ILR and residence card for eu travel?

[Mario999]

Hi, hope someone can help. My wife is Chinese and has lived in the UK for 5 years. She has ILR and settlement stamped on her passport certificate. We are travelling to Spain for a summer holiday.

The Spanish consulate website states she does not need a visa if she has a stamp that states 'family member of eu national'. Can she apply for a residence card and will this have the correct stamp?

Otherwise we will have to apply for a visa every time we travel to Europe.

Thanks for any help.

[Jambo]

Are you a EEA national other than British? Are you exercising EU treaty rights in the UK?

If you are EEA national (other than British) exercising treaty rights in the UK, she can apply for a Residence Card and hold it in parallel to having ILR status. This will allow her to travel visa free (or apply for a free visa) to Schengen countries.

[Mario999]

Thanks for the reply. I am British with a full passport. She can apply for a Shengen visa free now, but this is a 300 mile round trip for us every time we want to go to Europe.

[Jambo]

In general, the EU rules don't apply in the home country so as you are a UK citizen, she can't apply for a Residence Card as your family member in the UK (same rules apply to French in France, Italian in Italy etc.).

Having ILR in the UK, she might be able to secure a long term Schengen visa which will save you the travel each time.

[EUsmileWEallsmile]

Hi, hope someone can help. My wife is Chinese and has lived in the UK for 5 years. She has ILR and settlement stamped on her passport certificate. We are travelling to Spain for a summer holiday.

The Spanish consulate website states she does not need a visa if she has a stamp that states 'family member of eu national'. Can she apply for a residence card and will this have the correct stamp?

Otherwise we will have to apply for a visa every time we travel to Europe.

Thanks for any help.

Unfortunately, you don't have the stamp that excepts your wife from a visa. She does however qualify for a free visa if she travels or accompanies you. Some consulates take postal applications (you need to be actually traveling to that country of course).

[Mario999]

Thank you for the reply. Unfortunately for Spain it looks like we will have to go in person to the consulate, which is a long journey.

Once again thank you for the helpful advice.

[abiswaslaw]

Can any body help with the Q follows:

1) Is there any EU country does issue EU Fam RC within shorter period of time may be on priority or premier service basis?
2) if Fam RC issued one country and on that basis if RC holder travel to another EU country with sponsor - and decided to live there can he apply further RC there?
3) is there any EU country who accept extended FM to issue EU Fam RC reluctantly than strict approach as I have seen some MS has page out Extended FM?

Thanks