EEA2 Application Timelines - ONLY 1 TOPIC - UpToDate

[first2013]

Just received my residence card.
Sent: 25/11/2013
Received:26/11/2013
RC issued: 07/02/2014
RC received: 12/02/2014

That was faster than what I thought. Wish everyone the best of luck.

Congrat happy for u, dat was very fast

[first2013]

Just received my residence card.
Sent: 25/11/2013
Received:26/11/2013
RC issued: 07/02/2014
RC received: 12/02/2014

That was faster than what I thought. Wish everyone the best of luck.

Congrat happy for u, dat was very fast

[macncheese]

Hi everyone, you all seem very well informed, so I was hoping to ask some advice.

I'm a US citizen living and working in the UK on a tier 1 post study work visa, due to expire end of March. A few months ago I married a Polish national, who lives with me and also works here. So I did what seemed natural, I went to the UKBA website, clicked 'visas and immigration', and found my way to the FLR(M) visa, which seemed appropriate since it was for 'partners of British nationals or settled persons'. What is a settled person, exactly? I went to the UKBA's glossary: "You are normally resident in the United Kingdom with no immigration restriction on the length of your stay. To be free of immigration restriction you must have the right of abode or indefinite leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom." That seemed to describe my wife's situation pretty well as an EU citizen living in London.

So with time winding down on my post-study work visa, I paid 953 pounds for a PEO appointment in Croydon. The case worker asked if I had any docs to prove that my wife had been 'exercising her treaty rights' to live in the UK for at least the past 5 years. She doesn't; she's been here 4 years. This 5-year requirement was news to me; it's listed NOWHERE in the application, the guidance notes, or any other relevant place. What I then learned, of course, is that I should never have been going for an FLR(M), but rather an EEA2. Never occurred to me to look under the 'European Nationals' section of the UKBA website. Why would I?

As I now understand it, I technically don't need a 'visa' at all; I have an automatic right to live and work here as the spouse of a non-British EU national who also lives and works here. These EEA2 residence cards are provided just for convenience so that border agents and employers won't hassle you. So, my first question, is this correct?

Secondly, like surely all of you, I'm not happy about giving up my passport and my wife's ID card for 4-6 months. So, question 2: when I send these in for the RC, can I request that they be immediately returned, and will they still process the RC and issue it eventually?

A potential workaround (at least for me, not wife) is that since my US passport is due to expire in a year anyway, I could send it off to the UKBA for the RC, and then report my passport as lost to the US embassy and get a new one (using US driver's license and birth certificate). That might require traveling with two passports in the future (the valid one, and the one with the RC in it), but that's not a big deal. My understanding is that the RC is not 'tied' to the passport that contains it. Question 3: any reason why this might be a bad idea?

Question 4: my wife and I had plans to travel to Ireland at the beginning of April, just after my visa expires. If I either (a) get a new passport by then or (b) use my current passport with the expired visa in it, how much hassle should I expect upon re-entering the UK? I would be sure to bring my marriage certificate and proof of my wife's employment along with us.

Lastly, I'll certainly be filing a complaint about the unnecessary loss of my 953 pounds for the FLR(M) -- it's grossly misleading at best, and a deliberate fraud at worst -- but I'm not holding my breath for a refund.

If anyone can shine some light on any of the questions above I'd be very appreciative!

[obormot]

1. Yes, EEA2 is not required, it just makes your life easier
2-3. If you report your passport as lost/stolen to US embassy, UKBA will know about it, and will refuse your application (cases like this were discussed here before). Instead you could ask for return of your and your wife passports immediately after applying (without withdrawing your application). There is a very good chance you will get passports back a few weeks (2-4) after applying. Include a prepaid envelope for passports' return.
As your passport expires in 1 year, it also has an advantage that your EEA2 comes then on a separate paper, no need to carry several passports (expired with EEA2 and current)
4. As you do not require visa for travel, you will have no problems with air carrier; you should just take same documents you use to apply for EEA2 (marriage certificate, proofs that your wife is working, proof that you live together - hope you got two sets of originals..) and ask for A1 stamp - it seems that people usually do not have too many problems at the border in such case. If you will already have application for EEA2 submitted, take COA too (certificate of application, you should get it promptly after applying)
5. The UKBA webpage is very messy, but I do not think you stand a chance getting back your money. I'd only complain about badly presented information for "public good" purposes, if I were you, and only after you get your EEA2 and if you have no other more exiting public cause to fight for.
Note that your wife actually is not "free of immigration restrictions", since she worked in UK for less then 5 years - technically, she can be removed if she stops "exercising treaty rights". So there is no incorrect info on UKBA website, it is just that presentation of the information is far from perfect.

[farouk198830]

Hello , here is my timeline
application sent on 18/01/2014
received on 21/01/2014
fees deducted on 22/01/2014
COA with right to work received on 31/01/2014
my wife changed her contract from temporary to permanent should i send the new contract to them ?
(in fact it is same company just the first contract was through agency so it is the agency who was her employer for 12 weeks and then she applied to be permanent in this company and they agreed so now she got a contract from the company without any third party )

So shall i send it ?

Thank you

[macncheese]

Obormot, thanks so much for your response - very helpful indeed.

Just on that last point, I can't think of any reason why the FLR(M) would be made available to someone in my situation. I certainly don't deny that I made a bone-headed mistake, but it would have been so easy for anyone at any point in the process to steer me away from paying 953 pounds unnecessarily. The case officer even admitted this to me, saying that quite a few spouses of EU citizens make this application mistakenly when all they need is an EEA2. They're making a killing off of nimrods like me. If they're not doing it deliberately, they're happy to let it continue.

[Jalaibi]

I have a question, I am troubled due to a thought
I have recently applied for EEA2
I am Indian citizen on student visa, my wife is Estonian.
As far as I know my file is complete and I made it very nice but the address I am living there are 2 more couples living there who also applied for EEA2 RC, Both's application is still under process and now third my application which I recently applied. I want to know does it make any difference to HO, do they check house records or match application same time on same address?
I am worried as their result could affect on me.

[obormot]

Just on that last point, I can't think of any reason why the FLR(M) would be made available to someone in my situation. I certainly don't deny that I made a bone-headed mistake, but it would have been so easy for anyone at any point in the process to steer me away from paying 953 pounds unnecessarily. The case officer even admitted this to me, saying that quite a few spouses of EU citizens make this application mistakenly when all they need is an EEA2. They're making a killing off of nimrods like me. If they're not doing it deliberately, they're happy to let it continue.

I guess somebody needs to send a complaint, and a request to explicitly specify on the UKBA webpages related to visa for family members of settled persons/UK citizens, that family members of EU citizens should not use this route. And probably a complaint to European commission as well.
On the other hand, given their general behavior, UKBA would not refund money - they never refund if they find out in the process of looking at your documents that you sent incorrect application.

[chaoclive]

Could I check: is there any difference in processing time between people who have entered the UK on an EEAFP and those who have entered on a tourist visa and then "overstayed" this visa (even thigh they are spouse of an EEA citizen)?

[uk2005]

eea2 timeline (ROR) with self employed
14/11/2013
coa 6/12/2013
call home office 13/2/2014
no decision is made
becoz my ex self employed stress drives me hell as provided
accounted latter
last year self assessment
NI bill
still you cant truest them what outcome untill got RC
shall i cal them again?

[gajdalukas]

Passports sent: 20/11/2013
acknowlegment letter: 22/11/2013
COA: 22/12/2013 with permit to work
RC: 19/02/2014 dated 11/02/2014
It was self employed application

[uk2005]

Passports sent: 20/11/2013
acknowlegment letter: 22/11/2013
COA: 22/12/2013 with permit to work
RC: 19/02/2014 dated 11/02/2014
It was self employed application

congrats
what self employed document did you send?

[gajdalukas]

Passports sent: 20/11/2013
acknowlegment letter: 22/11/2013
COA: 22/12/2013 with permit to work
RC: 19/02/2014 dated 11/02/2014
It was self employed application

congrats
what self employed document did you send?

I send certificate of opening limited company, invoices, bank statements, letter from accountant, house rental agreement, gas and electric bills, national insurance payment bills for last year

[uk2005]

Passports sent: 20/11/2013
acknowlegment letter: 22/11/2013
COA: 22/12/2013 with permit to work
RC: 19/02/2014 dated 11/02/2014
It was self employed application

congrats
what self employed document did you send?

I send certificate of opening limited company, invoices, bank statements, letter from accountant, house rental agreement, gas and electric bills, national insurance payment bills for last year

thank you

[mian]

i have very bad news
today i received letter from First tier tribunal and my oral appeal is dissmised by the Judge, he mentioned that our few question doesnt match in interview so its come under merriage of convience, so he will stay with case worker decision ,
buy my question is that i already send fresh applicaiton 4 months ago , this decision will effect on my new application ?

pls reply

[million111]

EEA2
Application sent 01/13 self employed
COA 02/13 (with no right to work)
RC Refused 08/13
paper appeal 08/13
2nd fresh application 19-10-13 self employed
COA 01-11-13 with right to work
Appeal dismissed 19-01-14
Requested for Doc return 09-02-14
Yesterday i got my RC in the post issued 18-01-14

[Favour100]

EEA2
Application sent 01/13 self employed
COA 02/13 (with no right to work)
RC Refused 08/13
paper appeal 08/13
2nd fresh application 19-10-13 self employed
COA 01-11-13 with right to work
Appeal dismissed 19-01-14
Requested for Doc return 09-02-14
Yesterday i got my RC in the post issued 18-01-14

Congrate mate, you mean HO withdraw your appeal and issue RC or did court dismissed your appeal because they were satisfied with caseworker first decision?

Cheers

[million111]

Court agreed with HO reason to refuse first application. Got RC through second application.

[akashdeep.john]

EEA2 Self sufficient married couple


Sent: 14/01/2014
Received:15/01/2014
Acknowledgment: 17/01/2014 dated 16/01/2014
COA received: 24/01/2014 dated 21/01/2014 ( right to work )



Do anybody has Idea,how long it will take??
Thanks

[million111]

With the fast rate they are treating applications now give them 3mths then expect it from 2 to 3wk after.

[Babak]

Hi everyone,
here is my timeline:

23/09/2013- EEA1 and EEA2 applications sent (unmarried partner)
25/09/2013- applications received by HO
07/10/2013- COA received with no right to work
24/01/2014- at 7:30 morning two HO officers knocked the door and came in to check us (fortunately we both were home)
19/02/2014- HO called to my partner working place for confirmation
26/02/2014- RC received finally issued on 19/02/2014
Total time 156 Days!!! good luck everybody

Just one question.There is no any "expiry" or "valid until" date! what does that mean?

[yummy]

Here is my Timeline .
EEA2 Application sent .. 18 december 2013
COA .... 4 or 5 Jan with right to work /
RC Received ..... 26 Feb 2014 ( 8 to 9 weeks ) i was expecting it after a week
RC is on a separate paper because i requested passport back before 2 weeks .
can i request RC on my passport or ...................?

[Jalaibi]

Congrats, Keep that paper with you don't try to remove it from paper.

[Ali12035]

Hello Friends,
My Wife is German National 2 time her EEA1 Registration Application were refused due to employment verification.

Now we booked an appointment at Croydon in person, Please could you suggest me which documents she need to show in home office?

Document list.

ID CARD German National
EEA1 Application
Currant pay slips* 4
Previous Employment P45 and 6 payslips
Employer Letter
Bank Statements
TalkTalk Bills
Three Network Bills
Marriage Certificate
2 Photos
HMRC Tax Coding Notice of Currant & Previous employer 2013
Please could you help me what we need more documents to support her EEA1 Registration Certificate?

Thanks

[draniu mukesh]

Hello friends,
Here is a good news i got my residence card today . i cant believe it could be so fast. Here is my timeline
application send : 17 dec
received : 19 dec
coa received with right to work : 7 jan
RC recieved : today on 27 feb.

best of luck to everyone waiting for their RC