EEA4 fast processing times or wishful thinking

cerrahpasalilar · Post by **cerrahpasalilar** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 1:02 am

Jersey wrote:
spike_UK wrote:
onetowatch20 wrote:I have a feeling the Olympics may have caused a backlog at the UKBA, processing applications for all the athletes and everyone else associated with them.
I'm agree with you,,,,,too many visa applications to deal with!!!!!!
I hope you are joking, there aren't too many tourists as predicted. It's just that UKBA cut some positions so processing is slower than what it should be.

I think being slow for UKBA (not only EEA type residence card but also other type such as SET (M) and SET (O) tier 2) may be due to the combination of Olympics and redundancy in positions.
Sponsors for Olympics 2012 such as coco cola tend to recruit their own people instead of recruiting local people in UK. For instance, I have met two American guys coming to UK to work for Olympics as a part of coco cola sponsor
I would think that some type of visa such as student or tourist visas are issued at British Embassies in other countries hence tourists visiting UK for Olympics might not make UKBA slower.
On the other hand, if it is purely related to Olympics, the UKBA should have been already fester in dealing with EEA application. However, it is not happening right now.
A couple of year ago, the UKBA announced that they were going to recruit more temporary caseworkers to deal with EEA applications. It may be that those caseworkers quitted working for the UKBA

fmac · Post by **fmac** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 12:19 pm

Hi all,

We finally received EEA4 today.

This is our timeline:

EEA3 & EEA4 sent on 14th February
Received by UKBA on 15th February
EEA3 & COA received on 15th March dated 7th March
EEA4 received 8th August dated 30th July

My special gratitude to Obie who patiently replied my private messages. Good luck to all.

Plum70 · Post by **Plum70** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 3:05 pm

fmac wrote:EEA3 & EEA4 sent on 14th February
Received by UKBA on 15th February
EEA3 & COA received on 15th March dated 7th March
EEA4 received 8th August dated 30th July

It still bothers me that EU PR applications are dealt with so speedily but the equivalent non-EU PR applications are mostly left to languish for up to 6 months.

This was my husband's time line last year:

EEA3 application posted by SD on 21/10/11
Received by the UKBA on 24/10/11
PR issued 01/11/11
Documents returned by SD 04/11/11.

Is there any real logic to this seeming disproportionality? If there is and somebody is informed, please share.

silontong · Post by **silontong** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 2:06 am

FYI

I am still waiting for PR card (EEA4), got passport back without PR, but I still have valid schengen visa.

Yesterday just came back from Zurich only with COA and Expired EEA 2 (resident card) July 2012 on my passport ;no problem at all at the airport London.

Before, I said to check in staff in Zurich I do not need ILR or PR card to enter UK because I am automatically PR in UK.
But they try to check and confirm to UK Border in UK airport and after a while they let me go.

PS: I showed them my COA and 2nd page of EEA4 form written in top.

Plum70 · Post by **Plum70** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 3:06 pm

silontong wrote: But they try to check and confirm to UK Border in UK airport and after a while they let me go.

Did they let you go because the UKBA confirmed to them that you have a legal right to return to the UK or because they gave up trying?

silontong · Post by **silontong** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 3:34 pm

Plum70 wrote:
silontong wrote: But they try to check and confirm to UK Border in UK airport and after a while they let me go.
Did they let you go because the UKBA confirmed to them that you have a legal right to return to the UK or because they gave up trying?

Check in staff in Zurich called UK Border at Gatwick Airport, after 20 minutes got answer and confirm i can comeback to UK.

Plum70 · Post by **Plum70** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 5:02 pm

silontong wrote:Check in staff in Zurich called UK Border at Gatwick Airport, after 20 minutes got answer and confirm i can comeback to UK.

Good it worked the way it should.

anp · Post by **anp** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:28 am

This morning I received the COA for my EEA4 application. I had complained to NWCSU@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk because our initial EEA3 & EEA4 applications were mistakenly returned. They had asked for supporting documents for my wife´s employment, even though they were already included in the application.

Interestingly enough though, the COA states that it should be accepted by employers within 6 months of the date of issue and not withing 6 months of the date they received our applications. Poor timekeeping, or what?

Somewhat relieved after this last months´ saga. Good luck everyone!

spike_UK · Post by **spike_UK** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 1:38 pm

Hi guys, it has been a long time I haven't checked this forum out, I hope you all doing good.
I just want to say for the applicants of EEA4 forms made on February, it's almost 6 months in 2 weeks, what do we have to do? keep waiting for another 2 weeks and they might take over 6 months or should we call them and ask about updates?
Thanks guys and all the best to all of us, God bless us.

anp · Post by **anp** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:56 pm

Hi spike. Yours is now due anytime. I wish you will get it some time this month. Best of luck mate.

spike_UK · Post by **spike_UK** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 5:28 pm

anp wrote:Hi spike. Yours is now due anytime. I wish you will get it some time this month. Best of luck mate.

Thanks mate but HO is like a pregnant woman

some times baby come early but most of the times comes late

so I guess I will get it on September

((

walidukdz · Post by **walidukdz** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 6:20 pm

It seems like the HO is taking the full 6 months but a week. must people are waiting 5 month and 3 weeks.

spike_UK · Post by **spike_UK** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 6:32 pm

walidukdz wrote:It seems like the HO is taking the full 6 months but a week. must people are waiting 5 month and 3 weeks.

Yes mate, even over 6 months I heard, mine by end of next week will be 6 months!!!

Emo · Post by **Emo** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 8:24 pm

_________________
Applied for EEA4 on 21/02/2012.
HO received on 22/02/2012.
COA received on 14/03/2012
PR received today dated as 12/07/2012.
Good luck every one

onetowatch20 · Post by **onetowatch20** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:59 pm

spike_UK wrote:Hi guys, it has been a long time I haven't checked this forum out, I hope you all doing good.
I just want to say for the applicants of EEA4 forms made on February, it's almost 6 months in 2 weeks, what do we have to do? keep waiting for another 2 weeks and they might take over 6 months or should we call them and ask about updates?
Thanks guys and all the best to all of us, God bless us.

Looks like we applied around the same time.. I'm getting quite anxious now as the end of the six month window is fast approaching and I'm yet to receive my PR. I have travel booked early in September and really would like to have my PR back by then!
I have tried to phone UKBA for any hope of an update but they are useless at the call centre... Very frustrating!

spike_UK · Post by **spike_UK** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 2:25 pm

onetowatch20 wrote:
spike_UK wrote:Hi guys, it has been a long time I haven't checked this forum out, I hope you all doing good.
I just want to say for the applicants of EEA4 forms made on February, it's almost 6 months in 2 weeks, what do we have to do? keep waiting for another 2 weeks and they might take over 6 months or should we call them and ask about updates?
Thanks guys and all the best to all of us, God bless us.
Looks like we applied around the same time.. I'm getting quite anxious now as the end of the six month window is fast approaching and I'm yet to receive my PR. I have travel booked early in September and really would like to have my PR back by then!
I have tried to phone UKBA for any hope of an update but they are useless at the call centre... Very frustrating!

As you seen EMO above he has posted, he got his PR yesterday 14/08/2012 and that exactly a week to finish 6 months(HO received 21/02/2012 and PR 14/08/2012).
By end of next week we hopefully will get something..... GOD is great.

anp · Post by **anp** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 4:50 pm

Question: When COA is issued does that also mean that the application has been validated?

Also, I received my COA before my wife received her PR (EEA national). Is that common? Does it mean her PR is now due anytime?

spike_UK · Post by **spike_UK** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:04 pm

anp wrote:Question: When COA is issued does that also mean that the application has been validated?

Also, I received my COA before my wife received her PR (EEA national). Is that common? Does it mean her PR is now due anytime?

I believe COA is only a receipt of your application and thats all.
Sit back and don't think about it for 6 months then the time will go faster

anp · Post by **anp** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:36 pm

Indeed spike. Perhaps a Xmas present?:)

spike_UK · Post by **spike_UK** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:35 pm

anp wrote:Indeed spike. Perhaps a Xmas present?:)

You might get it just a week before Xmas

Good luck mate.

spike_UK · Post by **spike_UK** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 12:06 pm

Hi guys, just been waiting on the phone 21 minutes to get through with HO and took him only 30 seconds to say sorry your time hasn't passed 6 months so call back when is 6 months and 1 day!!!!! Bloody useless, he could have said whether been despatched or any updates

HO received it 23/02/2012 and he said to call back not on 23 but 24/08/2012.
I'm just going to wait till September, in that case if it comes earlier then it is a bonus

walidukdz · Post by **walidukdz** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 12:21 pm

Just hold tight mate .24-7 =17 you should get it tomorrow . It will confirm the week before 6 months theory ! I guess in their mind the later they send it the later you apply for BC.

spike_UK · Post by **spike_UK** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 12:32 pm

walidukdz wrote:Just hold tight mate .24-7 =17 you should get it tomorrow . It will confirm the week before 6 months theory ! I guess in their mind the later they send it the later you apply for BC.

Thanks for your comforting but it will go to my solicitor anyway and she is off until next Wednesday 22/08/2012 so I will wait anyway.
If I get my PR they can't hold me for BC, I will apply just on January 2013 rather than August 2013, GOD is great.

anp · Post by **anp** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 7:24 pm

I dont get it. It seems that they purposefully delay us. If I was a caseworker, no case would take me longer than 3 days.

Why would they set a 6 month deadline? Underfunded perhaps, thus understaffed??

anp · Post by **anp** » Fri Aug 17, 2012 11:12 am

EEA3 PR received today, dated 09 August 2012 as well as her passport. It wasn´t attached to her passport but to a blue 6 page little leaflet.

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EEA4 fast processing times or wishful thinking