EEA4 residence card and EU visa free travel

They asked for Marriage certificate, passports (both), Bank statement for proof of address and visa stating family member of EEA. Although, she was argueing with me that your visa (PR) doesn't say that you are a family member of an EEA and thats really irritated me and I replied "but, this (marriage certificate and old RC) do say that I am a family member of an eea. She was saying all the time that I have to follow the list which she has provided. Then I asked her manager named Margarita and she accept my PR as family member but did insist to pay service fee and advice that it will take at least 4 weeks to process visa. nonsence.

Anyway, I m more concern about my passport receive on time (hope with visa)

Now, I received a msg that they require more documents. I called them and they told me that I need to provide tickets that shows that we both are trevelling together. Its really annoying now and I don't know what to do.

pinkpanter wrote:

They asked for Marriage certificate, passports (both), Bank statement for proof of address and visa stating family member of EEA. Although, she was argueing with me that your visa (PR) doesn't say that you are a family member of an EEA and thats really irritated me and I replied "but, this (marriage certificate and old RC) do say that I am a family member of an eea. She was saying all the time that I have to follow the list which she has provided. Then I asked her manager named Margarita and she accept my PR as family member but did insist to pay service fee and advice that it will take at least 4 weeks to process visa. nonsence.

Anyway, I m more concern about my passport receive on time (hope with visa)

Now, I received a msg that they require more documents. I called them and they told me that I need to provide tickets that shows that we both are trevelling together. Its really annoying now and I don't know what to do.

I just sent an email to Spanish consulate advising that there is no any legal requirement to provide airline ticket and explain with reference my EEA rights etc. I also told them that if they would like to regect my visa application then I need clearly in writing on what ground they would have rejected so that I could take necessary action. If my application is rejected, would they stamp REJECT on my passport as well??

pinkpanter wrote:Now, I received a msg that they require more documents. I called them and they told me that I need to provide tickets that shows that we both are trevelling together. Its really annoying now and I don't know what to do.

Send them a letter from your EU spouse saying you will be travelling together and plan to make travel arrangements after the visa has been issued.

Directive/2004/38/EC wrote:

pinkpanter wrote:Now, I received a msg that they require more documents. I called them and they told me that I need to provide tickets that shows that we both are trevelling together. Its really annoying now and I don't know what to do.

Send them a letter from your EU spouse saying you will be travelling together and plan to make travel arrangements after the visa has been issued.

I am going tomorrow with a letter from my spouse. If they would reject my visa on this ground then, I will complaint to Eurompean Commission. Really ruined my holidays.

Saturday 31/08/13 I have been denied boarding on the flight to Crete by EasyJet customer desk manager.
I have obtained my UK Permanent Residence card in April this years. Consequently, the UK Home Office stamped my 5 years Residence Card “cancelled” to issue the PR. As the PR does not state “EEA family member”, the lady from EasyJet told me that I needed a Schengen visa to travel to Greece – and that I was not considered as an EEA family member as it is not stamp on my PR. So, I have lost my holiday’s package.
Please can somebody advice me on what to do next?
Thanks a lot!

tommyprada wrote:Saturday 31/08/13 I have been denied boarding on the flight to Crete by EasyJet customer desk manager.
I am Algerian, and I have obtained my UK Permanent Residence card in April this years. Consequently, the UK Home Office stamped my 5 years Residence Card “cancelled” to issue the PR. As the PR does not state “EEA family member”, the lady from EasyJet told me that I needed a Schengen visa to travel to Greece – and that I was not considered as an EEA family member as it is not stamp on my PR. So, I have lost my holiday’s package.
Please can somebody advice me on what to do next?
Thanks a lot!

Question answered in your other thread.

Hello everyone... Finally got my PR after reconsideration, following a refusal on the basis that I had not provided sufficient evidence of EU spouse exercising treaty rights. This was issued on an A4 sheet of paper 'Immigration Status Document', and does not state anything about being a family member of an EU national, nor does it say 'Article 20', anywhere on the document.

Anyway, we have booked our holidays to Spain, and I have checked with the Spanish Consulate, regarding entry without a Schengen Visa, and they have advised as follows:

Dear Mrs. Fiona,

As your current residence permit does not state that you are family of a EEA member, as your old permit did, you DO have to apply for a visa.

Best regards,

Spanish Consulate General
Visa Department
Tel: +44 20 7589 8989 | Fax: +44 20 7581 7888
Email: cog.londres.vis@maec.es
Spanish Consulate General
20 Draycott Place, LondonSW3 2RZ
www.exteriores.gob.es/consulados/londres


Great, huh? Seems that the RC gives us greater freedom than PR, so I guess it's off the the Spanish Consulate for me, since VFS will not entertain the Residence documentation on the separate sheet. On the upside, no service fees to pay

Are you travelling with your EU citizen spouse? Do you have a marriage certificate? Then consider http://eumovement.wordpress.com/2010/08 ... to-travel/

Thank you, Directive. I am travelling with my EU spouse, but my Zimbabwean marriage certificate has been said to be 'invalid', as it is not European, does not have an Apostille, and as one IO in Spain told me late one evening when we arrived 'no valido, muito veijo', it is very old... I didn't realise you had to renew your marriage certificate

It would seem that as someone did mention in another thread, the PR, in its UK format is a bit much for EU countries to take, added to the fact that it is on a separate ISD. Not long now, and the red passport shall be mine, roll on the day!

As I was already denied a much needed holiday, after the initial refusal of my PR, I think I feel more comfortable getting the (free) Schengen, even though it is in breach of my rights, as this has been a heck of a roller-coaster year, and my energy to argue with IO's has been absolutely sapped... I think the Consulates make up their own rules, and until UKBA standardise the vignettes that they give us, we are going to encounter a lot of bureaucracy and unnecessary barriers to our freedom of movement.

Aside from all of this, I believe thanks are in order for the owners, moderators, gurus and contributors to this fantastic forum, I have learned much about my rights from all of you, as well as taking encouragement from the success stories that have been posted.

Thank you so much!!

Very sad. "No marriage" [sic], no visa free travel in Europe, and you have to deal with the (often rude) Spanish embassy in London. Renewing a marriage certificate is a lovely idea though!

as one IO in Spain told me late one evening when we arrived 'no valido, muito veijo'

If you have time, it would be lovely to hear this story.

Few EU countries who follow same directive does allow free travel on EEA4 permanent residence card. Few illustrations with samples are below:

http://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/london/visas/d ... -need-FAM/

https://www.mzv.cz/london/en/visa_and_c ... o_not.html

http://storbritannien.um.dk/en/travel-a ... nationals/

Oh, Directive, that was a very stressful arrival in Alicante... firstly, we got held up in traffic on the way to Gatwick, and only just caught our flight, so far, so good.

Arrival at Alicante Airport, at about 11:30pm, and we were strolling along, towards the only IO, (may have been just a security guard, for all I know!), and as my husband and I were a little apart from the rest of the travellers, he 'pounced' upon us, and requested our passports. We handed them over, my husband's Portuguese (and therefore red) passport, and my lovely green Zimbabwean passport. So, the fellow flips through my passport and says 'Visa?', so I explained in mixed English / Spanish / Portuguese that with my RC, I didn't need a visa. His response was that I did require one, as I had a Zimbabwean passport. I then produced the Directive in Spanish, and he said 'No intressa'... I also showed him my marriage certificate, keeping in mind that I have been married for 27 years, and the reply was 'no valido, muito veijo'... He then proceeded to tell me that I was illegal, and not allowed in, at that point I was ready for a fight. I asked to see his superior, that's when he said 'illegal, okay, passa...' Totally confused.

Subsequent to that, in October this year, my RC had expired, and my PR had been refused, but I had an email from the case worker that it was under reconsideration, and also confirmation of my appeal. When we went to the Easyjet counter to find out if they would let me fly, the very pleasant young lady told us that our marriage certificate was not valid, as it is not European, therefore I could not fly without a visa... If I wasn't so stressed about my PR, I may have laughed about it, but at the time, it really wasn't very funny.

I'm a few days away from being able to apply for Naturalisation, but I have a trip booked to Spain in December, and I am so tired of the immigration staff who are either not clued up on the rules, or simply bored and on a power trip... So, there we have it, my only option right now is a Schengen visa.

Hopefully my little story entertained everyone, we laugh now, but it is very frustrating simply trying to enjoy the rights that you have, and having to carry more paperwork than clothes when you go on holiday!!

Interesting story. Glad you asked for his supervisor!

Why keep going to Spain? Go and spend you money in Germany or some place where things are a little better organized.

In general it is best to arrive mid day so that the suitable authorities can be contacted if the Jr staff do not understand the law. 1130pm and I would expect most of their employees to be asleep!

My partners embassy told me that I need visa for Austria, even with my residence card as we are not married (we have a son together, who is Austrian)! Is that true? I thought I have the right of free movement?

Directive, we bought an apartment in Spain, the area is beautiful, and the climate is perfect for a little African flower that really needs the sun... Flights are reasonably priced to allow for a quick getaway, especially when the clocks fall back, and one needs a boost of Vitamin D

Hi All,

I am non-eu Ex-Family Member of EEA with PR Card;

can i travel to any country of europe without visa ???