Moving to London with job offer

[EJV]

My wife is an EU citizen. I am Ecuadorian, and we currently live in Houston (Texas), where I work. My company wants to transfer me to our London office. Once there, my wife does not plan to work, and will depend financially on me.

I realize that, because I am married to an EU citizen, I am allowed to obtain an EEA Family Permit, and live and work in the UK unrestrictedly. I know the regulation states that I am entitled to the EEA family permit as long as me and my wife travel together to the UK, and upon arrival, she will be a EEA national residing in the UK in accordance to the regulations. And here’s where it gets tricky. Because she is not planning to work, she could only stay in the UK longer than 3 months, if she is self-sufficient, which she will because I will support her financially. However, I could only do it, if I get my EEA family permit authorizing me to work for my employer there.

I have read some posts saying I don’t have to prove that my wife is self-sufficient when I initially apply for the EEA family permit. That I should only provide proof that we are married, and that we plan to travel together to the UK. And that, once in the UK, I should use bank statements, payslips, insurance policy, etc. to prove she is self-sufficient, and then get an EEA2, which would allow me to stay in the UK longer than three months. However, the application form for the initial EEA family permit (the one I have to file when still in out of the UK) does ask me for some other information such as my income, insurance, payslips, bank statements, my wife’s self-sufficiency, etc.

I would like to have the opinion of someone who had gone through a similar situation, and to hear what steps they took to succeed in their EEA family permit application.
Thanks a lot in advance!!

[zerofold]

I applied for a family permit from the US about six months ago as an American married to an Irish national. I had a job offer before we moved and he didn't. I answered the questions on the application honestly and said I (the non-EEA) plan on working there once we arrive and he plans on looking for a job. We also arrived together. It was no issue and I was issued with the family permit in a day.

He is working now, though, so I can't be of much assistance regarding the self-sufficiency. Hope that helps!

[EJV]

Thanks! Your answer makes me feel more at ease! Did you have some sort of interview before they issued the permit? Did you have to add a declaration saying you planned to travel to UK in company of your EEA national spouse?

[zerofold]

No interview, no declaration. I think it asked if we would be traveling together on the application. I said yes, and we did travel together. It was very straightforward.