EEA Family Permit & Onward

My EEA Family Permit expires in mid October. I would love some general advice on the next step of the process in regards to staying here. I believe I have to apply for a Family Member Residency Card, as my wife is EU and has been living here for nearly 5 years.

Any and all help is appreciated.

The next step is to apply for the residence card, using form EEA2, which you can download from the UKBA site.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/eucitizens/applyingundereuropeanlaw/

Yep, unless you wanna keep leaving and getting a new family permit you'll want to apply for the EEA2. It will be good for 5 years.

Thanks! Can do (as they like to say here).

Thanks again! I've printed the application.

Big question now: How long should I give the UKBA?

FYI - My EEA Family Permit doesn't expire until October.

it seems to be taking upwards of 10 months for EEA2 apps right now, given recent anecdotal posts on here.  UKBA is supposed to process them in no longer than 6 months as per EU directive, but that's currently not happening.

If it is taking up to 10 months, or even 6 months for that matter, what issues should I expect given my permit to stay here expires in October and it is now nearing the end of July? Will I have to go home at some point? What about needing to be in the UK after submitting the application? I'm starting to get a bit worried. 

At the least, it looks like I'll be trying to finish up my application this week.

If it is taking up to 10 months, or even 6 months for that matter, what issues should I expect given my permit to stay here expires in October and it is now nearing the end of July? Will I have to go home at some point? What about needing to be in the UK after submitting the application? I'm starting to get a bit worried. 

At the least, it looks like I'll be trying to finish up my application this week.

Once your application is filed, you'll receive a letter stating that you have applied for the EEA2 and your status will continue under it's current conditions. You'll have to submit your passport with the application and you'll pretty much be stuck in the UK until it's been processed. But, you'll not be required to leave the UK.

Most people once they have arrived have immediately put in for the EEA2 so they're not as close to their expiration as you have done so by waiting. But, from what I have seen and heard it's been taking 10-12 months to process. But who knows what will happen in the next 10-12 months and you might get it back sooner. Just to be on the safe side I wouldn't plan any type of travelling for the next year.

I believe that once you have your certificate of application, you can actually request your passport back if you need it without cancelling your application. You can then send it back to them to get the vignette in.

I believe that once you have your certificate of application, you can actually request your passport back if you need it without cancelling your application. You can then send it back to them to get the vignette in.

The only info I could find about this is on the actual application:
See page 3: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/eea/eea2.pdf

If you need your passport because you have to travel
urgently and unexpectedly, call 0845 010 5200 and provide
the personal and other details listed immediately above.

The system has changed recently.  They are hoping that everything is going to work faster now, but we obviously don't know yet. 

Because they are now claiming that they will process the application as soon as they have opened it and confirmed that all the documents are there, so *theoretically* you won't need to be asking for the passport back because the permit will be issued straight away.

A vast number of people wait until the last minute to apply for this permit, usually because they need it to travel for work.  But the thing to remember is that you have the right to be in the UK no matter if you have anything in your passport.  This is not a visa, it does not confer rights, it just confirms rights which are enshrined in EU law.

Vicky

A vast number of people wait until the last minute to apply for this permit, usually because they need it to travel for work.  But the thing to remember is that you have the right to be in the UK no matter if you have anything in your passport.  This is not a visa, it does not confer rights, it just confirms rights which are enshrined in EU law.

Again, I know off topic, but it seems that the spouse or partner of an EEA member has more rights in the UK than the spouse of a UK citizen. Not quite right in my book once I think about it. But that is just the way the system is.

I know, it grates.

Vicky

Well, don't hate me for not making the law. 

I'm sure it does grate, but back to the point....

All this seems like good news. As for waiting, I hadn't considered 9 weeks actually waiting.

All good to know.

Thanks again.

Vicky,

 It was my understanding that the law change meant that they now had to issue you the certificate of application straight away once they open your EEA2 application and see that you have everything you need to apply.  But below (quoted), are you saying that what they actually mean to do is upon opening of the application to process the EEA2 directly?  That would be fantastic but that's not how I've understood it and it seems unrealistic when all I've been reading about up until this point is that it takes about 8 months to process. 

  Also, if it is rather like I understood, that you just receive a certificate of application straight away and still have to wait 6 mnths or so to get your EEA2, if you are traveling to say US or Netherlands, won't you need to ask get your passport back in the interim?  How would showing just a certificate of application be a valid form of identification for entering/exiting any other country then possibly the UK? 

Thanks for your guidance, it has already be VERY useful for me!
Chrissy

The system has changed recently.  They are hoping that everything is going to work faster now, but we obviously don't know yet. 

Because they are now claiming that they will process the application as soon as they have opened it and confirmed that all the documents are there, so *theoretically* you won't need to be asking for the passport back because the permit will be issued straight away.

A vast number of people wait until the last minute to apply for this permit, usually because they need it to travel for work.  But the thing to remember is that you have the right to be in the UK no matter if you have anything in your passport.  This is not a visa, it does not confer rights, it just confirms rights which are enshrined in EU law.

Vicky