Visiting UK with French Resdients card.

[gprit]

I have tried contacting the UK Visas and Immigration in Sheffield and Croydon by email.
Either no reply or up to 20 days to reply.

I have tried telephoning, but all I get are automated menus bearing no relation to my enquiry,
on premium rate numbers mostly I might add - I thought all government departments had to offer at
least standard geographical telephone numbers.

The enquiry to which no-one seems to answer is as follows :
We have decided to live permanently in France, and my (Thai) wife has a valid 5 year Titre de Sejour (Resident's card) . (Thai passport).

Can you confirm my interpretation of the following?
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... dence-card

I am a EEA National as defined in:
https://www.gov.uk/eu-eea

I read all this as saying that my Thai wife would be allowed into the UK for a visit (by virtue of
her French Residents card) if she is accompanying me, without any prior applications - and of course in any case we have all marrriage documents etc etc.

thanks

[secret.simon]

Are you a French citizen or a non-French EEA citizen resident in France?

If the card was issued to your Thai wife under EU law (Article 10 of Directive 2004/38/EC), by virtue of you being a non-French citizen exercising treaty rights in France, your wife does not need a visa to enter the UK.

If the card was issued to your Thai wife under French law, because you are a French citizen residing in France, then she does need a visa to enter the UK.

[gprit]

I am a non French citizen who is resident in France. I am from the UK and have a UK Passport.
My wife's CDS does say "issued under Article 10 of Directive 2004/38/CE of a family member of European Union". NB: Note that it says 38/CE not 38/EC.

So it seems we can just turn up at eurotunnel and enter into the uk - I also believe she COULD stay up to five years this way (not that we are, just for two months). That makes an absolute nonsence of the requirements if she was going to renew her UK Settlement visa and the exhorbitant costs involved, let alone the 84 page application.

Anyone actually ENTERED the UK via Carte de Sejour under this legislation? I alwasy try and get something on officla headed notepaper!!