Page 1 of 1

uk national EEA route

Posted: Wed May 23, 2012 6:31 pm
by xdaniix89
Hi everyone,


I start work tomorrow here in Greece. My position is as a sort of student. Theres no school/college involved but im classed as a student worker because I am ''learning the business''. I guess we'd call it an apprenticeship. Is this ok? I'll still be paying tax etc.

This means Im able to stay in staff accomodation where i do stay with my son and husband. We tried to register me as my husbands wife but they wouldnt accept it. They said we had to be renting privately which isn't possible at the mo. We're only going to be here for 5more months (hopefully) and no one would rent a place to us (legit) for that short a time.
I was also told at the police station, very rudely, that i didnt need a residence card and after a long argument about it he accepted my documents and told me to wait 15days (its supposed to be done that day) and told me it wouldnt be accepted because im not renting privately. I havnt heard back from them!

I have a question - as we wont have a rent agreement as such, with mine and husbands name on, will a letter from our employer be enough with company stamp etc to say we live together. Although its staff accomodation it is a nice, good sized flat. Just within the hotel grounds and for free - no bills in our names.

I'll have my bank statements, pay slips, national insurance papers, tax number and health insurance but all in my maiden name. I hadn't changed the surname on my passport so theyre not in my married name. Could that be a problem or will the marriage cert cover that?

My husband has his phone bill and bank account with same address and obviously we have marriage certificate, husbands greek permit, childs birth certificate and passport and letter from our employer (we work at same place). Do we need anything else? Do I NEED a residence card? I know by EU/Greek law im supposed to but theyre making it so difficult i would have to get SOLVIT involved as theyre adament i dont need it and accused my husband of trying to get it for me just to get his greek papers through me which is unbelievably rude and not the case!....

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for any help/advice.

Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 6:36 am
by xdaniix89
Just to add, I am a British national, my husband is non-eea. We met Oct 2008, we married in Albania in Feb 2010 and our son was born in UK Oct 2010. We applied for a spouse visa last year but it was refused on financial reasons.

Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 6:56 am
by Jambo
There is no requirement for you or your husband to hold a residence card in Greece in order to apply later for an entry clearance to the UK based on Surinder Singh.

What you will need is proof that you worked in Greece (payslips, letter from employer) and proof that you lived together. A residence card can be used to prove residence but a letter from the landlord / other letters address to both of you in the same address could also be used.

The maiden name is not an issue.

Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 7:32 am
by xdaniix89
Ok, thanks for the reply...so even if I cant get hold of the residence card for another month or so its still worth the hassle and will just explain in cover letter the trouble I had getting it earlier? They really dont want to give me it for some reason!

Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 9:41 am
by Jambo
I'm not familiar with procedures in Greece. Some EU counties require EEA nationals to register if their stay is over 3 months (if similar registration is required by the country own citizens).

As I said, registration is not required to be able to use the EEA route when returning to the UK.

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:43 am
by xdaniix89
OK, thanks again. Does anyone have experience of working less than 6months...by the time we apply I will have worked just over 5months. I know 6months is just a guide and theres no minimum requirement but also I'm not working full time. Im doing 20hours a week.

Also, does anyone know if the new UK visa requirement for Greeks affects EEA route applications from British nationals working there i.e me?!

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 1:48 pm
by xdaniix89
bump!

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 2:21 pm
by vinny
xdaniix89 wrote:Does anyone have experience of working less than 6months...by the time we apply I will have worked just over 5months.
There is no specified minimum time of how long you and your wife should stay in another EEA country. However, Merseymike had reported a success with a period of 2.5 months.

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 7:50 pm
by Jambo
xdaniix89 wrote: Also, does anyone know if the new UK visa requirement for Greeks affects EEA route applications from British nationals working there i.e me?!
First, I doubt the HO could really put restrictions in place. Second, it will affect Greek nationals, not other nationals coming from Greece.

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:37 pm
by EUsmileWEallsmile
xdaniix89 wrote:...new UK visa requirement for Greeks...
What might this be?

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:43 pm
by Jambo
EUsmileWEallsmile wrote:
xdaniix89 wrote:...new UK visa requirement for Greeks...
What might this be?
Another Theresa May statement - we'll stop migrants if euro collapses.

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:20 pm
by xdaniix89
Ok thanks for the replies, I just wanted to check as I didn't know if the aim would be to put off all residents coming from Greece, not just Greek nationals, but if it hasn't even come into effect yet or might not at all I won't worry! x

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:36 pm
by EUsmileWEallsmile
xdaniix89 wrote:Ok thanks for the replies, I just wanted to check as I didn't know if the aim would be to put off all residents coming from Greece, not just Greek nationals, but if it hasn't even come into effect yet or might not at all I won't worry! x
Newspapers wanting to sell copy!

Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:39 pm
by vinny

EEA2 application through Surinder Singh

Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:48 pm
by cmd
Hi everyone,

I'm relatively new to this forum and wondered if there is any other returning British national out there who has brought their non-EU partner to the UK with them on an EEA family permit and is now applying for a 5-year residence card on the EEA2 form?

We had no problems with the EEA family permit application. However, when applying on the EEA2 form in October 2011 we received a refusal in January stating that evidence of me having lived and worked in another EEA country had not been provided. My bone of contention is that this documentation is not requested anywhere on the EEA2 form. In fact, on reflection, the whole form is written specifically for EEA citizens and their partners, to the exclusion of British citizens applying under the Surinder Singh conditions. As evidence of my residence and employment in Portugal had already been submitted for the initial family permit allowing my husband to come to the UK, and as it was not requested again for the EEA2, how were we to know??! We've since reapplied and are still waiting... They've now had our passports and documents continuously for 8 months...

I wonder if anyone has had a similar problem, and for those who are applying now I wanted to post this as a word of advice to send everything you have available, requested on the form or not!!!