Arrived in UK - via SS.

Hi all,

We arrived in UK using the SS route.

I (the UK citizen) worked and we both lived in Germany for 3 months.
Her (non-EEA) applied for a EEA-FP from Paris, (WorldBridge) and was granted.
The following week we were on a ferry, and in UK. no problems.

A few days, well about a week, after arriving in UK, she applied for a National insurance number, sent all the required documents off, and a week or so later, low and behold, the letter arrives with her national insurance number.
Three weeks later, lucky her has only gone and found a job, and is settling in nicely really enjoying her new office job.
She is into her third week now.

So now this week, we are about to send off all the same documents to Durham, that was needed for the EEA-FP visa, but this time for her to get a EEA2 - residence card, even though strictly speaking, she doesn't need it.
I know it will be advantageous to us, should we take a short European holiday, next summer.

So, my question is, when we applied for her EEA-FP in Paris, we included several photo album's with the application, along with about 4 years of history, of where we had been, and what we had done in our time in China.

Do we have to include these same several photo album's for the EEA2 residence application?
Or just the documents EEA2 application form, job contract, rent contract, taxes paid etc, etc,

Thanks.

GW

I would leave the photo album at home.

The fact that an EEA FP has been issued before, should be convincing enough that the UK authorities are satisfied that the relation between you and your wife is genuine, so no need to send all those photo's etc. Just the original marriage certificate (and translation if needed) should be enough this time.

Nice that your wife has a job already, but that is irrelevant for EEA2, so don't send her job contract.

What is important, is to show that you were exercising treaty rights in Germany, so proof that you had a job there and paid taxes will be of great help.

OK, there may not be a legal requirement to apply for a Residence Card, but to say that therefore you don't need it, is foolish. It is not just useful for holiday abroad, but also in your daily life in the UK. Even though rights under the EEA Regulations are acquired automatically, third parties will want to see a nice letter from the government confirming that you meet all requirements, before granting you the privileges linked to those rights. Don't expect anyone to verify that from scratch for themselves.
Especially under SS it is not a priori obvious that you have EEA rights!

in London for sure you will find UKBA officers checking passengers when they coming out of underground station. I've been approached 2 times already in different station. But don't worry as long as they know who you are

So it's good to have a record

Dear all who replied,

Thank you for your kind advice, and so quick as well.

We have all the required doc's from her EEA-FP application, so we will send all this off, without the photo albums.
My work contract, our rent contract, paid taxes etc,

GW