Tips for submitting applications for EEA family permit
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:09 am
Hello,
I recently got an EEA family permit approved and feel I should make a post based on my experience.
First, my situation was as follows:
- I am married (have been for four years).
- I am not an EEA national, and my spouse is.
- My spouse is not a national of an ascension state.
- We are not currently living in the UK.
- I've accepted a job offer in the UK.
- My spouse intends to be economically self-sufficient (based on my salary and private medical insurance) and will not be working.
If your situation is similar and you want to apply for an EEA family permit outside of the UK, you should submit the following supporting documents with your VAF5 application form:
- Your passport
- Your spouse's passport
- Your original marriage certificate (should be the original, and it should be traslated into english by an official translator if it's not written in English. In my case it was written in five different languages including English, and it was sufficient).
- If your spouse had previous marriage(s), as mine did, you should also submit original copies of the divorce papers, translated into english if necessary.
- A letter, written, signed, and dated by your spouse, declaring that s/he intends to travel with you to the UK, and that s/he supports your application for the EEA family permit.
- A signed job offer letter, or letter from your perspective employer, which details your salary, start date, and other terms and conditions associated with your employment.
- Bank statements, from the past three months, which show that your EEA spouse has more money than what would be provided by public assistance in the UK. I don't know what that amount is, but I asked a solicitor and was told that the monetary equivalent of 5000 pounds should be more than sufficient. In my case we had quite a bit more than this. The bank statements should be written in English and should be in your spouse's name or a joint account. They should be written on paper with the bank's letterhead if possible. In my case, I had to use internet copies, but I took them into the bank and had them stamped and signed and this was sufficient.
- A letter which declares your intention to purchase comprehensive sickness insurance from a local provider within three months after you arrive in the UK. The letter should mention that the insurance will cover pre-conditions, inpatient and outpatient care, ambulance trips, and emergencies. It is not necessary to purchase insurance before travelling, and it's also not necessary to mention the name of the provider that you intend to use.
I submitted all of this at the Dusseldorf Worldbridge office and was approved in 13 working days.
Some notes:
- Regardless of what anyone tells you, including people at the Worldbridge office, it's *NOT* necessary to submit a residence card or permit from an EU country with your application. Your passport alone should suffice in all cases. I refused to give them my Dutch residence card (I submitted only an uncertified copy) and my application was still approved.
- If you have criminal convictions that aren't "spent" under UK law, don't worry at all. There's no way that your application can be refused for this. Even if you don't declare the convictions, there still is no way that your application can be refused, and you cannot be banned for 10 years for withholding material information. This is because EEA permits are not processed under the UK immigration laws, but on EU laws.
- If you need to complain about processing delays or mishandled cases, it's good to use this email address where EEA permits are concerned: NWCSU@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
They are equipped to respond fairly quickly. I had a response from them within one day.
Good Luck !
I recently got an EEA family permit approved and feel I should make a post based on my experience.
First, my situation was as follows:
- I am married (have been for four years).
- I am not an EEA national, and my spouse is.
- My spouse is not a national of an ascension state.
- We are not currently living in the UK.
- I've accepted a job offer in the UK.
- My spouse intends to be economically self-sufficient (based on my salary and private medical insurance) and will not be working.
If your situation is similar and you want to apply for an EEA family permit outside of the UK, you should submit the following supporting documents with your VAF5 application form:
- Your passport
- Your spouse's passport
- Your original marriage certificate (should be the original, and it should be traslated into english by an official translator if it's not written in English. In my case it was written in five different languages including English, and it was sufficient).
- If your spouse had previous marriage(s), as mine did, you should also submit original copies of the divorce papers, translated into english if necessary.
- A letter, written, signed, and dated by your spouse, declaring that s/he intends to travel with you to the UK, and that s/he supports your application for the EEA family permit.
- A signed job offer letter, or letter from your perspective employer, which details your salary, start date, and other terms and conditions associated with your employment.
- Bank statements, from the past three months, which show that your EEA spouse has more money than what would be provided by public assistance in the UK. I don't know what that amount is, but I asked a solicitor and was told that the monetary equivalent of 5000 pounds should be more than sufficient. In my case we had quite a bit more than this. The bank statements should be written in English and should be in your spouse's name or a joint account. They should be written on paper with the bank's letterhead if possible. In my case, I had to use internet copies, but I took them into the bank and had them stamped and signed and this was sufficient.
- A letter which declares your intention to purchase comprehensive sickness insurance from a local provider within three months after you arrive in the UK. The letter should mention that the insurance will cover pre-conditions, inpatient and outpatient care, ambulance trips, and emergencies. It is not necessary to purchase insurance before travelling, and it's also not necessary to mention the name of the provider that you intend to use.
I submitted all of this at the Dusseldorf Worldbridge office and was approved in 13 working days.
Some notes:
- Regardless of what anyone tells you, including people at the Worldbridge office, it's *NOT* necessary to submit a residence card or permit from an EU country with your application. Your passport alone should suffice in all cases. I refused to give them my Dutch residence card (I submitted only an uncertified copy) and my application was still approved.
- If you have criminal convictions that aren't "spent" under UK law, don't worry at all. There's no way that your application can be refused for this. Even if you don't declare the convictions, there still is no way that your application can be refused, and you cannot be banned for 10 years for withholding material information. This is because EEA permits are not processed under the UK immigration laws, but on EU laws.
- If you need to complain about processing delays or mishandled cases, it's good to use this email address where EEA permits are concerned: NWCSU@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
They are equipped to respond fairly quickly. I had a response from them within one day.
Good Luck !