I have my residence card - What happends now

[charliewesto]

Hi Everyone

I have been reading and trying to get info , but have been unsuccessfull- I have applied for my residence card - EEA2- coming up to 6 months ago ( Im from south africa Partner from Holland ) and was getting ready to get my documents to gether to start legal proceding ( a bit over zealous I know ) But after hearing hoprror stories of peopl waiting months even years, I thought I would get the ball rolling anyway , a few days before the 6 month mark Jan 21st 2011 I got My pport back with card in place YAY.

So the residence card is in place , and everything thing seems in order- but I never recieved anything with it , ie a covering letter telling me what now, ie
1.what happeneds when i travel
2. Am I allowed to travel ?
3. Does my partner need to always be with me when i travel - Ie if i went on a girls weekend ?
4. should I keep my partners passport with etc ?

Its Great that I have my passport back , and havent encounterd any issues thank fully , im just a tad bit confused as to what i can and cannot do ?

any advice would be awesome

thank you in advance

[fysicus]

Congratulations, charliewesto,

your passport and residence card first of all allow you to leave and re-enter the UK as often as you like, as long as both are valid.
Secondly, an employer needs to see the original and keep a copy of passport and RC to prove he has sufficiently verified your right to work in the UK.

For travel to Schengen countries it is a bit more confusing. Travelling with your partner, e.g. on holiday, is generally no problem. If you travel alone, many countries insist you will need a visa (although I think that is based on an incorrect interpretation of the European rules). The good news, however, is that for you a Schengenvisa will now be free of charge, and can only be refused in very exceptional circumstances.
Switzerland is a special case: you always need a Schengenvisa there, even when travelling together with your partner.
I think it is a good idea always to carry a copy of your marriage certificate and your partner's passport, just in case.
As your partner is Dutch, I would suggest to apply for a Schengenvisa at the Dutch embassy straightaway. You can ask for multi-entry visa that is valid for a full year, and allows you to stay in Schengen for 90 days during that year.

For travel outside the EU/EEA your residence card doesn't have any effect, except may be that visa applications are a bit less likely to be refused.

You can also consider to apply for Dutch citizenship: read this brochure. If you speak Afrikaans then learning Dutch should not be too difficult.