EEA2 / FM-EFM Discussion thread

Guys finally got my RC card today after 7 months waiting!!

EEA-EFM Unmarried Partners

10/8/2015 - App sent
14/8/2015 - App received
15/8/2015 - Fee taken
24/8/2015 - COA-NO-RIGHT TO WORK - 27/8/2015 Received
24/8/2015 - Biometric - Received 27/8/2015 - Enrolled 27/8/2015
>>> 6 months later
29/2/2015 - Called the HO asked for a status update - no reply!
04/3/2016 - Called againg to the HO and asked for an update
08/3/2016 - Received a call from HO with an "update" saying just 'continue waiting' no further info!!
10/3/2016 - Residence Card issued (HO Bristol Office)
14/3/2016 - Residence Card received in my Home

It was a big surprise, because I didn't received any letter from the HO saying a decision has been made and I didn't receive my supporting documents back yet

The RC came as a card with a chip on the back.

Best luck for all of you guys, thanks for everyone in this very important community and the moderators!

Rona wrote:Hi there, i need a little help.
I applied EEA FM MARRIED RC on 24/02/2016.
I haven't received my biometric letter yet, so i was wondering what's the average days wait and receive it?
And what's the bank statement when the fee taken? Is it euro £65?
How will you know if your application is invalid because you made mistake on your payment page?

Hey!
For us it said something along the lines of "EURO LIVERPOOL GB" but what really gave it away was the amount of £65.
I just updated our timeline on the timeline thread but thought I'd write here too. We finally got the biometrics letter yesterday, after we submitted the applications on 22 January. We were actually more worried about the payment not being taken (they only took it just over a week ago), so we called them a few times. The first time we called was about 2 weeks after submitting the application. They told us it was still normal for no payment to have been taken and to call back in 2 weeks, so we did. However, then we were told to call back in another 2 weeks. We were getting quite worried so called a third time after another week and they lodged a request for someone working on the application to call us back. Nobody called back, so after a week we called again. And then finally got a call from a case worker after a few days.
What they have told us (although the information changes depending on who you just happen to talk to) is that they can take up to 6 weeks to take the payment and up to 8 weeks to send you the biometrics letter. But as you can see from the timelines, for most people the payment gets taken within a couple of days of submitting the application.
I think for all of you it has been less than 8 weeks (for the biometrics letter), but do call and send them an email if you think it has been taking too long. I know how nerve-racking it gets and it is better to be safe than sorry.

leoboy wrote:Had the same issue.. sent them an email and recvd the letter in 3 days post sending the email. Eurobiometrics@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Hello and thank you for all replies.
Looks like my payment is taken after one week.
I had Euro £65 on my bank statement so i wasn't for sure and hoping it's fee for eea2 fm.
My husband and i were worried and confused because no biometric letter was sent.
I'll call or email next week if i don't receive anything by end of this week.

Regards

Rona wrote:

leoboy wrote:Had the same issue.. sent them an email and recvd the letter in 3 days post sending the email. Eurobiometrics@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Hello and thank you for all replies.
Looks like my payment is taken after one week.
I had Euro £65 on my bank statement so i wasn't for sure and hoping it's fee for eea2 fm.
My husband and i were worried and confused because no biometric letter was sent.
I'll call or email next week if i don't receive anything by end of this week.

Regards

New update
Received my biometric letter. It was dated on 11/03.

Hi All,

How long does it take to get your passport back (for EEA national and the applicant)? We have submitted the request for passports return last Wednesday, no news yet.

Also, did anyone travel in / out UK on a tourist visa whilst the RC application was under consideration?

Thank you!

Hey all
We got today our rc
We waited 1 year and 2 months for that...
Thanks for this forum

alex1128 wrote:The COA does not cancel your current visa !

We have had people in this forum with a similar situation, After your receive your COA you can request online your passport and visa back and you can even travel with them until it expires!

We can't request the passport back before receiving the COA?? Cause I did it and didn't received the passport back!!!

parparcita wrote:

alex1128 wrote:The COA does not cancel your current visa !

We have had people in this forum with a similar situation, After your receive your COA you can request online your passport and visa back and you can even travel with them until it expires!

We have requested the passports back, but we are worried that we could be refused entry on a tourist visa if they see that RC application is submitted (they could say you intend to stay so can't enter on a tourist visa). Have anybody travelled as tourist whilst applying for RC - please help! Thank you!

punkurz wrote:Hi everyone,

A little help as I am freaking out. I am an EEA National with residency permit here. My husband, who is American, submitted his application October 13th. His passport is expiring in June so we asked for it back 10 days ago so we can start the renewal process. Today we got a letter saying that the return was denied because he "currently has no basis of stay in UK" and that his "basis of stay in the UK depends on the conclusion of your application for a residence card." It does also say that he may "wait for the application to be decided and if successful your documents will be returned to you." But then it has all this information about flying home and voluntarily departure, etc. It is really freaking me out.

Should I be worried? Does this mean he will be deported? It seems like we are in the home stretch for the residency card, hitting 5 months in a couple of weeks. Since the COA, this is the first communication I've had. Also, this means that his passport will be 2 months from complete expiration when returned, if returned.

Anyway, anybody have experience with this letter? Any advice would help and I sure hope October's start getting their RC's.

Hi punkurz,

I received the exact same letter. And I needed to fly home for family issues. It also freaked me out and didn't received the COA, so a bit nervous. Please let me know how it goes for you!

Hey everyone,

Still waiting for the RC but now have less than 30 days before the 6month deadline. How do you know to be home for the delivery from DPD? I've been wondering how this is going to work. Every time a doorbell rings in my neighborhood my heart flutters. Also, at what point should I call the HO if we don't receive it. When the 6 months is complete? Before the 6 months is complete? We are so excited to get this card and resume our lives of not waiting for every postman.

Hi punkurz,

It's been 6 month for us now which means the deadline is reached, but the card still hasn't arrived. About two weeks ago we emailed HO (at the address provided here http://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-uk-reside ... nt-arrived) asking if everything is all right, but they replied that everything is in order and our application falls within 6 month limit time and very soon our case will be assigned to one of the teams (I wonder where was our case all this time..). Well obviously something went wrong as most of people get their cards within 5 month time. As to the delivery I guess even if you miss it you will get 'while you were out' card.
Still I hope that we were just a bit unlucky and our case was forwarded to a very busy officer.

I'm just curious how many are those who haven't got the RC within 6 month. Please share!

Cheers

Hey guys,
I'm following this forum since a long time ago. Even before I applied for RC. And finally I got it!!

I applied on 21 October
Bio dated 30 October
Bio received/enrolled 4 Nov
RC 10.03.2016 dated
RC received 18.03.16

Less than 5 months!!! I guess we've been lucky and got our residence card fast. But also decision have been made 2 weeks after we requested our passports. So I guess it also helped our case

And wish good luck and patience to everyone who is waiting

Mariashtelle wrote:Hey guys,
I'm following this forum since a long time ago. Even before I applied for RC. And finally I got it!!

I applied on 21 October
Bio dated 30 October
Bio received/enrolled 4 Nov
RC 10.03.2016 dated
RC received 18.03.16

Less than 5 months!!! I guess we've been lucky and got our residence card fast. But also decision have been made 2 weeks after we requested our passports. So I guess it also helped our case

And wish good luck and patience to everyone who is waiting

Congrats !! You're one the lucky here !

Could you share a bit more about your case ? Did you apply as married/unmarried couple ? Where are you from ?

I'm gonna start my fourth month in a couple of days, I wish it could be that quick for me too !!

hello everyone here are my timeline so far

Application eea(fm) ROR sent: 21/10/2015
Application received: 23/10/2015
Fee taken: 24/10/2015
Bio letter received 07/11/2015
Bio sent:07/11/2015
COA: received 07/12
ROR: still waiting

al.91 wrote:

Mariashtelle wrote:Hey guys,
I'm following this forum since a long time ago. Even before I applied for RC. And finally I got it!!

I applied on 21 October
Bio dated 30 October
Bio received/enrolled 4 Nov
RC 10.03.2016 dated
RC received 18.03.16

Less than 5 months!!! I guess we've been lucky and got our residence card fast. But also decision have been made 2 weeks after we requested our passports. So I guess it also helped our case

And wish good luck and patience to everyone who is waiting

Congrats !! You're one the lucky here !

Could you share a bit more about your case ? Did you apply as married/unmarried couple ? Where are you from ?

I'm gonna start my fourth month in a couple of days, I wish it could be that quick for me too !!

Sure! We applied as married couple and we have been married just for 4 months when we applied. With all documents I also sent a lot of photos from our travels and with our families, just wanted to make sure that they wouldn't have doubts about our mariage and avoid questionare and interview.

My husband employed by big international company and its well know in UK. And he think that this also made less complications for our case.

And I don't think that it's coincidence but RC was issued 2 weeks after I requested my passport. Even though they sent me letter saying that they can't return my passport until decision made.

And I never received letter that I will get my RC in 10 days. And RC was deliver just in post lette.(not ex delivery) and few hours later at the same day all my documents were returned

Hi everyone,congrats to all who have received their there RC, been on this forum since 2015 below is my timeline. I recently received an invitation via Email to come forward for an interview on the 12 of April please any information that will enhance my success in my interview will be appreciated, iam an unmarried partner of an EEA exercising treaty right came in with a family permit below is my timeline.

EEA EFM unmarried with Family Permit
10/10/2015 App sent 13/10/2015 Received
14/10/15 Fee taken
21/10/2015 COA-NO-RIGHT TO WORK date 24/10/2015 Received
21/10/2015 Bio date 24/10/2015 Received 25/10/2015 Enrolled
RC..PENDING

Hi,
I have been following this thread for 3-4 months now. I did post a reply few weeks ago whether I should request my documents back or not. Would it effect my application etc. Did get a good response so I requested my passports back from HO along with my non EEA parents.
Its been over 20 working days since I requested the documents back. After 10 working days I was advised to fill a progress request form which I did and waited another 10 working days. No response via email or phone or any sign of passports.
Whenever I ring HO they advise me to wait and they cannot track by reference numbers given at time of application ROD:******* to find out whether our passports have left home office or not.
I am worried as to whether my passports have been lost or further how long they will take to get the documents out. HO call center is offers no answers they just advise you to wait. I would like someone who has been through this to advise me what they did to get there passports back so I can either ring that number or email a relevant department to get some sort of an answer.
Please help!

Mariashtelle wrote:Hey guys,
I'm following this forum since a long time ago. Even before I applied for RC. And finally I got it!!

I applied on 21 October
Bio dated 30 October
Bio received/enrolled 4 Nov
RC 10.03.2016 dated
RC received 18.03.16

Less than 5 months!!! I guess we've been lucky and got our residence card fast. But also decision have been made 2 weeks after we requested our passports. So I guess it also helped our case

And wish good luck and patience to everyone who is waiting

Hi Mariashtelle,

Congratulations. One less for prolonging RC wait. I applied for EEA RC as married couple (I am the non EEA citizen) on late January (28.01.2016 / HO received next day) and received my Biometric enrolment and CoA letters on respectively 17.02.2016 and 09.03.2016.

My question is what exactly do you mean by "we requested our passports". How (by email or post) and for what purpose you did that, could you please explain? Funny or ignorantly I didn't know it takes that much time to receive and when I'm counting 6 months from the day I apply I'm facing with the possibility that I might not attend my own wedding ceremony (it's just celebration) as it will be outside UK beginning of the summer. Event hough I'm not very hopeful I'd like to take my chance to contact HO to declare my situation but literally don't know and how.

I'd be appreciated if you share your experience with me.

Thanks in Advance,
Asci

Abs566 wrote:Hi,
I have been following this thread for 3-4 months now. I did post a reply few weeks ago whether I should request my documents back or not. Would it effect my application etc. Did get a good response so I requested my passports back from HO along with my non EEA parents.
Its been over 20 working days since I requested the documents back. After 10 working days I was advised to fill a progress request form which I did and waited another 10 working days. No response via email or phone or any sign of passports.
Whenever I ring HO they advise me to wait and they cannot track by reference numbers given at time of application ROD:******* to find out whether our passports have left home office or not.
I am worried as to whether my passports have been lost or further how long they will take to get the documents out. HO call center is offers no answers they just advise you to wait. I would like someone who has been through this to advise me what they did to get there passports back so I can either ring that number or email a relevant department to get some sort of an answer.
Please help!

hello ABS566
I am also in same situation, asking to return document online form not return within 10 working days another form still waiting, request passport back 8th MArch, again 22 march,

ascio wrote: My question is what exactly do you mean by "we requested our passports". How (by email or post) and for what purpose you did that, could you please explain?

Hi Asci,

You can request your passports straight away using this website:
https://eforms.homeoffice.gov.uk/outrea ... ments.ofml
They should arrive within 10 days. You can use it for ID purposes inside the UK, but if you travel outside the UK until your RC arrives you will have to apply for a Family Permit in your country to enter the UK.

ascio wrote:

Mariashtelle wrote:Hey guys,
I'm following this forum since a long time ago. Even before I applied for RC. And finally I got it!!

I applied on 21 October
Bio dated 30 October
Bio received/enrolled 4 Nov
RC 10.03.2016 dated
RC received 18.03.16

Less than 5 months!!! I guess we've been lucky and got our residence card fast. But also decision have been made 2 weeks after we requested our passports. So I guess it also helped our case

And wish good luck and patience to everyone who is waiting

Hi Mariashtelle,

Congratulations. One less for prolonging RC wait. I applied for EEA RC as married couple (I am the non EEA citizen) on late January (28.01.2016 / HO received next day) and received my Biometric enrolment and CoA letters on respectively 17.02.2016 and 09.03.2016.

My question is what exactly do you mean by "we requested our passports". How (by email or post) and for what purpose you did that, could you please explain? Funny or ignorantly I didn't know it takes that much time to receive and when I'm counting 6 months from the day I apply I'm facing with the possibility that I might not attend my own wedding ceremony (it's just celebration) as it will be outside UK beginning of the summer. Event hough I'm not very hopeful I'd like to take my chance to contact HO to declare my situation but literally don't know and how.

I'd be appreciated if you share your experience with me.

Thanks in Advance,
Asci

Asci, I see that smb already gave you the link to request passport. I used the same link and I requested my passports bcs I was also following other thread (it's closed now but there is still a lot of useful info) and I noticed that people who requested passports closer to the end of 5-6 months wait, they got their RC in 2-4 weeks after requesting passports.

But you can request them anytime. And if you have valid visa in your passport they will return it so you would be able to travel.
And if your visa expired they wouldn't return your passport but will send you a mail with instruction what you need to go to leave UK. And to come back you will need to request FP again.

Ali12035 wrote:Hi,
I am in same situation applied EEA FM for children on 25/2 Received 26/02 payment 27/2. After that didn't heard any thing.

Euro is fees payment for EEA card if your application is not valid HO will send back all documents.

Thanks

Biometric letter received 16/03/2016 (dated 11/03/2016)
Biometric done on 17/03/2016
COA with right to work for children on 23/03/2016(dated 18/03/2016)
RC for children? Waiting

hi folks,

i need to know the effect of requesting a return of documents from my eea (fm) application.
i have already submitted my biometrics and have requested for my travel documents to be returned since i need to travel. will this have an effect on my application.

asif2133 wrote:hi folks,

i need to know the effect of requesting a return of documents from my eea (fm) application.
i have already submitted my biometrics and have requested for my travel documents to be returned since i need to travel. will this have an effect on my application.

If you request it between biometrics and COA it might delay issuing your COA. But There is no other affection on your application.

Hi all,

Really need your advice. My mum is applying for RC. We have requested her passport back two weeks ago, today we have received a letter saying that they won't return her passport as her right to stay in the UK depends on the outcome of the application. And also saying that if she needs to travel, she will need to contact another team and get her passport delivered to the border! We are shocked as she does have a valid tourist visa until 2018. Why would they not return her passport?

Please help,
Thank you!