Returning to with a COA for an EEA2 with an expired visa.

Just a quick summary. I'm British, my wife is Moroccan. We currently reside in the UK and entered on an EEA Family Permit as we both previously lived & worked in France for 6 years.

We are in the process of applying for the EEA2 Resident Card and have a Certificate of Application from the UKBA. Her current EEA FP is now expired.

We booked (a long time ago!) a trip to Italy assuming this would all be sorted out by now and she'd have the Resident Card, but that doesn't look likely now before we are due to travel.

We requested and received her passport back from the UKBA, but with it there is a letter that states she needs to apply for an EEA FP is she travels outside of the UK and wants to return to the UK - this is clearly impossible as all the documents needed to apply for that are currently with the UKBA for the EEA2 application!!

She has a current Schengen visa from France so there is no problem travelling around Europe.

It was our understanding that she could travel back to the UK on her passport if we have the COA and our marriage certificate. This letter now seems to throw that into doubt and has us worried about going.

Does any one have any experience travelling back to the UK with an expired EEA:FP and a COA for the new application?

Many thanks

Matt

It depends on how you are travelling. If you fly, then returning to the UK will be difficult as the airline may not let you board.

But once you get to the UK border, it should be easy: http://eumovement.wordpress.com/2010/08 ... to-travel/

Moved to the appropriate part of the forum.