Moving to UK with Estonian ID/residence card

[kans]

I am a Dutch citizen, working and residing in Estonia with my Brazilian wife. We both have Estonian ID cards (with temporary right of residence for 5 years).

Now we're facing a challenge. For work I have got to go to the UK for one year, starting coming September. My wife and I just got through all the procedures of getting residence permits in Estonia based on the EU regulation. We are currently wondering what would be our steps for entering the UK:
1. would we have to go through the EU-procedure all over again, starting with the EEA visa for my wife;
2. is there an alternative path we need to take;
3. do we maybe have to do nothing at all (wishful thinking, but you'll never know).

Any tips and advice is much appreciated.

Thanks a lot.

J.

[petkanov]

All you need to do is apply for EEA family permit. With legal residence in an EU state (estonia) that would be very easy, and quick.

[Ben]

All you need to do is apply for EEA family permit. With legal residence in an EU state (estonia) that would be very easy, and quick.

Contrary to www.ukvisas.gov.uk, an EEA Family Permit should not be required.

In accordance with Directive 2004/38/EC, EU citizens and their family members have the right to reside in another Member State for a period of up to three months, without having to register their presence or apply for a Residence Card. They need only their passports / ID cards, and marriage certificate (or other proof of relationship, where applicable).

Citizens of Brazil do not require a visa to enter the UK. Should the couple wish to stay longer than three months in the UK, Residence Card applications should be made from within the UK.

[kans]

Thanks petkanov & benifa.

Both your answers are interesting. Here's what we did in the last couple of days.

We tried to apply for the EEA family permit visa online two days ago. However, we probably answered a few questions the wrong way, as we were opted a visa-fee of 500 GBP. The EEA family permit appears to be free of charge. I sent a mail to the UK Embassy in Tallinn, but so far haven't received an answer yet. They would not answer our questions, if we need a visa, and if so, why the price of 500 GBP would be charged to us whereas the EEA family permit would be free of charge?

Petkanov: your answer really would make our lives easy. Is there a chance to verify your info online? As you said so, it is contrary to what can be found on www.ukvisas.gov.uk. Understand me well, my wife and I do appreciate your answer, but we do not like to risk the chance that once we are in the UK, we have to leave again to apply for some kind of visa. Remember also that we both have the Estonian residence card for 'only' two months yet.

Thanks again.

J.

[petkanov]

Hi, I am sorry I didn't notice your wife was brazilian. As a brazilian she doesn't need EEA Family Permit to visit the UK, but it will help as Immigration Officers are often very incompetent. Also if she has EEA Family Permit, she can start working right away, register with GP and have it easier. EEA Family Permit Visa is valid for 6 months, but even if she didn't have that she would be still legal as her right to be in the UK is not dependant on administrative approval. Once in the UK she can apply on form EEA2 for the 5 year residence card. This is free, but it could take up to 6 months. I am from Bulgaria and came to the UK on EEA Family Permit in 2005, before BG joined the EU. Once here I applied on the form, back then it was a different name for the form, and in 6 weeks got my 5 year residence. You can look at:

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/ecg/chapter21/ This is the internal instructions for visa officers, or

http://bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/siteconten ... iew=Binary

internal instructions for the EEA residence card.

also check:
http://bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/eucitizens/

When you apply for the visa online, when you get PURPOSE OF VISIT click on Exempt/others

Then on the TYPE OF VISIT drop down menu select : Family Member of an EEA national.

[kans]

Great reply Petkanov. We'll probably start applying for the visa once again.

Thank you and Benifa again for helping us out. It is highly appreciated.

Thumbs up to you.

[86ti]

... register with GP...

...Once in the UK she can apply on form EEA2 for the 5 year residence card. This is free, but it could take up to 6 months. ...

I think anybody residing in the UK can register with a GP.

Your 6 months are overly optimistic. Right at the moment it looks more like the 6 months would be the minimum. There are many reports now that even the CoA takes 2 months.

[kans]

I realize that I am fairly new to a familiar subject of in a different country. The abbreviations make my head dizzy.

• Is there a list of abbreviations somewhere on these forums? I tried to find them, but I couldn't yet.
  Could someone help me out with the meaning of GP and CoA?

Thanks.

J.[/list]

[yankeegirl]

GP= General Practioner. Family doctor

I think anybody residing in the UK can register with a GP.

True, but some GP surgeries don't really know the rules, and it can be difficult to prove your entitlement to them. I personally didn't have a problem, but there have been a few posts on here of people with family permits that had a lot of bother trying to get registered. There was even a girl on another forum who had major issues trying to get registered and she had a 2 year spouse visa

CoA when used talking about the EEA regulations means certificate of application. This is a letter the Home Office will send after receiving the EEA application that states the right to work while the application is pending. They used to send these out right away, but as 86ti mentioned, they've dropped the ball as of late, and it could be a while before you actually receive it.

[kans]

Thank you YankeeGirl.