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We are applying for EEA Family Member Residence Card for my non-EEA wife. In my understanding if we provide all the evidence they need, she will be issued with COA that confirms her right to work. But I am not sure if this COA is just a simple letter or contains a photo or a vignette or something like that that could be used as an ID while her passport is held by Home Office.

I cannot really imagine that any employer would employ someone who only shows a letter from Home Offiuce but has no passport or other acceptable photo ID.

I have read somewhere in the forum that only EEA citizens can request their passports back. If non-EEA citizens do so it means that they are withdrawing their application. Is this true?

Hi mate,
COA is not a visa or residence card, it's a confirmation of Application in a letter headed paper. This do not have a picture. Once you have been issued COA with right to work, then the prospective or current employer has to do a right work check online with the nationality and case Id provided on the letter. Them the home office send employer a "positive verification notice' via email. This what happened in my case.

You and your non Eu wife wife can request passport back once you have issued COA.


REGARDS

COA is a letter containing the applicants name, address and case ID. I wouldn't call this a form of ID.

Non-EEA citizens can also request their passport back. This does not automatically mean that the application is withdrawn. I requested our passports back (EU and non-EU national) and it was no problem at all.

Thank you.

Example docs...
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... nts_v5.pdf

See COA: page 17-18