UKBA To Charge For EEA Applications

pinkpanter · Post by **pinkpanter** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 9:18 am

Anyway, from a practical point of view I expect that the waiting times to get an appointment for the premium applications will creep up to the 2-3 month timescale anyway (which is the time it takes, on average, to process the applications now anyway!),

Yes you are right but, when you know that your PR right is due within 3 months then, you should book the appointment in 3 months in advance to avoid any further delay.

With the only exception being EEA3&4 applications who could book in advance of their 5-year time limit approaching to apply for PR.

Thats exactly what I am saying...
I dont think UKBA would offer free of charge premium service however, at least it would help to protect your employment or emergency trevelling

Monifé · Post by **Monifé** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 2:54 pm

Â£300 is absolutely extortionate. Especially for something they are legally not allowed to charge for.

Even if you had a pretty well paid job, I do not know who in their right mind would pay Â£300 to these thieves when they can just wait a few months for their decision (and can still work using the temporary stamp so it is not like they are put out in any way).

86ti · Post by **86ti** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 2:59 pm

MonifÃ© wrote:I do not know who in their right mind would pay Â£300 to these thieves when they can just wait a few months for their decision (and can still work using the temporary stamp so it is not like they are put out in any way).

Those who are desperate enough ... for various reasons.

There is no such thing as a temporary stamp in the UK, only the CoA (confirmation of application) which, however, only appears to grant a right to work for a maximum of six months (obviously the UKBA is very confident now that they can process all applications within that time frame).

pinkpanter · Post by **pinkpanter** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 1:30 pm

Â£300 is absolutely extortionate. Especially for something they are legally not allowed to charge for.

Even if you had a pretty well paid job, I do not know who in their right mind would pay Â£300 to these thieves when they can just wait a few months for their decision (and can still work using the temporary stamp so it is not like they are put out in any way).

I dont think UKBA advisers are stupid that they don't even think before introducing this services. Obviously they must have some grounds on which they can argue that this paid service is legal or illegal. I am really interesting to know on what grounds they are considering.

chursy · Post by **chursy** » Wed Sep 28, 2011 4:43 pm

Does anyone know when this is going to come in practice.

Or is this in place already?

Plum70 · Post by **Plum70** » Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:20 pm

No one knows yet...expect that any word'll be published on the UKBA website.

chursy · Post by **chursy** » Thu Sep 29, 2011 7:26 am

Plum70 wrote:No one knows yet...expect that any word'll be published on the UKBA website.

Frankly don't care about the money or it's legality as far as the visa is issued in a day! I hope this comes quick

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Fri Sep 30, 2011 8:12 am

chursy wrote:Frankly don't care about the money or it's legality as far as the visa is issued in a day! I hope this comes quick

You do not care at all whether UKBA operates legally? Really?

Plum70 · Post by **Plum70** » Fri Sep 30, 2011 9:50 am

chursy wrote:
Plum70 wrote:No one knows yet...expect that any word'll be published on the UKBA website.
Frankly don't care about the money or it's legality as far as the visa is issued in a day! I hope this comes quick

Just the sort of encouragement the UKBA's looking for!

As Directive rightly points out, it is more important to prevent exploitation of people's 'desperation' by govt agents out to make a quick and extortionate, not to mention potentially unlawful, buck.

bobobo · Post by **bobobo** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 8:49 am

Frankly if all the member states can survive without charging and can process the EEA applications then so can UK, however this is theoretical.

I must admit UKBA have pulled there socks up, I remember waiting for a year for my EEA2 application in 05/06. 3-4 months now is improvement

People have suffered so much that I think out of desperation they are happy to pay a fee and get the job done rather than have sleepless nights for 6 months.

chursy wrote:
Plum70 wrote:No one knows yet...expect that any word'll be published on the UKBA website.
Frankly don't care about the money or it's legality as far as the visa is issued in a day! I hope this comes quick

sjimoh112 · Post by **sjimoh112** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 8:56 am

There're some examples of self interest Â here and that's one of the reason our world is upside down today. All we care about is what we want as an individual c'est tout!Â We should fight for collective interest of everyone.

What makes you think ukba won't have better reasons to increase the fee yearly? If ukba can process apps in a day, why not decide most app with a month? We should wake up and fight for what is right. We should all write to our MP(s) and request ukba don't charge for such app. At least they should use the tax payer money used paying themselves bonuses to get more resourses.

I don't have a clue what ukba investigate, if at all they do. Apps such as this could easily be processed at the registry and post office just as 'alekos' wrote.

Plum70 · Post by **Plum70** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 12:33 pm

If it were clear what checks the UKBA was performing prior to approving non-EEA family member (PR)RCs then I might be more inclined to entertain the discussion of a token admin fee. But what I cannot grasp is why EU/EEA applications can be decided same day or within a month for free, but non-EEA applications either can take up to 6 months free of charge or, to enjoy same day service, may need to be charged.

What (background, employment, taxation, criminal, character) checks are carried out on a union citizen that differ so vastly to their non-EU fam. member? Are they not supposed to be treated 'equally' under EU law, esp. as they are family?

bobobo · Post by **bobobo** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 3:09 pm

One of frieds dad works for the HO, I did speak to him, he was very discreet in disclosing info but the crux was with EEA nationals they just check if they have exercised the claimed treaty rights on application and criminal checks. With Non EEA nationals they dig deeper they conduct checks on previous immigration history, employment checks, criminal checks also they use a secondary service with Police and HMRC which means the turn around time for these checks is about 4-6 weeks, this shoul ideally be done in 1-2 weeks (the service they use for other paid applications)

Also every case is peer reviewed before RC is granted and in some cases refered to Sr Case Workers.

Plum70 wrote:If it were clear what checks the UKBA was performing prior to approving non-EEA family member (PR)RCs then I might be more inclined to entertain the discussion of a token admin fee. But what I cannot grasp is why EU/EEA applications can be decided same day or within a month for free, but non-EEA applications either can take up to 6 months free of charge or, to enjoy same day service, may need to be charged.

What (background, employment, taxation, criminal, character) checks are carried out on a union citizen that differ so vastly to their non-EU fam. member? Are they not supposed to be treated 'equally' under EU law, esp. as they are family?

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 6:40 pm

bobobo wrote:One of frieds dad works for the HO, I did speak to him, he was very discreet in disclosing info but the crux was with EEA nationals they just check if they have exercised the claimed treaty rights on application and criminal checks. With Non EEA nationals they dig deeper they conduct checks on previous immigration history, employment checks, criminal checks also they use a secondary service with Police and HMRC which means the turn around time for these checks is about 4-6 weeks, this shoul ideally be done in 1-2 weeks (the service they use for other paid applications)

Also every case is peer reviewed before RC is granted and in some cases refered to Sr Case Workers.

This is interesting to read, but I am not sure I believe it.

Why so much effort? How many RCs are actually turned down based on these extensive investigations? And employment checks would seem totally irrelevant for family members.

bobobo · Post by **bobobo** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 11:36 pm

i was told all this wrt my case which is RoR. what I understand is the HO check everything ofcourse I dont know how it all works, i can just say what I was told.

Directive/2004/38/EC wrote:
bobobo wrote:One of frieds dad works for the HO, I did speak to him, he was very discreet in disclosing info but the crux was with EEA nationals they just check if they have exercised the claimed treaty rights on application and criminal checks. With Non EEA nationals they dig deeper they conduct checks on previous immigration history, employment checks, criminal checks also they use a secondary service with Police and HMRC which means the turn around time for these checks is about 4-6 weeks, this shoul ideally be done in 1-2 weeks (the service they use for other paid applications)

Also every case is peer reviewed before RC is granted and in some cases refered to Sr Case Workers.
This is interesting to read, but I am not sure I believe it.

Why so much effort? How many RCs are actually turned down based on these extensive investigations? And employment checks would seem totally irrelevant for family members.

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Sun Oct 02, 2011 5:13 am

Now this makes some sense.

Chapter 5 of the ECIs talks about "special checks" done in the case of RoR and Singh applications. http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/8 ... report.pdf has (not very detailed) details in the now-released redacted paragraphs.

Details of the actual checks are in an unreleased appendix...

imraniqbal2010 · Post by **imraniqbal2010** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 5:49 am

Any dead line for premium service?

pinkpanter · Post by **pinkpanter** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 9:54 am

I called to HO EEA service last week that why you have removed information regarding Premium services from your site. are you still considering? A lady advice me that they are still considering this services however she cannot give me the exact date. When I incested then she hesitatly advice that it might take a month or two for any new update.

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 12:03 am

Charging for EEA applications has been added to the schedule of fees under the immigration rules, but that's it. The Â£300 is based on other "similar" categories.

There is no basis in law for the charge. Full stop. Hench the wait...

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 12:15 am

BTW. What I found most distasteful about charges EEA applications was advertisements from immigration lawyers. There were those that were touting. We are trusted by UKBA, so much so that we can make a same-day-application. Advert along the lines of "good news, for an extortionate fee we will be able to handle the UKBA application on your behalf, for a very nominal amount of Â£1000, plus vat; this is in addition to any UKBA fee.

And then...

We regret to announce that ... out simple money making scheme's been shelved.

Who's be a lawyer, eH?

imraniqbal2010 · Post by **imraniqbal2010** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 12:58 am

Any update regarding EEA Premium Service???

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 10:28 pm

imraniqbal2010 wrote:Any update regarding EEA Premium Service???

Not to my knowledge.

Post by **vinny** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 10:31 pm

tyoosuf wrote:
tyoosuf wrote:Dear All,
Please I will like to know if there is premium services for EEA and Non-EEA.Early this year around june,the UKBA annouces that soon before end of the year they will be offering this services at some cost which for me,it is good idea to ease the stress and time that is been pass through when processing Application(EEA2,3,4).
Now,the news thread is no available on the UKBA website and I am concern about this or as it been cancelled or now only available to solicitors.
I am sending a copy of this message to UKBA as well.
Any news will be appreciated.
Thank you.
I got this reply from PEO Liverpool.

Dear Sir

I am sorry for the confusion Liverpool PEO announced that we had plans
to offer this service but unfortunately due to policy and European law
it has been cancelled
We are unable to offer this service to anyone including Solicitors

Regards
Liverpool PEO

tyoosuf · Post by **tyoosuf** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:21 pm

vinny wrote:
tyoosuf wrote:
tyoosuf wrote:Dear All,
Please I will like to know if there is premium services for EEA and Non-EEA.Early this year around june,the UKBA annouces that soon before end of the year they will be offering this services at some cost which for me,it is good idea to ease the stress and time that is been pass through when processing Application(EEA2,3,4).
Now,the news thread is no available on the UKBA website and I am concern about this or as it been cancelled or now only available to solicitors.
I am sending a copy of this message to UKBA as well.
Any news will be appreciated.
Thank you.
I got this reply from PEO Liverpool.

Dear Sir

I am sorry for the confusion Liverpool PEO announced that we had plans
to offer this service but unfortunately due to policy and European law
it has been cancelled
We are unable to offer this service to anyone including Solicitors

Regards
Liverpool PEO

Thanks for pasting my update.That was the reply I received from PEO Liverpool on Thursday 8th December 2011

AMiss · Post by **AMiss** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 2:23 pm

Dear all,

Thank you so much for your information. My husband and I are preparing to apply for the EEA1 (and maybe EEA2).

Where leaning towards applying in person, and on this forum I've read the fee will be 300 pounds for this. Has this fee been implemented yet? (I can't find any information on this on the website.)

Another question...What exactly is the difference between the EEA1 residence certificate and the EE2 residence card? (In terms of duration, etc.)

I saw the EEA2 is good for 5 years...but can find nothing on the EEA1.

Additionally....for the EEA family permit we submitted stacks of relationship proof: phone/ skype communication, photos, affidavits, etc.

It this - to the same extent- advisable to submit stack of relationship proof for the EEA1/2?

Many thanks for your answers!

Best wishes,

AMiss

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