Renouncing British Citizenship to use EEA FP route

Bannoi wrote:
Timeline, received my RN back 13th Feb dated 8th Feb. Made an appointment online with VFS Bangkok for 18th Feb then booked a flight for me and our 2 boys.

Haha glad to hear things are progressing for you Bannoi. I hope the next stage goes smoothly too! Can I ask a quick question regarding your timeline here? Did you send/receive your RN from the UK and THEN travel to Bangkok? Or did you send your RN from Thailand when you decided that you were going to renounce?

If I am right - you sent your RN from inside the UK, to the Liverpool address. Waited on it being processed (how long did yours take by the way?) - and the once you received it back, you left the UK and flew to Thailand?

sp84 wrote:

Bannoi wrote: If I am right - you sent your RN from inside the UK, to the Liverpool address. Waited on it being processed (how long did yours take by the way?) - and the once you received it back, you left the UK and flew to Thailand?

Hi sp84

This is correct I posted from England to Liverpool on 15th September 2015 received it back 13th February 2016
so approx 5 months wait.

I then filled in the form in my wife's name for an EEA family permit online printed it out and made an appointment to submit the documents at VFS Bangkok then booked a flight and travelled to Bangkok with our 2 sons that live with me in England.

All pretty much straightforward when you have the RN.

What is frustrating is once the Embassy's ECO has made their decision they send an email saying just that with no indication as to whether they have granted it or not.

On a brighter note I have now discovered I may be entitled to 600 EUR compensation from Thai Air for the delay that's 1,800 EUR total for the 3 of us.

Just 12 hours now before all 5 of us (me, wife and 3 boys) head off to the airport.

The plan then is to move to N.I.and applying for my wife's Irish citizenship after 3 years.

After that possibly move to live in the Republic better for them to have my taxes than a British government that has done nothing to help me after all I am no longer British now just Irish and proud of it.

Not only that my 3 boys can help Ireland win the Rugby and Football World Cups.

Bannoi wrote:]

Hi sp84

This is correct I posted from England to Liverpool on 15th September 2015 received it back 13th February 2016
so approx 5 months wait.

I then filled in the form in my wife's name for an EEA family permit online printed it out and made an appointment to submit the documents at VFS Bangkok then booked a flight and travelled to Bangkok with our 2 sons that live with me in England.

All pretty much straightforward when you have the RN.

Thanks Bannoi!

I think I am going to contact the Home Office & change my mailing address to my family home in Belfast - then have the family fast track it over to me here in the states, so I was just curious about where you were applying from and how long it took. I've just finished month number 3 of waiting on the RN - so I have all my fingers and toes crossed that it gets processed by the 4.5 month mark!

Haha regarding the Rugby & footie World Cups!! - my money would lean more towards the chances of winning the Rugby!

Check back in and let me know how long the family permit took to receive/be processed, from when you applied for it. In some places it has been as fast as 5 days! So I am curious to hear about your experience.

Oh and one thing that I also wanted to ask anyone out there that has received their RN back in the UK - did it have to be signed for when it was being delivered?

I'm afraid that if I change my address to my UK home address - that they won't let a family member of mine pick it up - in the event that they miss the postman and have to go pick it up at the depot.

If it doesn't have to be signed for - Great!!

Just let me know please

Oh, How I miss Northern Irish rant.

It is all about being protestant / catholic, Sinn Fein and all that gimmicks. Some people did not grow over their totemism mentality. How is this ever relevant to the immigration decisions whether to relinquish one citizenship in favour of another?! [sigh].

Hi sp84

The family permit only took a week to process submitted the documents on 18th received an email on 25th saying a decision had been made and the documents that were submitted (passport etc.) could be picked up in 2 days time.

Just a note on that VFS Bangkok told me my wife had to have a TB test certificate costs around £70 and the visa would not be processed without it I told her she didn't require one for an EEA family permit and to just submit the application turns out I was right and she was obviously wrong as the Embassy issued it.

My RN came in a brown envelope Royal Mail ordinary 2nd class no signature required.

We are all back in UK now tired but glad it's all finally over.

Best of luck and if you do eventually make it back to NI that offer of a pint still holds

Bannoi wrote:Hi sp84

The family permit only took a week to process submitted the documents on 18th received an email on 25th saying a decision had been made and the documents that were submitted (passport etc.) could be picked up in 2 days time.

Just a note on that VFS Bangkok told me my wife had to have a TB test certificate costs around £70 and the visa would not be processed without it I told her she didn't require one for an EEA family permit and to just submit the application turns out I was right and she was obviously wrong as the Embassy issued it.

My RN came in a brown envelope Royal Mail ordinary 2nd class no signature required.

We are all back in UK now tired but glad it's all finally over.

Best of luck and if you do eventually make it back to NI that offer of a pint still holds

Haha! Thank you Bannoi! Believe it or not I'm a non-drinker! Being in the USA, if I had a dollar for every time I heard the line "wait you're Irish and you don't drink" I'd be rich! My common response has become - yeah that's why I got asked to leave the country!!

Really glad to hear that you made it back to the UK OK. It will take some time for everything to get settled I'm sure, but at least you made it back.

Thanks for the info regarding the 2nd class mail! That makes me feel better about changing my address to my UK address - was afraid that someone at home would miss the postman and it would have to be signed for. I will change it tonight then on the website.

Much appreciated and I know I have said this to everyone lately, but don't be disappearing haha!

Hi all, I posted my RN application on 24th Feb through 1st class tracking post. It was recieved by liverpool on 25th February, 8 working days on now and the money still hasn't been deducted. How long did those of you who sent your RN wait before the funds where taken from your account?

magicmus wrote:Hi all, I posted my RN application on 24th Feb through 1st class tracking post. It was recieved by liverpool on 25th February, 8 working days on now and the money still hasn't been deducted. How long did those of you who sent your RN wait before the funds where taken from your account?

Hi magicmus how are you?

I sent my RN on the 19th of November & got in Liverpool on the 20th of November i sent it by 1st class recorded delivery

I got a letter from the home office date the 23rd of December but only got it on the 28th of December by 2nd class post to say they aeccpted my cheque of £223 for my RN,

Me & SP84 sent our RN about the same time


I hope you find out soon magicus take care from RJF1979

Hi magicmus how are you?

I sent my RN on the 19th of November & got in Liverpool on the 20th of November i sent it by 1st class recorded delivery

I got a letter from the home office date the 23rd of December but only got it on the 28th of December by 2nd class post to say they aeccpted my cheque of £223 for my RN,

Me & SP84 sent our RN about the same time

I hope you find out soon magicus take care from RJF1979

Thanks for this info. I sent my card details on the payment sheet. Just need to keep an eye on my account for it coming out then. Are people counting from when fee is deducted or from date application received?

magicmus wrote: Thanks for this info. I sent my card details on the payment sheet. Just need to keep an eye on my account for it coming out then. Are people counting from when fee is deducted or from date application received?

Happy Monday! Though Monday is almost over where you all are!

Magicmus, I received a confirmation email from the Home Office, with my case number on Dec 1st - I am thinking that they emailed me because I am 5000 miles away, rather than sending me a confirmation letter. The money came out of my account on Dec 2nd if I remember right. Personally, I am counting from Dec 1st because those 2 dates are so close together - but for others in which there are several days between confirmation and the money getting deducted from their accounts - I'm not too sure

There is never any consistency - some people receive an email, others only a letter and others received nothing at all - other than seeing the money coming out of their account. So it is pretty hard to judge their timelines/procedures.

How is everyone holding up by the way? Haven't heard from you in a while RJF1979 and the thread has been pretty quiet. I suppose mainly because we are probably the last 3 on here at this stage! Hope everyone is good!

I am up and down regarding it - sometimes I think, oh everything will be OK. I'll get back, apply for the residence card before the referendum and they couldn't possibly make my wife leave at that stage ... Then out of nowhere, I will almost have a panic attack. Worried that after a few months, I will be told "tough luck" and we will be in absolute limbo!

Hope you're all holding up OK!

sp84 wrote:

magicmus wrote: Thanks for this info. I sent my card details on the payment sheet. Just need to keep an eye on my account for it coming out then. Are people counting from when fee is deducted or from date application received?

Happy Monday! Though Monday is almost over where you all are!

Magicmus, I received a confirmation email from the Home Office, with my case number on Dec 1st - I am thinking that they emailed me because I am 5000 miles away, rather than sending me a confirmation letter. The money came out of my account on Dec 2nd if I remember right. Personally, I am counting from Dec 1st because those 2 dates are so close together - but for others in which there are several days between confirmation and the money getting deducted from their accounts - I'm not too sure

There is never any consistency - some people receive an email, others only a letter and others received nothing at all - other than seeing the money coming out of their account. So it is pretty hard to judge their timelines/procedures.

How is everyone holding up by the way? Haven't heard from you in a while RJF1979 and the thread has been pretty quiet. I suppose mainly because we are probably the last 3 on here at this stage! Hope everyone is good!

I am up and down regarding it - sometimes I think, oh everything will be OK. I'll get back, apply for the residence card before the referendum and they couldn't possibly make my wife leave at that stage ... Then out of nowhere, I will almost have a panic attack. Worried that after a few months, I will be told "tough luck" and we will be in absolute limbo!

Hope you're all holding up OK!

Hi sp84, yeh im up n down too. Hopefully ur rn will come through any day now. Im hoping maybe less ppl renuncing now with regerendum looming so perhaps mine will come sooner. Silly of me really as because of referendum they will most likely hold out for longer!

magicmus wrote:
Hi sp84, yeh im up n down too. Hopefully ur rn will come through any day now. Im hoping maybe less ppl renuncing now with regerendum looming so perhaps mine will come sooner. Silly of me really as because of referendum they will most likely hold out for longer!

That's a fair point & something I had not thought of. Sadly we will never know until we actually get the forms back. I would also be curious to know how many people are going down this route - renouncing to use the EU rules ... as opposed to people renouncing for the simple purpose of renouncing.

Let me know if you ever do get a local MP to ask about your RN form - curious to see how it goes/what the Home Office says to them/if it makes any difference.

sp84 wrote:

magicmus wrote:
Hi sp84, yeh im up n down too. Hopefully ur rn will come through any day now. Im hoping maybe less ppl renuncing now with regerendum looming so perhaps mine will come sooner. Silly of me really as because of referendum they will most likely hold out for longer!

That's a fair point & something I had not thought of. Sadly we will never know until we actually get the forms back. I would also be curious to know how many people are going down this route - renouncing to use the EU rules ... as opposed to people renouncing for the simple purpose of renouncing.

Let me know if you ever do get a local MP to ask about your RN form - curious to see how it goes/what the Home Office says to them/if it makes any difference.

I will do, I was going to wait for the funds to be deducted from my account although I may call the mp office tomorrow and ask if they will call. Worth a try I guess.

magicmus wrote:
I will do, I was going to wait for the funds to be deducted from my account although I may call the mp office tomorrow and ask if they will call. Worth a try I guess.

Sounds good magicmus, thank you! I tried changing my address to my UK home tonight via the email that they sent me - There was a link at the bottom saying that if I have a change of circumstances to click it and inform them.

Silly me thought it would be a matter of me filling in and submitting an online form - looks like I have to call them though! Boo!

Morning. checked my account tomorrow and the money for RN application has been deducted. Least I know they have looked at it. Now the long wait begins!

sp84, how long have you been waiting now?

magicmus wrote:Morning. checked my account tomorrow and the money for RN application has been deducted. Least I know they have looked at it. Now the long wait begins!

sp84, how long have you been waiting now?

Aww happy days magicus glad the money came out of your bank account.. As you say it's just a waiting game..

I'm waiting on mine to come back

Hope to hear from you soon take care from RJF1979

RJF1979 wrote:

Aww happy days magicus glad the money came out of your bank account.. As you say it's just a waiting game..

I'm waiting on mine to come back

Hope to hear from you soon take care from RJF1979

hi RJF1979, you've been waiting for around about same length of time as sp84 haven't you. Waiting is the worst. I have pretty much accepted the fact that I most likely will not have mine back before the referendum, so it may become a pointless exercise I am completing but got to try any option available!

Hi magicus yes me & SP84 sent off our RN around the same time

I'm not sure if you start counting from the day the home office received or the payment is taken out of your account, so going by my counting the home office got my RN on the 20th of November, on Friday will be 4 months.. I think the home office will hold out to the bitter end' meaning may before I get my RN back..

I hope your RN will back be back before the referendum...

I know I've said this before but I feel david Cameron has rushed this eu referendum for June there was time enough for 2017 that's what I think lol

The only reason I am giving my British citizenship is because I don't earn the £18600

It's sad when the government is targeting British citizens who have a non eu wife or husband to earn £18600 a year it's crazy

Sorry that's my rant over

Hope to hear from you soon take care from RJF1979

magicmus wrote:Morning. checked my account tomorrow and the money for RN application has been deducted. Least I know they have looked at it. Now the long wait begins!

sp84, how long have you been waiting now?

Brilliant magicmus! That at least shows that they have received it!

I found my receipt from the Post Office this morning - I posted it from here on November 23rd (fast track delivery) ... I got an email from them on December 1st saying that they had received it and that it could take up to 6 months. This email also had my case # ... Then on December 2nd, the money was deducted from my account.

So in terms of what day to count from, I'm not too sure - either the 1st or 2nd of December I suppose, which means that I am now finished 3 months of waiting and into month 4.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

RJF1979, if you applied on November 20th, then won't 4 months be at the end of March? Rather than this coming Friday?

Waiting definitely is the worst part. I'll go a few days without thinking about it, then find that it completely consumes me for a while. Not able to sleep etc. Little silly seeing as this part of the process is totally out of my control.

Hi SP84 flip maybe you are right about the counting down the weeks

I was counting from the 20th of November when the home office signed for it

I hope it comes soon SP84 I'm starting to climbing the walls lol

I hope you get your address changed to home address in Belfast

This system is a bloody joke. I sent my RN form beginning of Novermber. They deducted payment on Dec 24, 2015. No confirmation letter. No confirmation email. They are not responding to the email I sent them. And I have called the department in Liverpool, and the British embassy but no one is able to help. What could possibly be the reason for this process taking so long? I can't imagine there are that many people daily trying to renounce their UK citizenship. Also, if they would accidentally send the confirmation to the wrong address, how would I ever know? Since I have not gotten any email and cannot get in touch with them. I hear people on here saying different things, what is the average wait time for something like this?

guest1213 wrote:This system is a bloody joke. I sent my RN form beginning of Novermber. They deducted payment on Dec 24, 2015. No confirmation letter. No confirmation email. They are not responding to the email I sent them. And I have called the department in Liverpool, and the British embassy but no one is able to help. What could possibly be the reason for this process taking so long? I can't imagine there are that many people daily trying to renounce their UK citizenship. Also, if they would accidentally send the confirmation to the wrong address, how would I ever know? Since I have not gotten any email and cannot get in touch with them. I hear people on here saying different things, what is the average wait time for something like this?

Hey guest1213,

Welcome to the boards! That's a long time between you sending the RN and the money eventually being deducted! Did you send your form in from the UK or overseas? I remember reading a few pages back that if you did not get a letter from them with a case # and confirmation, that you could contact them and let them know - but it seems like you have already done that. I didn't get a letter - I got an email (I'm overseas).

I sent my RN on November 23rd, received a confirmation email on Dec 1st (with a case #) and the money was deducted Dec 2nd ... I think Lisa on these boards (she applied from South Africa) - did not get a letter or email. She was worried due to lack of contact from the Home Office & the South African postal service not being too reliable - but she eventually got her RN back - it took around 6 months from beginning to end for her.

Overall the wait times seem to be hit or miss - the average seems to be anywhere between 4.5-6 months!

Hey folks!

Quick question - I used the following number (03001232253) to contact the Home Office border control about changing my address for the RN form. Got through to a person and after checking with his supervisor, I was told that in order to change my mailing address - that I had to contact my local British Embassy here in the USA.

I find this a little strange because when I click on the email link that they gave me saying "change of circumstance" - it says that I have to contact the visa centre where I made my application (so the Liverpool one). See here: https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances ... ide-the-uk

Would anyone have a contact number for the Liverpool office by chance? Sounds like I am being given the run around a little bit to be honest, I searched the forum here and found 2 numbers - but they didn't work - said they are no longer in service.

Thanks

sp84 wrote:Hey folks!

Quick question - I used the following number (03001232253) to contact the Home Office border control about changing my address for the RN form. Got through to a person and after checking with his supervisor, I was told that in order to change my mailing address - that I had to contact my local British Embassy here in the USA.

I find this a little strange because when I click on the email link that they gave me saying "change of circumstance" - it says that I have to contact the visa centre where I made my application (so the Liverpool one). See here: https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances ... ide-the-uk

Would anyone have a contact number for the Liverpool office by chance? Sounds like I am being given the run around a little bit to be honest, I searched the forum here and found 2 numbers - but they didn't work - said they are no longer in service.

Thanks

Hi sP84, how's things?
That seems a bit strange asking you to contact your local british embassy i think someone has given you wrong information. I recieved a letter confirming my application for RN had been recieved and my reference number on Friday. Had a look there but there is no contact number on it. I have a number I took off here at one stage that I seen someone had used to complain and its 0843 504 7198. Not sure if it will be of any use, but worth a try.

Hope to hear from you soon.