FM & QP; CoA rejection with Biometric Enrolment letter

[VM_057]

Hi all,

I've done quite a lot of reading around the boards over the last few months. Thank you all for your time. Finally, I have joined the forums because I'm at a loss, and any advice I've been able to find by searching is years old.

14/1 - EEA(FM) & EEA(QP) applications and supporting documents posted to HO
15/1 - parcel received at HO
21/1 - email sent to EEA(QP) applicant confirming receipt of application
23/1 - receive Bio letter & CoA rejection

As stated above, today, I received a HO letter (dated 18/1) to submit my biometrics within 15 days, which is expected. However, in the same envelope, I received a CoA rejection.

Is it typical to receive any sort of CoA (rejection or confirmation) with an initial request for biometrics? I would think that this is normally not given until after the bio has been submitted.

The reason for the rejection is as follows:
The applicant has not provided satisfactory evidence of his or her identity or of his or her relationship to an EU citizen.

To explore this further, as to why I'm at a loss:
1. "The applicant has not provided satisfactory evidence of his or her identity"
I submitted my passport (USA) and my EU family member residence card (Spain).
My wife submitted her passport (Spain) and her national ID card (Spain).

2. "or of his or her relationship to an EU citizen"
We submitted our certificate to prove our marriage in the original language (Spanish) and the officially translated English copy, clipped together. In Spanish it's "pareja de hecho" or similar to a civil union. We consider and call each other husband and wife.
We also submitted photos of us over the past years in a couple of countries we've lived in before coming to the UK, as well as photos together when traveling in various countries. Among the photos were our wedding day celebration and signing of marriage documents, as we just signed the legal documents and celebrated with immediate family in lieu of a big wedding. There are also photos of us visiting our respective families. There were 59 photos in all, starting in 2015 when we met.

Lastly, some advice given on this forum a few years ago suggested writing a letter or email, or calling, the HO to explain that there shouldn't be any reason for a CoA rejection, with varying amounts of success. However, underneath the reason for rejection, it is written:
We will not revisit the terms of your Certificate of Application during the consideration of your case.

Back to the original question, is it typical to receive any sort of CoA (rejection or confirmation) with an initial request for biometrics?

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to chime in. Thanks!

[makalele]

I think this is the new standard template. My aunty who was given family permit recently applied for residence card and receive COA with Biometric saying she cant work because she has not prove the relationship with the EU. if you read the letter it is just a general template and on the letter it said question and answer, which mean it might not be applicable. Hope they would send another COA. Previously you have to do biometric before they send COA and now its the other way round, so they might send another coa