EEA 2 Residency Card Approved in two weeks!!!!

Hey guys, I couldn't believe it when I signed for a package that included my approved EEA 2 Residency card merely TWO weeks after my submission!!!!!!! I'm sooo ecstatic! I was ready to be trapped within the UK for the next year and fight the big fight after the 6 month mark! Here was my timeline:

August 10th - Mailed out EEA 2 application + support with Royal Mail next day delivery
August 11th - Received and signed by Liverpool
August 18th - Received Certificate of Application dated August 14th in the mail
August 26th - Received EEA 2 stamp with my passport and all the originals from my application!!!!!! 

I am SOOOO ECSTATIC! I can't wait to travel! To those interested, here's what I included with my application:
•   Cover letter (1 page) indicating that my husband is exercising EU treaty rights as a worker in the UK and listing of everything included with application
•   Completed EEA2 Residence Card Application with relevant passport photos
•   My original American Passport
•   Original Marriage Certificate (certified copy for foreign use from NYC)
•   Husband's French ID Card
•   Certified copy of Husband’s French Passport
•   Husband’s original contract of employment
•   Letter from Husband’s Employer
•   Payslips for one year stamped by employer

I'm not sure if I was just lucky or the UKBA is really speeding things up! Either way, I'm super excited and hope it works out for everyone else! Thank you everyone for all the help and support along the way. I wouldn't have known what to do without you guys! 

Cheers!
uk4love

That is amazingly fast! Congratulations!

Wow! I'm really glad to hear that they are finally dealing with these applications properly. Congratulations!

That's fantastic! I hope it goes that speedy when I submit mine...

One question though. You said you submitted a certified copy of your marriage certificate for foreign use... how does that differ from a normal marriage cert?

Thanks!

In New York, you can obtain certified copies of your marriage certificate for foreign use. It has extra stamps and seals and a page titled Apostile to the front of it. Pretty much you have to pay a bit more and run around to 3 different NY city buildings to get it all done. I don't think you have to submit this one in particular, but I got 2 of these before I left the US in case I would need it for any additional citizenship applications or to bring with me if I were to travel with my EEA Family Permit. Not sure if all the states have this.

Wow that's great! Congratulations!!

That's awesome news! I've been delaying applying for it since most people said it takes 8months and I don't want to fight for my passport back for the holidays but if it's starting to be that quick, maybe I don't need to wait after all.  Anyone else applied recently and having the same results??

Thanks!

In New York, you can obtain certified copies of your marriage certificate for foreign use. It has extra stamps and seals and a page titled Apostile to the front of it. Pretty much you have to pay a bit more and run around to 3 different NY city buildings to get it all done. I don't think you have to submit this one in particular, but I got 2 of these before I left the US in case I would need it for any additional citizenship applications or to bring with me if I were to travel with my EEA Family Permit. Not sure if all the states have this.

I got this done with my son's birth certificates in Ga. I had to go to the clerk of the court to get them done that way. A bit like a notary but more special I think.

Here's an online definition from apostille.us:
Apostille is a special certificate that is attached to another document being certified. The Apostille makes the certifiable document valid in all countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention (at present there are more than 80 members). The Apostille can not exist as a separate document; it is valid only together with the document to which it is attached.

UK4Love, I had the exact same experience as you, but mine took about 3 weeks from start to finish. I too was extremely worried that they'd have my passport for more than 6 months and I needed to go back to the States for the holidays.  Here's my timeline:

August 5 - posted off application
August 20 - received certificate of application
August 29 - received my passport back with my Residence Stamp

So my advice for anyone is just to go ahead with your application, but be sure to include all the relevant information they ask for.  I wouldn't recommend adding anything that's not on the checklist they provide.  If at all possible, send your passport otherwise you'll have to send it later anyway. 

awesome news! I'm so excited to hear this is going so much quicker, and congratulations!  Maybe I will file for mine before the holidays then