EEA2 turn around time, any recent experience?

Thanks DanielD!

 I spoke on another website with a few immigration advisers/experts and they confirmed what I though to be true (EEA family permit classifies me as family member in UK and no longer as an extended family member) and because of this I have the right to work and live in the UK because my family member "partner" was, is or did begin exercising his treaty rights when my EEA Family Permit was valid.  They even went further to say that I have the right because I'm now considered a family member not because I possess any documentation (of course convincing an employer of this might be difficult)

 They seem a bit confused why the HO didn't issue me with a COA that stated I had the right to work but seems to have to do something with the idea that extended family members who hadn't previously applied for an EEA family permit, in their eyes are not allowed to work. Which clearly isn't me and yes sounds like a bunch of bureaucratic ring around the rosy but bottomline, they said I should have any employer call the number to verify my eligibility for employment and I should be all good.  Whew!  At the least if I can't go anywhere, I know I'm not wasting my time working hard to seek employment!

Cheers

Hi all,

It's devastating to hear about the widely varying processing times for the EEA residence card! I have both a US & EU passport, & my partner (a US passport holder who has been on a student visa until a few months ago) applied for the residence card at the end of January. Our application got sent back once because we'd left out something, but then a month later, they returned it again, saying that we hadn't included our marriage certificate... which we DID. When I called them, all they said was, "Oh, the document checkers probably just missed it! Just send it again! If it gets returned again, then maybe we can ask our managers to do something!" Thankfully my partner got his COA a few weeks ago, but it's horrible to think of having to wait 6 more months (or more!) before we can have our passports back.

We have a trip back home booked in a few weeks but obviously it looks like we're going to have to cancel it. 

I am actually contemplating crazy shenanigans in which I fly back home on my US passport (which is still in my possession), come back, get a visitor's visa, & then when the Border Agency decides to return our passports, I leave on my US passport (to France for the weekend or something) & return on my EU passport.

I know this is most likely impossible or very risky--& I am almost positive (ha) I won't actually do it. (horror stories why I shouldn't are appreciated!) But all this bureaucratic madness is enough to make me lose all sense!!

hi i was wondering what documents u send for eea2 application.I sent payslip of my wife n mine ,her id my passport nad our marriage certificate...is it enough for eea2 application.

Hey everyone!
i have recently applied for residence card for my wife and two children who are non EEU citizens and have joined me in the UK in february. They were only given 6 months initial UK entry visa which is about to expire on 15th July.
I am wondering about the processing time of this EEA2. If the application is not processed by the time their visas are expiring, then what will be their status in this country? I have not yet received the application acknowledgement letter either from UKBA.
can someone please help me as its really bothering me. I sent my application on 25th may.

cheers.

I am wondering about the processing time of this EEA2. If the application is not processed by the time their visas are expiring, then what will be their status in this country?

Their current status will automatically be extended until a determination is made on the EEA 2 applications.

Hey all,

 I was contacted on Thursday by the UKBA and my residence card (eea2) has been issued! The email was sent a little over 5 1/2 months from day of application.  I haven't received my passport or documentation back yet though, but hopefully it won't take too long as I had included a pre-paid overnight envelope! 

Timeline as of now:
29/12/2009 Submit EEA2 application
30/12/2009 Received at UKBA
13/1/2010 Received COA
19/5/2010 Received request for more current documentation to prove that we as unmarried partners continue to live together
20/5/2010 Documentation received at UKBA
17/6/2010 Receive email that RC has been granted
? Receive documents back

Congratulations lilbruiser! Hopefully you get the package soon! At least they were considerate enough to send you an email that it's been processed.

Absolutely WebyJ, even though I still don't have the docs in hand, knowing it has been processed is definitely a stress reliever!

Absolutely WebyJ, even though I still don't have the docs in hand, knowing it has been processed is definitely a stress reliever!

Yeah, they send the stuff back 2nd Class recorded so it can take about a week to get it from the date your email.

Just an update: called the UKBA today as I still haven't received my passport/rc back yet and it's been a week since I received the email that my EEA2 had been approved.  Spoke to them and they say that it hasn't been sent out yet since it's "in the process of being issued".  So it takes at least a week from when the EEA2 is approved apparently for the RC to actually go in your passport??? wow. 

He said "hopefully it will get out in a few days", I'm glad he's got hope about it.    My thoughts is in the end it will be lucky if I have my RC in hand by the time my 6 month EEA mandated turn-around date comes around on the 30th anyway....

hrmph. 

Here is our time line on EEA2 application just to give people an idea.

Nov 2009 EEA1 issued in Embassy in Madrid
13 Nov 2009 enter UK
3 Dec 2009 send off application for EEA2 - requesting passports back to allow us to travel in the meantime.
March 12 2010  - receive urgent request for further confirmation that I am exercisinf my treaty rights on the UK and further proof we live together whilst residing in Spain.
1 April 2010 - return passports and all necessary documentation to UKBA.
13 May 2010 - EEA1 vis in my passport expires
31 Aug 2010 - having heard nothing from the UKBA since April we send additional documents to inform them of our new jobs and contracts etc. as extra support for our application.
13 Sept 2010 - email official complaint form to the UKBA and also contact my MP to get them to follow up matters stating the illegalilty of time delay having now taken 9 months!
21 Sept 2010- receive letter in post dated 16 Sep 2010 apologising for delay informing me the case has been concluded and my documents will be returned to me.
22 Sept 2010 - documents returned to me. But they indavertantly forgot to return my passport and have instead issued the residence document on a piece of A4 paper ( WTF?? are these people muppets?)
22 Sep 2010 - return the residence document and request they place it in my passport and return my passport to me prpmptly.
...... awaiting return of passport sigh!

so all in all nigh on ten months to get the EEA2 processed and even then the didnt get it right.

My advice is to right and complain to UKBA and also contact your MP as soon as the 6 month waiting period has been passed. Hopefully they wont mislay your passport and issue your residence documents on a pieve of A4 paper.