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Worth asking for passport back?
Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 10:40 am
by lolo82
Good morning lovely people! I hope we all had a nice weekend. I was wondering if I may gather advice:
My mum skyped me yesterday, letting me know that she and my stepdad are moving to Portugal in June for 5-6 months (exact dates to be confirmed once flights are booked). My mum asked if would be able to come over to help them for a week or two as they have never been abroad before and would like some assistance. I am waiting for my eea 2 at the moment and, while I would love to help them in their new adventure, i dont know if it's a viable reason to request my passport back and going for 1-2 weeks.
Thanks for any input

Re: Worth asking for passport back?
Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 12:29 pm
by bobobo
You can do, but in this scenario HO will issue you an RC on an A4 paper rather than you passport. Which just means you will have to carry that paper and Passport whenever you travel. Also when you come back to UK you can show that you have applied for an RC to the ECO and back that up with the COA received from HO along with letter confirming the passport has been sent back
lolo82 wrote:Good morning lovely people! I hope we all had a nice weekend. I was wondering if I may gather advice:
My mum skyped me yesterday, letting me know that she and my stepdad are moving to Portugal in June for 5-6 months (exact dates to be confirmed once flights are booked). My mum asked if would be able to come over to help them for a week or two as they have never been abroad before and would like some assistance. I am waiting for my eea 2 at the moment and, while I would love to help them in their new adventure, i dont know if it's a viable reason to request my passport back and going for 1-2 weeks.
Thanks for any input

Re: Worth asking for passport back?
Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:33 pm
by EUsmileWEallsmile
lolo82 wrote:Good morning lovely people! I hope we all had a nice weekend. I was wondering if I may gather advice:
My mum skyped me yesterday, letting me know that she and my stepdad are moving to Portugal in June for 5-6 months (exact dates to be confirmed once flights are booked). My mum asked if would be able to come over to help them for a week or two as they have never been abroad before and would like some assistance. I am waiting for my eea 2 at the moment and, while I would love to help them in their new adventure, i dont know if it's a viable reason to request my passport back and going for 1-2 weeks.
Thanks for any input :)
What is your nationality? Would you need a visa for Portugal?
Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:06 pm
by lolo82
I'm Canadian. I don't believe I need a visa for Portugal. Have been to Spain and France and a visa wasn't required

willfindvout more details from my mum and weight the options.
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 8:26 pm
by EUsmileWEallsmile
lolo82 wrote:I'm Canadian. I don't believe I need a visa for Portugal. Have been to Spain and France and a visa wasn't required :) willfindvout more details from my mum and weight the options.
You are correct, you would not need a visa for Portugal. You could ask for your passport back and travel to Portugal and back to the UK without affecting your residence card application (lucky you). While anyone can ask for their passport back, for visa nationals they may need a visa for their destination country and if the EEA family permit has expired, may need another one to re-enter the UK.
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 1:35 am
by lolo82
Thank you both for your help. I will have a think and decide what the best course of action is. Still waiting for COA so no point in making too many plans yet. Am I correct in thinking that when the UKBA states 30 days for COA, they mean 30 working days (so 40 days including weekends)?
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 9:45 pm
by EUsmileWEallsmile
lolo82 wrote:Thank you both for your help. I will have a think and decide what the best course of action is. Still waiting for COA so no point in making too many plans yet. Am I correct in thinking that when the UKBA states 30 days for COA, they mean 30 working days (so 40 days including weekends)?
I was going to point this out to you when I saw your "footer", but since you have...
Your COA is late. It should be issued immediately. In practice, it takes around two weeks (don't let your one being late worry you unduly).
Do you need it for work, ie to show an employer? If you need it you can ask for it to be expedited.
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:06 pm
by lolo82
I love this board! You guys are awesome! I hit the 4 week mark today so wasn't in panic mode...yet

should I email ukba? What would I be best to write to them? I don't need it for work as I applied as an unmarried partner. I am not expecting to be allowed to work.
I know there are 2 or 3 other people on the forum who are in the same boat with me regarding not receiving their coa so I thought this was normal wait time. Fingers crossed coa arrives in a day or two.
Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 7:10 am
by jrge
lolo82 wrote:I love this board! You guys are awesome! I hit the 4 week mark today so wasn't in panic mode...yet

should I email ukba? What would I be best to write to them? I don't need it for work as I applied as an unmarried partner. I am not expecting to be allowed to work.
I know there are 2 or 3 other people on the forum who are in the same boat with me regarding not receiving their coa so I thought this was normal wait time. Fingers crossed coa arrives in a day or two.
Personally, I would give it more time, another week perhaps. Furthermore, my PA - a french national- applied for her unmarried partner's -Canadian - EEA2 on FEB 2; and he received his COA on MAR 19, and he's allow to work.
Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 8:10 pm
by EUsmileWEallsmile
lolo82 wrote:I love this board! You guys are awesome! I hit the 4 week mark today so wasn't in panic mode...yet :) should I email ukba? What would I be best to write to them? I don't need it for work as I applied as an unmarried partner. I am not expecting to be allowed to work.
I know there are 2 or 3 other people on the forum who are in the same boat with me regarding not receiving their coa so I thought this was normal wait time. Fingers crossed coa arrives in a day or two.
If you don't need it for work, I would not fret about it too much if I were you.
Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:34 pm
by lolo82
Okay will wait a bit longer

thank you all for your advice. It would be wonderful if I was given permission to work but I won't hang all of hopes on it. Waiting is hard, but as my mum has told me many times "a year from now, it won't matter. "
Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 10:49 am
by Samelamin
your best waiting as I asked for our passports back and we still have not received the visa
Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 1:40 pm
by aluter
lolo82 wrote:Okay will wait a bit longer

thank you all for your advice. It would be wonderful if I was given permission to work but I won't hang all of hopes on it. Waiting is hard, but as my mum has told me many times "a year from now, it won't matter. "
Hey Lolo82, can you let us know if and when u get ur COA, as mine is just a few days behinds urs and, they r taking their time with it, which is making me keep an eye on the postman every day! arghhh
Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 2:02 pm
by lolo82
Arghh indeed Aluter! I totally understand about waiting for post. I don't think the postman left my front step before I looked through the post lol. Think I need to relax a bit

I will certainly let you know if/when I receive my COA. Would you please do the same for me? Good luck to everyone waiting for COA's and RC's

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 2:32 pm
by heath2006
Hi aluter and lolo82, I go through the same thing every day I get the post. I also think to myself that I should relax a little and not stress so much about receiving the COA but it's hard... Anyways, we don't have a choice but keep waiting and hoping for it to arrive soon.
Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 2:32 pm
by aluter

thankss and willl do. waiting can get you paranoid and i should really just relax and try to forget about it....(like if that was possible)