Temporarily living outside the UK while an application is in process

[ST560S]

We sent off my wife's paper application and it landed on 31.12.2020. We need her passport! How long can we expect to wait? Thank you

[ST560S]

Hello, my wife is currently applying for a 5 year res card. We submitted her Surinder Singh paper application through the post and it arrived on 31.12.2020. We have had no correspondence from UKVI or the Home Office.

Since there is this pandemic, we can both work remotely, we are considering leaving the UK for about 2-3 months.

Now, we do not have her passport, so we would like to know

a) If we received her passport, and left, is this considered an abandoned application by H.O and denied the residency card? Do they make any allowance for the pandemic situation? Would be interested in any anecdotal experience or gov. advice

b) If we obtained an emergency passport from her countries embassy, and travelled on that, would that be equally likely to be flagged up by UKVI/HO when making a decision as her regular passport?

[kamoe]

We sent off my wife's paper application and it landed on 31.12.2020. We need her passport! How long can we expect to wait? Thank you

From my own experience I understand that passports are only sent back after biometrics have been taken (but this is really only two data points, not significant statistics, and things might have changed since 2018). Of course, biometrics can only happen after the biometrics letter has been received.

As per this other post, in which the OP applied one day before your wife, they had received only an acknowledgment of application after three weeks, and as of January 23rd they were still waiting for the biometrics letter.

So do your own calculations. I would wildly guess between a couple more weeks and a month, depending how quick you do biometrics after you receive the letter?

[kamoe]

a) If we received her passport, and left, is this considered an abandoned application by H.O and denied the residency card?

I understand that, contrary to a number of other immigration applications, EEA Residence Cards do not require the applicant to stay in the UK while the application is in progress. I understand that you are allowed to ask your passport back and travel.

I did this myself in 2016 with no problem. I was able to travel abroad and come back without this affecting my ongoing application. Then again, this is not a guarantee that the rules have not changed. In any case, the page will tell you if at all requesting your passport will mean you have to withdraw your application. So check carefully what the page tells you if you decide to request the passport back.

b) If we obtained an emergency passport from her countries embassy, and travelled on that, would that be equally likely to be flagged up by UKVI/HO when making a decision as her regular passport?

As above. But with the added result to then have to report a change of passport to the Home Office.
Is travel really necessary

[ST560S]

We sent off my wife's paper application and it landed on 31.12.2020. We need her passport! How long can we expect to wait? Thank you

From my own experience I understand that passports are only sent back after biometrics have been taken (but this is really only two data points, not significant statistics, and things might have changed since 2018). Of course, biometrics can only happen after the biometrics letter has been received.

As per this other post, in which the OP applied one day before your wife, they had received only an acknowledgment of application after three weeks, and as of January 23rd they were still waiting for the biometrics letter.

So do your own calculations. I would wildly guess between a couple more weeks and a month, depending how quick you do biometrics after you receive the letter?

Thank you very much for your help kamoe. I am disappointed to learn that my wife will need to redo her Biometrics for a third time (One WHV in 2016, another for the EEA FP application at TLSContact Paris, and now another time). May I ask if this biometrics is able to be done in any biometrics centre worldwide, or must it be done in the UK? We have an empty house waiting for us over in Central Europe and would prefer to be there than in lockdown here. It's not an ideal time to travel least of all because many flights are cancelled. Nevertheless I think it's wisest to wait for the Bio instruction letter, get passport, and evaluate from there. Thanks again

[kamoe]

I am disappointed to learn that my wife will need to redo her Biometrics for a third time (One WHV in 2016, another for the EEA FP application at TLSContact Paris, and now another time).

I will borrow the words from @secret.simon on another post,

you will need to submit your biometrics with every immigration application (any renewals, ILR/Settled Status, etc) and even at the time of submission of your naturalisation application (if you choose to go down that route).

I have been in the UK for over 10 years myself. I have done biometrics 4 or 5 times. Such is life.

Now... you do not seem to be aware of a few key facts:

1. EEA Residence Cards issued in 2021 will NOT be valid for 5 years. It will only be valid until June 30th 2021; less than six months.
2. Once the EEA card is no longer valid, guess what? Your wife will need a new EU Settlement Scheme card to replace it... which also needs new biometrics.
3. Your wife did not actually need to apply to the EEA Residence Card. She could have applied directly to the EU Settlement Scheme with the option 'online+post', and skip one round of biometrics.

May I ask if this biometrics is able to be done in any biometrics centre worldwide, or must it be done in the UK?

No. Biometrics for either the EEA Residence Card or the EU Settlement Scheme residence card can only be done inside the UK... because the applicant is supposed to be in the UK. These are not entry visas, these are extended residence cards.

We have an empty house waiting for us over in Central Europe and would prefer to be there than in lockdown here.

I am afraid this will hardly be seen as a valid excuse it at all you find yourself in a situation where you need to explain your absence. We would all prefer to spend lockdown by the beach in a cheaper country. But these are long-term residence cards we are talking about. The more you seek to find the limit for which rules can be bent, the more risk you take to make you and your wife's case convoluted and less straightforward when the time comes to apply for Settled Status, if that's your objective.

It's not an ideal time to travel least of all because many flights are cancelled. Nevertheless I think it's wisest to wait for the Bio instruction letter, get passport, and evaluate from there. Thanks again

If you are that averse to the number of biometrics you have to do, then it is worth considering withdrawing her application altogether and submitting a fresh application for the EU Settlement Scheme directly. More waiting time for sure, but one less round of biometrics.