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Was just browsing the EEA application sites in preparation for EEA4. The UKBA has a survey up at present up until the 20th Jan 2011 for opinions on a premium service EEA proccessing centre in Liverpool. This is so that applicants can pay a premium (a fee) in order to have their applcations processed in person, and hopefully on the same day.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... ea-counter

The bastards! First they make the EEA2/EEA4 process so slow and inconvenient, and now they say: we might do it a lot quicker if you pay us £300.
I know this is common practice in a lot of countries and then we call it corruption

What is most amazing from the survey is that UKBA seems to believe that they can resolve cases the same day or at least within a few days. I do not believe that they really can in all cases (but maybe those who can pay £300 are straightforward cases...) but it may tell us something about how they process applications... The idea of a premium services appears to be, err, somewhat, how to say, "immoral"?

There appear to be different thread for this same topic.

Perhaps Moderators could consolidate all this threads into one thread, if that is possible, and possibly give it a Sticky topic status.

I believe this might be helpful.


http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=69986

http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=69654

In my humble opinion i believe it is immoral as stated by 86ti and to some extend discriminatory. If you are financially well of, then you will get an instant decision. If not, then wait on the queue. Also some cases might not be dealt with in a day, further enquiries will be required.

In those circumstance the applicant, will be have an expectation that their money will be reinbursed. Under national rules, this is allowed, but it will lead to litigation in EU cases, and might not go well with the CJEU

As much as many find this immoral, i disagree. This premium service keeps at least 2 parties happy:
1) those with dosh happy to pay and get the papers processed quicker &
2) the govt cashing in on it, dont see y not for god's sake!

Provided it doesnt affect free applications' processing times

Well, I don't see how category 1 would be happy by paying £300 for something that is actually free of charge!

In the Netherlands, for example, there is a standard fee of 43 euros for all applications under European law, and more than 90% of the applications are decided within two or three weeks.
In the UK there is no application fee, but the processing times are so long that for a large percentage the legal limit of six months is violated. For this there are no other reasons than incompetence at UKBA!
Let them first get the processing times down to an acceptable level, and then see who might want to pay for a same-day service.

You said it yourself, even 43EUR is ILLEGAL!!! Ukba is not violating the law but uses the maximum time permitted to process the applications (6 months as per Directive 2004/38). Further, now the processing times have improved two-fold, as per people posting on this website.

I find it convenient for people to have a choice, yes it discriminates against the poor ones, but (provided the resources for free apps remain the same) the poorer ones would not get affected in any way, if anything there would be fewer free applications and I bet you at least 30% of those filling out the survey would be happy to pay to get the decision quicker, rather than be on bail for 6 months without documentation and imprisoned!!!!!

Same as with VIP lounges, first-class seats in planes, so on and so forth, it's a sad fact of life that money talks and bullS*** walks.



BTW, any update on the survey results and if they're going to implement it at all? There's money to be made right there, tellin ya'.

fysicus wrote:Well, I don't see how category 1 would be happy by paying £300 for something that is actually free of charge!

In the Netherlands, for example, there is a standard fee of 43 euros for all applications under European law, and more than 90% of the applications are decided within two or three weeks.
In the UK there is no application fee, but the processing times are so long that for a large percentage the legal limit of six months is violated. For this there are no other reasons than incompetence at UKBA!
Let them first get the processing times down to an acceptable level, and then see who might want to pay for a same-day service.

mcovet wrote:You said it yourself, even 43EUR is ILLEGAL!!!

Not necessarily if that is for a documentation at the equivalent charge to a national one (e.g. national ID card), see Article 25(2).

mcovet wrote:Same as with VIP lounges, first-class seats in planes, so on and so forth, it's a sad fact of life that money talks and bullS*** walks.

Apples and oranges. Private companies may be able to provide different services (but still subject to anti discrimination laws). We are discussing governments here which must be held to a different standard.

Would love to have a Premium Service in place, would save us the heartache of staying without documents for 6 months. Considering the fact that UK gets maximum number of EEA applications ..... it does make sense to have a Premium Service in place.

bobobo wrote:Would love to have a Premium Service in place, would save us the heartache of staying without documents for 6 months. Considering the fact that UK gets maximum number of EEA applications ..... it does make sense to have a Premium Service in place.

at what stage is the discussion now about the premium service?
are we alking about eea 1to4

Was just browsing the EEA application sites in preparation for EEA4. The UKBA has a survey up at present up until the 20th Jan 2011 for opinions on a premium service EEA proccessing centre in Liverpool. This is so that applicants can pay a premium (a fee) in order to have their applcations processed in person, and hopefully on the same day.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... ea-counter
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Premium Service for EEA Applications