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Germany - EU Family Member residence card issued on paper

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pinksoir
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Germany - EU Family Member residence card issued on paper

Post by pinksoir » Wed Oct 23, 2019 2:21 am

Hi there,

I'm Irish and my wife (non-EU) and I moved to Germany (Berlin) last year and registered my wife in the foreigners office as a family member of an EU citizen. At the time they issued the card on green paper. I questioned this as we have previously lived in Spain and Ireland (after exercising my rights in Spain and returning) and received a plastic biometric card, but they said that is the format in which they issue them.

Every single time we travel to Ireland we have problems as nobody in the airport recognises the paper card, or rather understands what it is. We have had to use my wife's residence card from either Spain or Ireland to travel after producing the green paper card and being refused by airport staff. We are afraid to use the card on entering Ireland so have been using her nearly expired Spanish card instead.

I have checked and it seems the correct format is credit card biometric and that the green paper cards were to cease being issued in 2011. I have no idea what to do as it is very difficult to get information here, and there is an appointment system that requires booking months and months in advance. And that is just for the initial application (which we have already done and been issued with a 'card').

You can see both versions here: https://www.wikiwand.com/de/Aufenthalts ... utschland). Ours is the second, green one.

Does anyone have any advice? Who or where can I contact about this?

Thanks,
pinksoir

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Zerubbabel
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Re: Germany - EU Family Member residence card issued on paper

Post by Zerubbabel » Thu Oct 24, 2019 7:23 pm

Hello pinksoir

I spent many years in Germany. I can relate to your experience.

I don't know the solution for your issue but I faced similar issues while in Germany. I notice that local authorities have a lot of discretion / power about residence permits and they seem to issue them very inconsistently from a place to another.

In my case, I found myself during a whole year with only an A4 headed paper, half written by hand, indicating that I had the right to reside and work in Germany. Needless to say, I couldn't travel with that and many employers didn't believe it was genuine.

After a year of fighting with them, I just moved to a city 50 kilometers away. They were entirely different and they immediately provided me with a residence as a sticker in my passport. It looked more official and allowed me to travel and also to prove my entitlement more easily.

The only thing I can suggest, is if you can move to a different place and get your paper done by a different authority. Ask before on your network to see if elsewhere you may get a better treatment.

mfg!

ali_
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Re: Germany - EU Family Member residence card issued on paper

Post by ali_ » Sat Oct 26, 2019 9:49 am

I am also going through the residence card process but in my district they just took my application and biometrics and told me to wait. So it quite different with different districts in germany

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ALKB
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Re: Germany - EU Family Member residence card issued on paper

Post by ALKB » Mon Oct 28, 2019 5:48 pm

pinksoir wrote:
Wed Oct 23, 2019 2:21 am
Hi there,

I'm Irish and my wife (non-EU) and I moved to Germany (Berlin) last year and registered my wife in the foreigners office as a family member of an EU citizen. At the time they issued the card on green paper. I questioned this as we have previously lived in Spain and Ireland (after exercising my rights in Spain and returning) and received a plastic biometric card, but they said that is the format in which they issue them.

Every single time we travel to Ireland we have problems as nobody in the airport recognises the paper card, or rather understands what it is. We have had to use my wife's residence card from either Spain or Ireland to travel after producing the green paper card and being refused by airport staff. We are afraid to use the card on entering Ireland so have been using her nearly expired Spanish card instead.

I have checked and it seems the correct format is credit card biometric and that the green paper cards were to cease being issued in 2011. I have no idea what to do as it is very difficult to get information here, and there is an appointment system that requires booking months and months in advance. And that is just for the initial application (which we have already done and been issued with a 'card').

You can see both versions here: https://www.wikiwand.com/de/Aufenthalts ... utschland). Ours is the second, green one.

Does anyone have any advice? Who or where can I contact about this?

Thanks,
pinksoir

This is the second time I hear this in the last few weeks.

Did you pay a fee when receiving the paper version?

I think the other person went to the Ausländerbehörde very early in the morning to be seen without a prior appointment. She still has her paper version, just needed an official letter because her prospective employer didn't believe that she has the right to work.

Personally, I'd go to the Ausländerbehörde. Try the early morning tactic and book the next available appointment online as well, you can always cancel if you don't need it. I'd ask whether you can opt to have the BRP type card.

You can also try calling:

030 902694000

but as far as I remember, they generally only answer the phone on Wednesdays.
I am not a regulated immigration advisor. I am offering an opinion and not advice.

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