Applying in UK or from abroad - which one is better?

[sknen]

Hi everyone,
I'm an EEA national married to an Ugandan and we are still living in Uganda. I am starting a new job in UK from February 2014.
Would it be better to apply for EEA family permit while we are still both in Uganda and then travel together to UK? The application processing times is what I'm worried about, would we get it in time, even if for now it looks like they usually get them done in two weeks.
Or is it better I travel first and we apply for my husband to join me? It would give us more time, but then there is the hassle of getting my passport copy stamped at my Embassy and sending if off to Uganda (DHL I suppose, mail will take forever...).
Any experiences what happens if you have applied to travel together and then EEA national has to go earlier? Will we have to apply again?
Thanks a lot for help.

[John]

Especially as you have a job to go to, I think the application should be made while the two of you are still in Uganda.

But I have no idea how long they take to process an EEA Family Permit in that country. Maybe phone the embassy and ask them?

[EUsmileWEallsmile]

Regarding getting an endorsed copy of the EEA passport, check with the embassy and ensure that this is indeed a mandatory requirement.

Two weeks turnaround for a family permit is pretty reasonable.

[sknen]

Does it happen that the high commission doesn't require an officially endorsed copy of the passport?

It says in ukba website, which I understood to mean the copy needs to be endorsed:
"the EEA national's original passport or identity card, or if this cannot be provided (for example, because the EEA national is already in the UK) a copy of the EEA national's passport or identity card, endorsed by the EEA national's embassy in the country in which they are resident or present at the time of application.."

My future employer is pushing me to come and start my job as early as possible, and I keep thinking we might not get the permit in time, but at the same time my gut feeling says it would be better we submit while we are still in Uganda and travel together, especially since our marriage is quite recent.

[sknen]

We ended up applying in Uganda. I travelled to UK and as soon as I landed he filed the application the same day in Uganda. The decision was made in 4 days (now that's quick!) and got to us within a week. So at least for us it worked well for me to travel first and him to join me as soon as he had the visa.