 to still have proof of your EU rights at least until Brexit occurs. 2 might be a moot point if there will be a no deal Brexit on 31st October and the application ceases to exist but could still be a good thing to have if there is an extension or Brexit is cancelled or some other scenario we don't even dream of now.
Getting a part time job/non-high skilled job from outside of the UK is very difficult. Those kinds of jobs are usually given by handing in CVs personally either to the place directly or an employment agency and having on-the spot interviews or an interview very shortly after. If she is not in the UK and available for an interview, it's likely that she won't get a response at all. She can try but should be ready for a lot of radio silence.
If you want to PM me, I can give you the name of a company that seems to be one of the places where all the foreign language people end up at first. Not fantastic but solid. I worked there for my first six months in Edinburgh. They hire every Monday and offer part time jobs, too.
If you arrive before Brexit, your wife still has the right to vote in regional elections. As the UK does not have address registration which automatically gets you registered to vote in Germany, she has to call (or maybe it's possible online, now, too) the council and register for voting. This will give you a piece of official mail to your Edinburgh address within a couple of days. Registering also helps with building credit, since banks access the electoral roll to check details. I didn't know that and was only able to get a UK credit card after changing my 'closed' registration to an 'open' one - not sure whether these were the exact terms but something to that effect.
Thank you for all of the detailed info, you have really helped relieve some of my stress through this whole process
I tried PM-ing you but it says that I am not authorized to read private messages. My account is pretty new on here, so maybe that is why?
Ah, yes, I think you need at lest 10 posts to be able to send and receive PMs. Nearly there
Yes, I totally forgot.workingamerican wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 12:10 pm
Ok it seems to be that it is 30 posts. So it seems like I can't send you a PM
Ok we will do that. Thank you so much for all of your help and advice!ALKB wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 1:00 pmYes, I totally forgot.workingamerican wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 12:10 pm
Ok it seems to be that it is 30 posts. So it seems like I can't send you a PM
Do a search on Edinburgh contact centre calder.
Alternatively, there seem to be quite a lot of similar openings on the big UK job search sites, just enter Edinburgh and German.
workingamerican wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:58 amI hadn't thought about applying for a residence permit as well as pre-settled status, but that's a great idea! Especially with all of the uncertainty with Brexit.ALKB wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:45 amI would do both 1 and 2. (I read elsewhere that you can chose to apply for two different EEA family permits from abroad: under EU law or under settlement scheme, not sure whether it matters at this point which one you go for.)workingamerican wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:33 amFrom what I understand, I have 2 options:
1. After I arrive in the UK, my wife and I should apply for pre-settled status. Once I get my pre-settled status approved, I can then show my employer my pre-settled status, which will give me the right to work.
2. I can apply for a residence card as a family member of an EU citizen after I arrive in the UK. The downside is that this can take up to 6 months.
My wife and I are planning on going to Edinburgh on October 14th. My wife will try to get a part-time job before we arrive, so that it is easier for me to start working. I am supposed to start my job on November 5th.
Which direction should I go in (point 1 or 2) so that I can legally start working in time. Or is there another option that I am not aware of?
Thank you all for your help and advice.
1 to get proof of work rights as soon as possible; 2 to still have proof of your EU rights at least until Brexit occurs. 2 might be a moot point if there will be a no deal Brexit on 31st October and the application ceases to exist but could still be a good thing to have if there is an extension or Brexit is cancelled or some other scenario we don't even dream of now.
Getting a part time job/non-high skilled job from outside of the UK is very difficult. Those kinds of jobs are usually given by handing in CVs personally either to the place directly or an employment agency and having on-the spot interviews or an interview very shortly after. If she is not in the UK and available for an interview, it's likely that she won't get a response at all. She can try but should be ready for a lot of radio silence.
If you want to PM me, I can give you the name of a company that seems to be one of the places where all the foreign language people end up at first. Not fantastic but solid. I worked there for my first six months in Edinburgh. They hire every Monday and offer part time jobs, too.
If you arrive before Brexit, your wife still has the right to vote in regional elections. As the UK does not have address registration which automatically gets you registered to vote in Germany, she has to call (or maybe it's possible online, now, too) the council and register for voting. This will give you a piece of official mail to your Edinburgh address within a couple of days. Registering also helps with building credit, since banks access the electoral roll to check details. I didn't know that and was only able to get a UK credit card after changing my 'closed' registration to an 'open' one - not sure whether these were the exact terms but something to that effect.
Thank you for all of the detailed info, you have really helped relieve some of my stress through this whole process
I tried PM-ing you but it says that I am not authorized to read private messages. My account is pretty new on here, so maybe that is why?