EEA4: stamp or "status document"?

[Marco 72]

Last October my wife applied for an EEA4 stamp in her passport. She requested the passport back in order to travel at Christmas, and it is still in her possession. According to the UKBA website, if they don't have the applicant's passport when they decide to issue permanent residence, they'll issue an "immigration status document" instead (just like the stamp, only in a separate card).

My question is: is it better to have the stamp, or the "status document"? In theory, there should be no difference. However, we have often found UK immigration officers to be somewhat confused about EU rules, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't like the status document. On the other hand, with the stamp there's always the chance that they would consider it invalid once her passport has expired...

Has anyone had experience travelling with either a permanent residence stamp in an expired passport, or a "status document"?

[Plum70]

I would say that a vignette in the passport looks more legitimate than an ISD on A4.

Nonetheless your wife's PR status is not derived from these docs only confirmed.

[Directive/2004/38/EC]

Some people have had problems getting visitors visas to Schengen countries when their Residence Card was on a piece of paper and not in their passport. But you can fight this with the embassy concerned...