Re-entry to UK with COA for visa national

Hi everyone,

We are a married couple (Slovak husband and Iranian wife), who arrived to UK in October last year with EEA Family Permit for my wife, which expired about a month ago. We have applied for Residence Card for her and me for Registration Certificate on the 10-03-2015. My wife has received her COA on the 15-03-2015.

We need to travel back to Slovakia for a week at the end of this month (April) and filled in the Return Documents form on HO website.

Even after reading many threads regarding this, I couldn't find a clear answer, therefore I thought to try to find some clarification from the experienced

When I called HO and asked about re-entry to UK for my wife, I was told that we SHOULDN'T have problems. I thought it is a strange answer and inquired more about it, but didn't get much information from the person.
After reading stuff here, I am getting worried about this issue.

What I gathered from different posts, once we get to UK, it shouldn't be an issue. We are both employed, can prove it with payslips and work contracts, we can present Marriage Certificate and COA at the border.
A lot of people mentioned that getting on a flight will be very challenging. I do not get this, to be honest. If we can re-enter UK according to HO and probably immigration officers at the airport, why would we be getting into difficulties when trying to check-in for the flight to UK?

Getting EEA family permit took nearly 3 weeks in Vienna before we came here, and we are going just for 10 days, so that is not an option as well.

What to do? I am optimistic, so I do not want to get worried much, but after reading posts here, I am getting nervous about this. It all seems a bit strange to me, if she can live and work here (as a wife of EU national), and has a pending application with HO for Residence card (proved by COA letter), why she should have problems to re-enter UK?

If someone can calm my nerves, that would be much appreciated. Thanks a lot

little update:

I have contacted UK Visas and Immigration regarding this. First they advised that my wife doesn't travel at all. After that, they told me that it is better to speak with Immigration Officers and provided a phone number to me.

After a long conversation, officer told me that my they are happy to let my wife re-enter UK if I am exercising my treaty rights, that is not an issue with them. They just told me that airline could refuse boarding the flight, as I have read here in some posts. I thought, that is strange if UK Immigration says it's alright, but airline won't allow her traveling. They told me to seek some confirmation from airline, claiming that i have contacted them and they gave it an OK.

I just wrote to airline, so we shall see where this will go there is still some hope left

Airline won't let you . if you can manage then you can reinter

Thanks for your reply.

I will see as to what airline has to say. I still don't see the logic behind it, although I have learned already during living in different countries, that I shouldn't look for logical explanations when it comes to these things.
If UK Immigration says it is fine to enter, how come airline has the power to refuse travel? It is so frustrating. They just say to get visa, but that takes 2-3 weeks, how is one able to travel urgently and come back, if he is working and so on, and cannot go for a that long.
At least if they were issuing those EEA Family Permits in UK, than it would make sense to me. Well, let's wait and see

Just a quick question please, people mentioned that we will be refused boarding and I am not going to risk it. So we decided to take the bus instead.

I have spoken to Immigration in Heathrow and they told me, that if we have our marriage certificate with us and my wife and some payslips, my wife has pending application with HO for Residence Card, we won't really have problems entering UK. I am not that confident though, anyone with experience can calm me down, before I book everything?

We plan to take Eurolines bus from Brussels to London.

Hi guys! Do you have any experience with boarding Ryanair flight with a COA and an expired Family Permit? Thanks a lot for the information!!

mmalinconia wrote:Hi guys! Do you have any experience with boarding Ryanair flight with a COA and an expired Family Permit? Thanks a lot for the information!!

Having flown Ryanair for over a year each week they can be very fussy, as they are risk averse and they lose nothing by refusing to board you, and they get to keep the fare too!

mmalinconia wrote:Hi guys! Do you have any experience with boarding Ryanair flight with a COA and an expired Family Permit? Thanks a lot for the information!!

There are a number of stories on Russian forums of refused boardings. Of all, Ryanair will refuse without thinking twice

thanks for your answer! could you share a link to the russian forum?