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EEA FP, traveling to the UK first time
Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 5:14 am
by 1878
In June me and my non-EEA wife with her EEA FP will travel to the UK for the first time.
I just wonder is there anything special we need to look out for when passing immigration? Are there any answers to questions we need to prepare?
What is the regulation I should print out and bring with me in my handluggage in case I need to quote some regulation?
This Directive 2004/38/EC and this The Immigration (European
Economic Area) Regulations 2006?
Best
Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 4:23 pm
by Laura721
We just came last Saturday. The immigration lady was nice, but firm and asked a few questions:
When did we get married and where
When did we meet and where
Were we both working
How long were we coming for
Do we want to work in the UK
Just be honest

Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 10:57 pm
by EUsmileWEallsmile
Laura721 wrote:We just came last Saturday. The immigration lady was nice, but firm and asked a few questions:
When did we get married and where
When did we meet and where
Were we both working
How long were we coming for
Do we want to work in the UK
Just be honest :)
Did she ask for landing card?
Any problems leaving Spain? You were worried about immigration police.
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 11:40 am
by 1878
Well this went much better than expected. The officer did not ask any questions, he also said we could use the EU immigration next time even my wife only has EEA FP and not residence permit.
Easypeasy!
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 1:52 pm
by zubby007
[quote="1878"]Well this went much better than expected. The officer did not ask any questions, he also said we could use the EU immigration next time even my wife only has EEA FP and not residence permit.
Easypeasy![/quote]
Did you fill landing card?
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:32 pm
by 1878
Yes. First time visit UK so she had to fill in landing card.
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:45 pm
by Directive/2004/38/EC
Laura721 wrote:We just came last Saturday. The immigration lady was nice, but firm and asked a few questions:
When did we get married and where
When did we meet and where
Were we both working
How long were we coming for
Do we want to work in the UK
Just be honest :)
Who asked you these questions? At the UK border?
Most of these questions do not need to be answered, just as you do not need to answer questions about what your favourite colour is, or which ice cream you like best.
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:36 am
by keffers
I think you need to be careful what you say need not be answered.
If a British citizen is asked 'where have you travelled from?'
And they answer none of your business, this is my country and simply walk through immigration. Do you think that will be tolerated? No.
There are laws that allow UKBA to ask seemingly irrelevant questions which supercede other 'rights' (usually on the silly basis of national security).
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:59 am
by ca.funke
UKBA may not ask any EU citizen "where have you travelled from"
I´m not saying that because I have something to hide, but because they´re not allowed to.
I wouldn´t mind answering such questions, if there was a clear law allowing them to do so. But there isn´t, and as such I wouldn´t answer it.
If a state doesn´t respect its own laws, a lot of things that are "not good" may happen.
Whenever (inside the EU) I´m asked "where are you coming from", I point behind me and say "from there".
Whenever (inside the EU) I´m asked "where are you going", I point in front of me and say "this way".
keffers wrote:There are laws that allow UKBA to ask seemingly irrelevant questions which supercede other 'rights' (usually on the silly basis of national security).
- Which ones, please

Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 9:20 am
by Directive/2004/38/EC
ECJ case C-68/89 Commission v Netherlands [1991] makes clear that EU citizens are not required to answer border officials’ questions about the purpose and duration of their journey, nor about how much money they have for the journey.
There is nothing to prevent border guards from asking, nor from asking what colour shirt you want to wear tomorrow, but you do not need to answer.
The case can be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/d9ub8da
It might be that British citizens arriving from outside the EU have to answer questions like this. But not arriving EU citizens!
I should add that there are some questions which need to be answered: namely questions which can establish if you are a large and ongoing threat to national security or to public policy. But it is
exceedingly unlikely that this is an issue for most people entering the UK.
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:58 pm
by habibcs
http://eumovement.wordpress.com/law-ecj ... ands-1991/
This case makes it clear that EU citizens and their non-EU family members are not required to answer border officials’ questions:
about the purpose and duration of their journey
about how much money they have for the journey
as well as other non-material questions (see paragraph 13)
In which official case is this mentioned "
and their non-EU family members"?
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 4:14 am
by Directive/2004/38/EC
habibcs wrote:http://eumovement.wordpress.com/law-ecj ... ands-1991/
This case makes it clear that EU citizens and their non-EU family members are not required to answer border officials’ questions:
about the purpose and duration of their journey
about how much money they have for the journey
as well as other non-material questions (see paragraph 13)
In which official case is this mentioned "
and their non-EU family members"?
None directly. But the family member has a right to travel with the family member based solely on the family relationship. And that right is not, as you can see, at all related to "how much money they have for the journey" or similar questions.