5 Year EU Residence Accepted - No residence card received 5 months after acceptance

[ollybrown]

Hello,

I am a UK citizen who lives and works in the Netherlands. I brought my wife here In January 2019. My wife is from the UAE so Non-EU.

We applied for form 5005 'eu family reunification' in February 2019. This was accepted and confirmed by a letter from the IND in April 2019.

We were told on the letter we would receive a letter when we could collect the EU residence card.

For a month we waited with no letter. Since then i have called every single week, the IND have repeated the same excuse. "There is a problem with the external company manufacturing the card" and " we will receive the collection letter in 5 working days". They give nothing in writing to explain, no resolvement date or anything of help

This has now been over 5 months since we got the application accepted. This card is the passage to having a normal life here. For example:

1. We cannot visit the UK to see my family who we are very close to. We were refused boarding onto the flight because we didn't have the EU residence card. (we brought the acceptance letter and our marriage certificate -Apostled and in English). This was a really bad experience and we won't try this again. It's been nearly a year since we have been able to travel outside Schengen area.
2. My wife cannot find work. Although legally she is able. Employers do not wish to employ a non-eu citizen that doesn't have the physical EU card. This has meant we are living off just my salary, we are ok but it's not ideal. It is getting more stressful as time goes on. The IND offer no solution or assistance in this.

Could somebody please tell me if they've had a similar experience of have had to wait this long to get the card?
Is there anything i can do?

I have contacted SOLVIT (free impartial immigration assistance)- who have accepted my case but have said they haven't had a response from the IND other than we do indeed have the 5 year granted. This was 2.5 months since my solvit case was opened so i have no hope with that either. The IND just seem to be able to ignore all EU directives with no consequence.

Kind regards

Oliver

[zimba]

Email the Home Office on BRCDelivery@homeoffice.gov.uk if you have not received your residence card or permanent residence card within 10 working days of the date on your decision letter.

Include the following in your email:

your full name, date of birth and nationality
your passport number
your case reference number
a contact telephone number
your delivery address

https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-uk-resid ... nt-arrived

[CR001]

Email the Home Office on BRCDelivery@homeoffice.gov.uk if you have not received your residence card or permanent residence card within 10 working days of the date on your decision letter.

Include the following in your email:

your full name, date of birth and nationality
your passport number
your case reference number
a contact telephone number
your delivery address

https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-uk-resid ... nt-arrived

Op is query the delay for a card in the Netherlands not the UK.

[ibwe]

Hello,

I am a UK citizen who lives and works in the Netherlands. I brought my wife here In January 2019. My wife is from the UAE so Non-EU.

We applied for form 5005 'eu family reunification' in February 2019. This was accepted and confirmed by a letter from the IND in April 2019.

We were told on the letter we would receive a letter when we could collect the EU residence card.

For a month we waited with no letter. Since then i have called every single week, the IND have repeated the same excuse. "There is a problem with the external company manufacturing the card" and " we will receive the collection letter in 5 working days". They give nothing in writing to explain, no resolvement date or anything of help

This has now been over 5 months since we got the application accepted. This card is the passage to having a normal life here. For example:

1. We cannot visit the UK to see my family who we are very close to. We were refused boarding onto the flight because we didn't have the EU residence card. (we brought the acceptance letter and our marriage certificate -Apostled and in English). This was a really bad experience and we won't try this again. It's been nearly a year since we have been able to travel outside Schengen area.
2. My wife cannot find work. Although legally she is able. Employers do not wish to employ a non-eu citizen that doesn't have the physical EU card. This has meant we are living off just my salary, we are ok but it's not ideal. It is getting more stressful as time goes on. The IND offer no solution or assistance in this.

Could somebody please tell me if they've had a similar experience of have had to wait this long to get the card?
Is there anything i can do?

I have contacted SOLVIT (free impartial immigration assistance)- who have accepted my case but have said they haven't had a response from the IND other than we do indeed have the 5 year granted. This was 2.5 months since my solvit case was opened so i have no hope with that either. The IND just seem to be able to ignore all EU directives with no consequence.

Kind regards

Oliver

Hi,
It seems this is a persistent problem for most UK citizens applications. It started after Brexit, according to this study on freedom of movement in the EU.
Calling sometimes doesn't elicit the same response as face-to-face encounter. I suggest visiting the office in person and talk to the person in charge. See if they can resolve the issue.

[ibwe]

I meant after Brexit vote

[ollybrown]

Hi Ibwe

Thanks for your response. We also did this already and was told the exact same response which is rather frustrating. The staff on the front desk basically just said whatever i was told on the phone is right. They aren't bothered, talking to the IND is like talking to a brick wall.

Also, i have dual nationality British/Austrian, and tried to make sure they had the Austrian as primary, due to Brexit. The study seems to outline difficulties prior to decision, whether accepted or declined?
Whereas mine was accepted, over 5 months ago. Seems no reason why the official Card would now take this long. I really don't believe theres a problem manufacturing cards for the last 6 months.

There seems to be nobody to report to or get genuine help off. I've already sent a number of letters to the governing bodies and each one has referred me back to the IND complaint service - which i've done twice already.

Thanks again

Oliver

[ollybrown]

UPDATE:

For anyone interested, i just spoke to the IND. A more senior man in the Amsterdam office who was much more helpful.

He has informed me that since June there has been an issue with the printing of certain 'characters', so certain nationalities currently cannot get a residence card permit. Likely to effect Arabic nations the most. He also mentioned some egypitans effected.

He said that they didn't realise people weren't properly informed and has sent an email around to make sure all staff are properly advising of the issue. Quite frankly they were pathetically disinterested before, i was told many a time that my wifes ID was in the post and to wait 5 more days. Clearly a lie to clear me off the phone.

My wife is from the UAE, she has a long name (5 words long!) but no special characters, all within the normal keyboard letters when spelled in English if that makes sense.

Not sure if they also need to print the name in the native language too (Arabic)? but i doubt it. So even with this information i'm not entirely sure which 'characters' can't currently be printed or why my wifes is part of this.

[pearlinoceana]

Dear Could you please write the whole step by step procedure you did for the application process in detail. Including documentation, appointments, interview etc. for detailed knowledge for future applicants. I tried really hard to find this all around but not found real first-hand information about it from an applicant. Thanks in advance.