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Hello all, I'm a French citizen working in UK, married with a South Korean citizen, in Oct 2011. We've sent the documents to the immigration office in South Korea, for my wife to obtain EEA family permit, and they are on their way to the UK embassy in Manila (sorting visas for Eastern Asia, I assume).

As proof of marriage, we've included the multilingual marriage certificate. It's part of the "Convention on the issue of multilingual extracts from civil status records" created by the "International Commission on Civil Status". The document is an original, in French on the front page, translated on the back page, and it bears the French official stamp.

Problem: although UK is a member of this Commission, they haven't signed this specific convention. Just discovered it after we submitted the documents...

My question is: Does anyone here know these multilingual extracts at all? Do you think they'll discard it because it's not in English only? We've added some pictures of our marriage and travel (we met in 2007).

Last question: I have a French bank savings account and I couldn't get an English statement. Do you think they will discard it because it's not translated? (well, it shows my name, the date, and the amount in Euros)

Thank you everyone!

Cheers,
Alexis

If it looks official, it would probably be OK. The UK accepts original marriage certificates. It doesn't need to be one created by the convention.

If you are working in the UK, you need to provide proof of that (payslip or a letter from employer). Your bank account details are not required at all for an EEA Family Permit application (even though it might look it is from the application form).

alexis.chu wrote:Hello all, I'm a French citizen working in UK, married with a South Korean citizen, in Oct 2011. We've sent the documents to the immigration office in South Korea, for my wife to obtain EEA family permit, and they are on their way to the UK embassy in Manila (sorting visas for Eastern Asia, I assume).

As proof of marriage, we've included the multilingual marriage certificate. It's part of the "Convention on the issue of multilingual extracts from civil status records" created by the "International Commission on Civil Status". The document is an original, in French on the front page, translated on the back page, and it bears the French official stamp.

Problem: although UK is a member of this Commission, they haven't signed this specific convention. Just discovered it after we submitted the documents...

My question is: Does anyone here know these multilingual extracts at all? Do you think they'll discard it because it's not in English only? We've added some pictures of our marriage and travel (we met in 2007).

Last question: I have a French bank savings account and I couldn't get an English statement. Do you think they will discard it because it's not translated? (well, it shows my name, the date, and the amount in Euros)

Thank you everyone!

Cheers,
Alexis

I'm not sure from your post whether the marriage certificate is in English in addition to other languages. Generally, UK expects to see documents translated into English.

Your wife is not a visa national and as such she is not required to have a short term entry visa in accordance with the terms of the directive (article 5.2).

You did not need to provide any financial information for the visa.

alexis.chu wrote:Last question: I have a French bank savings account and I couldn't get an English statement. Do you think they will discard it because it's not translated? (well, it shows my name, the date, and the amount in Euros)

There is no need to submit Bank account information in any form if you are working in the UK.

Thank you all for your answers. The marriage certificate is official indeed. It bears an official stamp of French Republic, issued by my city hall. It is in French on the front page, and each bullet point (e.g. date / name / surname / name of parents) is translated into European languages at the back of the document. So yes, it does look original and official.

Well, I hope they won't be too fussy. We added pictures of our marriage, with our parents and friends. Definitely doesn't look like a fake marriage.

Fingers crossed! Thanks again.

UP just to say that it worked, my wife has received her visa.

Brief timeline:
16/04: appointment at the Seoul Visa office, documents sent to British embassy in Manila
30/04: application processed
04/05: passport with visa received at home

I'm very happy for you and your wife. Relax and enjoy.

It took around three weeks by the looks of things. As a South Korean she did not need a visa in the first instance.

What do you mean she didn't need a visa as a South Korean? She doesn't come for tourism but to stay with me and work. Can you be more specific?

South Koreans do not need tourist visas to the UK (I have not confirmed this but I take EUsmile's word for this). And effectively your wife only needs a visa if she requires a tourist visa. UKBA is quite clear in little secret notes that the EEA Family Permit is optional.

It does allow her to prove she can work immediately on arriving, in case that is useful.

You are married. So long as you are in the UK and are working, then she has a right to be with you. And not just a soft fuzzy right, an actual significant court case hard right: http://eumovement.wordpress.com/2010/08 ... to-travel/

I see. Well, it is recommended to prepare the visa if there is time. I cannot imagine my lady blocked at the immigration desk in the airport and struggling to explain and prove that she's married with a EU citizen working in UK! Too risky.

alexis.chu wrote:I see. Well, it is recommended to prepare the visa if there is time. I cannot imagine my lady blocked at the immigration desk in the airport and struggling to explain and prove that she's married with a EU citizen working in UK! Too risky. :roll:

The MRAX case is very clear that she has a right to be with you in the UK. They pretty much can not turn her back at the airport of she identifies you as an EU citizen, and can prove in some form that you are married to her (e.g. by having a marriage certificate or having the Immigration Officer call you in with such proof). She can only be turned back if she is a substantial threat to national security or public policy or public health.

[There was so-so UKBA reality television show on ?? BBC about 4 years ago. There was some American musician that they were going to refuse at the border, and the big question the supervisor wanted to know was: was this person a family member of an EU citizen. If he was then they could not refuse him entry. But he was not, so he got the boot and his music was no longer a threat]

But feel free to get the free visa! That is what it is there for: for pre validating the family relationship and providing peace of mind when travelling.

I see, it's clearer now. Thank you very much for your explanation!

MRAX is your friend. Read and print http://eumovement.wordpress.com/2010/08 ... to-travel/

alexis.chu wrote:I see. Well, it is recommended to prepare the visa if there is time. I cannot imagine my lady blocked at the immigration desk in the airport and struggling to explain and prove that she's married with a EU citizen working in UK! Too risky. :roll:

Sorry, but only just picking this up now. She wouldn't have been stuck at immigration, etc...

I had mentioned this in one of my earlier posts, but perhaps it was overlooked. No harm in getting family permit, it's just that it was not necessary.

For me, it comes down to how comfortable one feels to argue his case in English. It's much a simpler process if you've got a EEA Family Permit.

Granted, but for me the words in the directive are pretty clear. No visa required.