eea2 wait

[evnlondon]

hi again,
I came to London for a part time student with 6 month visa,I could not work and I could not need any National insurance number,any Police registration.. And now I applied company and they were choose me,but my Coa said:for employer ... before the employ mrs... you must confirm from H.O. 2 weeks left and still I did not hear anything,where I applied they told me ^^they can not wait me more,because of this if this week they are not hear anything from HO they employ another person which one applied.
this mean I going to lose job? Again I apply another jobs I passed interview still I have not confirmation and I dont know how can I sortit out that(I dont think so, companies try contack with HO) they told me number which one I have, it is impossible to contact anybody.
any advice how can I start to move by step by step
many thanks

Dear,
In your case if you didnot have job and NI no as you were full time student but now you found job and your employer has varied of your placement and sent to HO.
Now wait and carried on working and while working just apply for NI number as your will need it.
HO always takes months to relpy.
I got my first replied after 4 months.
Second option
Being a full time student if your provide your full time education enrolment and evidence of funds then you could apply.
Pls anyone correct if i am wrong
Thanks

[sharmarina]

evnlondon I am sure you have right to take a job, without any bad consequences, as long as somebody is ready to offer you some.
my husband left without proper job for almost a year, as his luck was bad, and employers did not want to be bothered and contact Home office for His Identity and Status confirmation. So good luck and Go for it..you probably hardly will get any confimation from HO...

[sharmarina]

Yesterday phoned to Liverpool, and got tru(WOW!) and would you imagined ? what answer I got, when asked about current waiting time??? ... I cannot tell you current time , because it's not set.!!!! what are you bloody doing over there? was my reaction...
annoiyng...very! but at least got my Case ID! yay...
sent now 4 complaints to NWCSU and one to Midlands region department(just to try...nothing left anyway for me) writen to MEP, mr Cashman...(hopefully he is not on holiday...) writen to Solvit and it has been forwarded to Latvian office... all yesterday..
How does Solvit work? have any one got any clear Idea? How long it will take for them to get to my problem?

[def]

hi..
i m tired and more tired of this UKBA
my husband (eea2 sponsor) is a phd student receiving a grant (like a monthly salary) from the university. so he is obviously exercising his treaty rights as a student. but ukba wants him to have a comprehensive sickness cover coz they believe that he falls in to the self sufficent category!
since he is a student, both me and him are covered by NHS. do we really need him to have a pvt insurance?
we really dont want to give into this home office's bullshit!
please help...

[zebra3]

sister in law has been waiting for nearly a year. so be patient. and good luck

Zebra3

[Reinaz]

Hi everyone.
I'm brand new to this forum and what I'm reading isn't comforting!
I sent my EEA2 application two days ago. I know it's going to take a while, but I have a question about traveling in the meantime.

I'm here on an initial 6-month Marriage Visa (not sure if I actually needed it if my husband isn't English. He's here in the UK but is Dutch). My visa expires 23rd July. I was told by the home office that as long as I post my application before my visa expires, my status stays the same during the application processing.

However, what if I request my passport back to travel? How will people at Customs know that I'm ok if my visa says it's expired? Will I be let out or back in the UK?

I have travel plans the end of August and am wondering if I need to cancel them...?

THANKS!

Hi photoGIRL23

i'm on similar situation:
* I sent my EEA2 application on 29/07/2009
* My visa expires 23rd August
* I'm here on an initial 6-month FP Visa
* My husband and daughter are both Portuguese
* I'm Mozambican with portuguese residence card
* Have a UK National Insurance Number

I was living in portugal before coming to UK, I am married for over three years, then got right to Portuguese nationality, already applied in March just before moving to UK.
It was supposed to have already been accepted my request for Portuguese nationality (I was originally told it would take less than 6 months)

My original plan was to go back to portugal before my Visa expires (August 23) and come back with Portuguese passport which do not need UK visa, but the plan does not go as expected.

Have you received the COA?
You had to ask for COA?
Did you had to provide proof you need to travel, so the Home Office return the documents to you?

Thank You in advance for any information you can give me.

[photoGIRL23]

Hi again all... I've been rendered speechless this week. I can't find any other way to describe my story than a complete miracle.

Here's my story:

I'm American. My husband is Dutch. We were married on 04/04/09.

10 January 2009 - still in the States, called UK Border Agency in New York City for advice at $3.00 a minute on the call because their free email advice was telling me that I needed the Marriage Visa to enter and marry someone present and settled in the UK. I was brand new to this whole process and had no idea what I was doing, so I wanted to make sure my fiance being Dutch and not British didn't effect this advice they gave me via email. The phone call ended with the same advice: Marriage Visa.

23 January 2009 - granted 6 month marriage visa for $850.

21 March 2009 - entered UK for first time on this visa.

04 April 2009 - got married

20 April 2009 - returned from honeymoon, called Home Office here in UK (Croyden) to confirm my next steps. Told once again to apply for the extension of the marriage visa (FLR-M Form) for £460. But because my husband can't part with his visa for 4 weeks (travels alot with his job), we booked a premium appointment for £660,

03 July 2009 - Premium appointment for £660 - he took a day off of work, and we went to Croyden on 03 July 2009. They immediately told us we had the wrong form, wrong appointment and wrong department. We were very discouraged all along - neither one of us are know anything about this and we were going on the advice of representatives we talked to at the Home Office. But I had a sinking feeling all along we had applied for the wrong visa. We were told to apply for the EEA2 residence card and it would take "up to 6 months." The lady said, "but at least it's free!" (And we didn't pay that £660 yet for the premium appointment.)

13 July 2009 - posted EEA2 application 10 days before original marriage visa expires on 23 July. Started researching forums, etc. and found this one. Started to get really anxious and worried about several things: would I be able to travel at the end of August? Would I be let back into the country? Would I be able to work? I then learned about the COA on this forum.

23 July 2009 - received COA (didn't ask for it) 10 days after posting EEA2 application Was worried because we have upcoming travel plans and people are saying on this forum that it usually takes 7-10 days but some people said 7 weeks!

27 July 2009 - After 2 weeks of constant attempts to get through to the phone number in Liverpool and my husband even calling the office in Croyden demanding to speak to managers, etc., we sent an email requesting our passports back. We didn't include any proof of travel - we figured they'd ask for it if they wanted it. No auto-response or anything that they received our email. (Oh, and the people in Croyden are blaming the people in New York for giving us the wrong visa and taking our money since the right thing would've been a family permit for free! They say we have to take that case up with the office in New York.)

04 August 2009 - about to write another email for our passports, but discover a special delivery card in our mailbox. (We missed the postman.) Tracked the number of return envelope we included in original package and it was the envelope! We thought it might be our passports, so didn't sent another email.

05 August 2009 - go to post office to pick up envelope and see it's a very thick envelope and think right away it's all my papers back (supporting documents.) Was very confused and feared a rejection. After reading the letter several times to make sure and then looking in my passport, I discovered that it was all done! I HAD MY RESIDENCE CARD!!!

I'm still shocked. I have no idea how it happened in 3 weeks. We were incredibly thorough in our supporting documents (we feared we sent too much.)

We are simply believing it was a miracle.

Two small snags: My husband has been here 2.5 years and working, but never applied for a residence card. We applied for his (EEA1) at the same time and didn't get his back. So, his passport is still in Liverpool. We sent another email AND printed and sent it via post yesterday with another return envelope included.

The other frustration: We think that original marriage visa wasn't the right one and are wondering if we can get our money back.

But overall, we are estatic and in shock. I was debating putting my story here because I continue to have sympathy for those waiting and didn't want to "rub it in." I have no advice because I'm still so new to this system. But maybe the record of my events can help you.

I know people have all kinds of different beliefs, but I can tell you we prayed for a miracle and got it!

[mourad]

Hi again all... I've been rendered speechless this week. I can't find any other way to describe my story than a complete miracle.

Here's my story:

I'm American. My husband is Dutch. We were married on 04/04/09.

10 January 2009 - still in the States, called UK Border Agency in New York City for advice at $3.00 a minute on the call because their free email advice was telling me that I needed the Marriage Visa to enter and marry someone present and settled in the UK. I was brand new to this whole process and had no idea what I was doing, so I wanted to make sure my fiance being Dutch and not British didn't effect this advice they gave me via email. The phone call ended with the same advice: Marriage Visa.

23 January 2009 - granted 6 month marriage visa for $850.

21 March 2009 - entered UK for first time on this visa.

04 April 2009 - got married

20 April 2009 - returned from honeymoon, called Home Office here in UK (Croyden) to confirm my next steps. Told once again to apply for the extension of the marriage visa (FLR-M Form) for £460. But because my husband can't part with his visa for 4 weeks (travels alot with his job), we booked a premium appointment for £660,

03 July 2009 - Premium appointment for £660 - he took a day off of work, and we went to Croyden on 03 July 2009. They immediately told us we had the wrong form, wrong appointment and wrong department. We were very discouraged all along - neither one of us are know anything about this and we were going on the advice of representatives we talked to at the Home Office. But I had a sinking feeling all along we had applied for the wrong visa. We were told to apply for the EEA2 residence card and it would take "up to 6 months." The lady said, "but at least it's free!" (And we didn't pay that £660 yet for the premium appointment.)

13 July 2009 - posted EEA2 application 10 days before original marriage visa expires on 23 July. Started researching forums, etc. and found this one. Started to get really anxious and worried about several things: would I be able to travel at the end of August? Would I be let back into the country? Would I be able to work? I then learned about the COA on this forum.

23 July 2009 - received COA (didn't ask for it) 10 days after posting EEA2 application Was worried because we have upcoming travel plans and people are saying on this forum that it usually takes 7-10 days but some people said 7 weeks!

27 July 2009 - After 2 weeks of constant attempts to get through to the phone number in Liverpool and my husband even calling the office in Croyden demanding to speak to managers, etc., we sent an email requesting our passports back. We didn't include any proof of travel - we figured they'd ask for it if they wanted it. No auto-response or anything that they received our email. (Oh, and the people in Croyden are blaming the people in New York for giving us the wrong visa and taking our money since the right thing would've been a family permit for free! They say we have to take that case up with the office in New York.)

04 August 2009 - about to write another email for our passports, but discover a special delivery card in our mailbox. (We missed the postman.) Tracked the number of return envelope we included in original package and it was the envelope! We thought it might be our passports, so didn't sent another email.

05 August 2009 - go to post office to pick up envelope and see it's a very thick envelope and think right away it's all my papers back (supporting documents.) Was very confused and feared a rejection. After reading the letter several times to make sure and then looking in my passport, I discovered that it was all done! I HAD MY RESIDENCE CARD!!!

I'm still shocked. I have no idea how it happened in 3 weeks. We were incredibly thorough in our supporting documents (we feared we sent too much.)

We are simply believing it was a miracle.

Two small snags: My husband has been here 2.5 years and working, but never applied for a residence card. We applied for his (EEA1) at the same time and didn't get his back. So, his passport is still in Liverpool. We sent another email AND printed and sent it via post yesterday with another return envelope included.

The other frustration: We think that original marriage visa wasn't the right one and are wondering if we can get our money back.

But overall, we are estatic and in shock. I was debating putting my story here because I continue to have sympathy for those waiting and didn't want to "rub it in." I have no advice because I'm still so new to this system. But maybe the record of my events can help you.

I know people have all kinds of different beliefs, but I can tell you we prayed for a miracle and got it!

i wish your luck was contagious.
8 months and counting.
for me the only thing that has happened is that my passport got expired ,they sent it back made a new one ,sent it back to liverpool .........
i`m waiting for that letter like waiting for the end of a prison sentence.

[mourad]

i`m sorry i forgot my manners
i`m wholehartedly happy for you and congratulation .

[photoGIRL23]

I pray my luck is contagious, as well!

It seems so inconsistent every time I read another story. Someone a few posts back got theirs in 5 months... and others are waiting over a year...

I wish you a miracle, too!

[aussiegirl]

Hi Photogirl - well done and congratulations on your good luck. I truly hope your case is the new precedent for the Home Office and that they are now going to start issuing all RCs within three weeks (won't hold my breath). IMHO this is how long it should take, if they were adequately staffed and had straightforward applications to assess.

[augusto]

Hi Everyone!

I've sent my EEA2 application almost 6 months ago and I'm getting ready to complain, but I wonder when should I send the complain letter, 6 months after sending the application letter or 6 months after receiving the COA?

I would appreciate if someone can answer this.


Thanks a lot,
Augusto

[Reinaz]

Received today my COA.
congratulations photogirl

[aussiegirl]

Hi Augusto,
My advice is start complaining now. If your six months is nearly up, then call the horrendous HO helpline and start asking for your case ID. You have the right to complain that HO has exceeded EU legal time limits once HO has taken more than six months to assess your case - this is 6 months from the date they received your application (usually 1-2 days after you sent it). But it doesn't hurt to start complaining as soon as possible, and alert them to the fact that they are not going to meet their stated timeline. As many people on this forum have said, the sad truth is that if you don't complain, nothing happens. Squeaky wheel gets the most grease, as the saying goes.
Good luck!

[IMMIGRATION LAWYER]

Our curret waiting time is 1 for EEA1 and 2 months for EEA2. This has changed only relatively recently.

Applications lodged early in 2009 were considered within 6 months. After 1 June 2009 - in about 2 months.

2008 was a nightmare indeed - 12 -14 months.

[Obie]

Our curret waiting time is 1 for EEA1 and 2 months for EEA2. This has changed only relatively recently.

Applications lodged early in 2009 were considered within 6 months. After 1 June 2009 - in about 2 months.

2008 was a nightmare indeed - 12 -14 months.

Is there a proof for this. With all due respect i don't think that is not the case. A friend of mine who applied in January 2009 has still not heard anything.

I think it is the luck of the draw where these incompetent and lawless people are concerned.

[aussiegirl]

Hi everyone - I just wanted to share with you the truly momentous news that the Home Office has reversed their original decision on my case (EEA2 Residence Card application rejected due to non-submission of documents by specified deadline) and have just called to tell me that they've issued me with a Residence Card after all. I am SO RELIEVED that this ordeal is finally over (original submission date 7 November 2008).

This is despite HO sending two separate letters instructing me that I had 'no right of appeal'. Once I am over the initial state of disbelief and euphoria I will write in more detail in case this information helps someone else.

A general huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to this forum. The information I uncovered here helped me to figure out how to navigate through the immigration system. Thank you so much.

[sharmarina]

Aussiegirl Congrats! really, really glad for you! Now you can sit back and enjoy your life!!!! Fantastic news! truly happy for you!

[sharmarina]

Can anyone please tell how long does it takes for Solvit to reply????

[photoGIRL23]

Congrats Aussiegirl!!!

I, too, had a euphoric surprise this last week (see above). And I, too, have been very comforted by the help and support on this forum!

And I continue to hope for the best for our fellow brothers and sisters on this forum who are still waiting!!!

[photoGIRL23]

has anyone else heard the new answering service when calling the Liverpool number? I'm still trying to get my husband's passport back for a trip and he's the EU national! He applied for the EEA1 residence card when I applied for my EEA2 card.

It used to just hang up on us after a message "our advisers are busy. please try again later." then CLICK.

Now it says, "Thank you for calling. All our advisers are busy Your call is in a queue and will be answered shortly."

I'm still on hold as I type this... in the queue... waiting... but this is better than other times I've called!

[mourad]

Hi everyone - I just wanted to share with you the truly momentous news that the Home Office has reversed their original decision on my case (EEA2 Residence Card application rejected due to non-submission of documents by specified deadline) and have just called to tell me that they've issued me with a Residence Card after all. I am SO RELIEVED that this ordeal is finally over (original submission date 7 November 2008).

This is despite HO sending two separate letters instructing me that I had 'no right of appeal'. Once I am over the initial state of disbelief and euphoria I will write in more detail in case this information helps someone else.

A general huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to this forum. The information I uncovered here helped me to figure out how to
navigate through the immigration system. Thank you so much.

photo girl then aussigirl then australia beating england at the ashes.good news keep piling up.
congratulation girl i`m super happy for you and i hope this is the drop that will make the dam spill and i hope more will follow.

[mourad]

has anyone else heard the new answering service when calling the Liverpool number? I'm still trying to get my husband's passport back for a trip and he's the EU national! He applied for the EEA1 residence card when I applied for my EEA2 card.

It used to just hang up on us after a message "our advisers are busy. please try again later." then CLICK.

Now it says, "Thank you for calling. All our advisers are busy Your call is in a queue and will be answered shortly."

I'm still on hold as I type this... in the queue... waiting... but this is better than other times I've called!

photogirl what number are you dialling please?
did they pick up the phone and spoke to you?

[photoGIRL23]

I've called 4 times today and got through TWICE!
The other two times I've had the same old message and termination of call.
But twice I was put in a queue and waited a few minutes and talked to someone.

0845 0105200... the Liverpool number. I've NEVER been able to get through and today I got through twice.

[mourad]

i thought it was that number i never could get throught it i`ll give it a go again tomorrow first thing in the morning .
thank you very much.