Visa for family of EEA at Portugese consulate London

[medycha]

Hi, I have booked a package holiday with my husband (French) at Madeira on 6th August. However, the earliest date that the Portugese Consulate can have the appointment is 3rd August (through a costly premier phone line). After calling their regular consulate phone line (waiting for half an hour in order to speak to someone), the answer I got was that they can't give me any answer as they are answering everything through email (and no email reply from them as yet).

ps. I am holding a UK work permit instead of residence permit for family member of EEA.

I have less than 4 weeks to sort things out, please any suggestion is appreciated!

[Ben]

Tricky. Legally, your passport, your husband's passport (or National ID card) and your marriage certificate is all that you need to travel together to Portugal. However, practically speaking, the airline may not permit you to fly.

If you get an appointment for 3rd of August, will the Portuguese Consulate issue the visa while you wait, or do they take a few days?

In case of the latter, would you consider finding out how quickly a Spanish Schengen visa could be issued and, if favourable, could you find a cheap one-way flight to Spain, just for yourself, and have your husband meet you there and bring you in to Portugal over land?

Long-winded and impractical I know, but.. why don't you have a UK Residence Card as the family member of a French national who is exercising Treaty rights in the UK? Is he resident in the UK? It would have solved this problem.