COA with no right to work BUT we ARE married

[chaoclive]

It does seem that they are responding quicker these days. HOWEVER, do not just accept a COA without the right to work. If you think you should have the right to work, especially if you are married to an EEA citizen, at least try to contact the Home Office and see what they have to say. Try to fight for your right guys!

Good luck! If there's any way we can support you, please let me know.
CC

[RixiP]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for starting this thread! It gives some hope and ideas of how to proceed.

My non-EEA partner has applied for a EEA2 and received a Certificate of Application this morning stating:

"At this stage we are unable to confirm your right to workin the United Kingdom. This will depend on the outcome of the application. This is because you have not provided original" ...which we actually did.
And they've added, in bold: "We will not revisit the terms of your Certificate of Application during the consideration of your case".

Plus, they haven't mentionned any contact detail (tel, email or fax) appart from the name of the HO officer.

How harsh..

I have just tried to contact them through the 0300 123 2253, an automatic message stated that they are unable to respond now.

I'll keep you updated.

My husband received the exact same CoA Just to say that you may have to call the 0300 number like 20 times in a row to get a response..it usually either says line busy or says the call volume is too high but if you hang up and call right back, and keep doing it, you will eventually get to speak to someone.

[RixiP]

Update: So I called on Wed to ask about a new CoA and what the story was. He called me back on Thurs to let me know that new CoA with right to work was in the post, and we received it yesterday (Friday)! pretty amazing.

Jellybean105 and zabeth - any luck?

[Jellybean105]

Congrats!

Unfortunately, I have had no luck so far. I'm going to call them on Tuesday. I'm still hoping to get the decision back in the next 2 weeks. Do you think they are being dearly beloved or prejudice? I'm so fed up now.

[chaoclive]

They are giving loads of people the short COA, wouldn't worry about prejudice. They are just prejudiced against everyone who applies via the EEA route! You could send them another letter and then sit tight for a short while. You never know: you might get your RC in a few weeks!

Good luck to you all!

[Jellybean105]

So I emailed the Deputy Chief Caseworker and she replied within 3 minutes saying your previous enquiry is being dealt with and I'll get a reply to that so don't send me any more emails. This was 2 weeks ago!! We haven't received anything. No post no emails.

Its been 6 weeks now since my husband was issued the wrong COA.

[anam912]

So I emailed the Deputy Chief Caseworker and she replied within 3 minutes saying your previous enquiry is being dealt with and I'll get a reply to that so don't send me any more emails. This was 2 weeks ago!! We haven't received anything. No post no emails.

Its been 6 weeks now since my husband was issued the wrong COA.

I am in a similar situation. could you plz let me know on which ID you emailed?
I am thinking of sending a letter via post to PO BOX 306

[Jellybean105]

anam912, I have PM'd you

I just realised that you are a new memeber.. I don't think you'll get the PM

[toofan]

you need to send them email you get quick response from eu team .and try to call home office .

[anam912]

anam912, I have PM'd you

I just realised that you are a new memeber.. I don't think you'll get the PM

Thanks for the pm but I cannot view it unfortunately. ..

In the meantime I actually sent a letter to the home office to requrst an ammended coa.. I also spoke to somebody on the hitline and he said I should send a letter and he refused to give me an email id....

My current timeline is as follows...
Application sent 30th april
Recieved 1st May
Application fee deducted 2nd may
Application confirmation recieved 8th may dated 2nd may
COA without rtw recieved 10th may dated 8th may....

[anam912]

I was also wondering whether it has ever happened that someone got a rc who recieved a coa without right to work? Is that possible?

[toofan]

I was also wondering whether it has ever happened that someone got a rc who recieved a coa without right to work? Is that possible?

yes thats possible .if they issue you rc as these days some people has been issued RC within two months . so you might get your rc soon who knows.

[hachim]

I was also wondering whether it has ever happened that someone got a rc who recieved a coa without right to work? Is that possible?

i received a coa with no right to work and now they called for interview in liverpool ...

[afontoura]

The same just happened to me.

I just got my COA with no right to work. HO mentioned in the letter that I have not provided identity documents for myself and my wife (she is EEA national and I have sent my passport, her ID and drive license), evidence of relationship (I have sent our marriage certificate, both original and translated), and sufficient evidence of my sponsor exercising Treaty rights (I have send her contract, payslip, NI letter, section 6 signed by her employer).
So I just called HO, spoke to a counsellor, he opened my file case and saw that all documents were there. He also took a look at the letter and stated that this NO RIGHT TO WORK letter is a standard one, plus that they might have made a mistake (OH REALY?! ) and that he would email Mr. Martin Snape (my case officer) asking him to reconsider, as all documents are perfectly fine, and see the possibility to send me the extended version of the letter corrected.
He took my phone number to give me a feedback over this.

I'll update you as son as I get his call.

[LunarGirl]

UPDATE:
My husband received his Residence Card today.

[chaoclive]

UPDATE:
My husband received his Residence Card today.

Super news

[kafworld]

Today my application for a National Insurance Number (NINO) was rejected for the second time. I need one badly before I apply for EEA2 Residence Card because I have to travel to Ireland next month and can't be without my passport. Mostly I need NINO to claim the excess taxes they took out.

The rejection letter states "Failed to provide sufficient evidence of right to work."

Background: I am American married to EU National. She is exercising her treaty rights. I provided everything they asked for: my passport, wife's passport, proof of marriage, proof of living together (tenancy agreement), utility bill in my name, etc. NOTE: I didn't include a family permit as I'm not required to get one.

My question how do I contact the right department to get this rectified? The EU Directive states I don't need a residence card to work. What evidence could they possibly be talking about.

[LunarGirl]

Thanks CC

My US husband was refused twice for his NINO with the exact same reason. He got it the third time just because he had applied for the EEA2 and had a COA which stated that he could work. It looks like they won't budge on this until you get the COA.

[kafworld]

Thanks for the reply LunarGirl. Think you're right and will just focus efforts on EEA2 application. Just going to send it in today and hope the correct COA arrives in 2 weeks.

Question: Am I able to apply for NINO with correct COA even though I won't have my passport? That will still be with HO until I get my residence card won't it?

Also, please can you tell me what method of post you used to send your husband's application?

[LunarGirl]

The job centre will have already seen your passport for the last two applications so they should be content with you not having it for the third one. When you explain that it's with the Home Office they should understand. But ring the job centre to confirm this. The person we dealt with at our job centre said that this would be ok and that they would grant the NINO with the correct COA.

We sent our EEA2 application Royal Mail next day signed for and included an exact same size self addressed envelope with the postage paid for RM next day signed for in with the rest of the application. That way we were certain that everything would be returned to us safely. And it worked out well. The RC was printed on the Monday, posted from Liverpool on Wednesday and we received it on Thursday.

Good luck, I hope it all works out for you.

[kafworld]

You are awesome! Thanks so much for the info. These little bits really help.

Last question (I think!): Did you request his passport back earlier or did it just get returned with the RC? I ask because I will need to travel to Ireland in about 40 days and was told that HO should only need my passport for about 28 days.

I don't want to delay the processing of my RC but 2 1/2 months is a long time to be "stuck" in country without a passport for those of us that work internationally. Wish there was another solution to this problem.

[LunarGirl]

In your cover letter for your EEA2 application state clearly that you wish for your passports to be returned. I've read that others have done this and they didn't wait that long to get them back, usually shortly after the COA is sent out.

We didn't request our passports back and the RC was returned inside the passport. It's a sticker that fills most of the space on one of the visa pages. If you request your passport back then the Home Office will send you the RC on an A4 page, ie the sticker will be on an A4 page NOT A CARD.

[kafworld]

Is there anything else I need to put in the cover letter? I didn't realise a letter was necessary so I'm glad you mentioned it. Any advice you can offer about that would be appreciated. Thanks.

[LunarGirl]

Hi again
I always like to include a cover letter with EVERYTHING I send - I'm a mad Virgo, OCD crazy organised nut. So I like to do a summary letter of the basis of my application and list CLEARLY everything I am sending. I've heard it's a waste of time stapling items together and putting things in those plastic wallets/polly pockets as it will all be tossed out into one big disorganised paper pile anyway. The cover letter will be the only reference to show the order of everything. I do think that if they have a cover letter to refer back to then any disorganisation that occurs along the way will be alleviated by having a cover letter that lists things out in an ordered way. Don't forget that the application goes to Durham first, the payment process bit occurs in Sheffield and then the application is 'caseworked' (who ever would have thought that was a verb?) in Liverpool. So a Bermuda Triangle where papers and items are possibly open to loss and disorganisation.

[Jellybean105]

Hi

Please can someone help. Its been over 3 months now and I emailed the chief caseworker again today saying they have not sent me the right COA. She replied saying: The correct COA was issued based on the information you provided with the application.

We sent both passports and our marriage certificate, so what more do they need? We have been married since Feb 2012, lived in Ireland for almost a year and had a business.
I am just completely fed up now!!!! Please can someone give me a number or someone elses email so I can get the right COA. Also, who else can I contact to get this sorted?