How Long Does the Application for a Residence Card Take to Process?

[thombent9]

I'm in the UK on a Family Permit with my wife who is a Danish citizen. My family permit expires in May. I will apply for a residence card soon. How long does the application take? Can I travel while my application for a residence card is pending?

[kamoe]

I'm in the UK on a Family Permit with my wife who is a Danish citizen. My family permit expires in May. I will apply for a residence card soon. How long does the application take?

Between a few weeks and two months. But best accurate answer is by checking the timelines here: eea-route-applications/eea-fm-eea2-time ... -1160.html

But you might want to consider Settled/Pre-Settled status instead, in place from the end of March 2019: https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
I am assuming the EEA route will cease to operate from then on (but this is only my assumption).

Can I travel while my application for a residence card is pending?

Yes. You can request your passport and existing Family Permit back to allow you to travel.

PS: Best if you do this before your EEA expires, otherwise you might end up having no valid entry clearance document, and needing to re-apply for another 6-month Family Permit abroad just to allow you to re-enter the UK (although if you travel with your wife and show your marriage certificate and proof of her exercising treaty rights in the UK this is not usually necessary, but probably a different post altogether, already discussed at length elsewhere in this forum).

[kamoe]

But best accurate answer is by checking the timelines here: eea-route-applications/eea-fm-eea2-time ... -1160.html

Sorry, that's from last year. 2019 timelines are here: eea-route-applications/permanent-reside ... 73779.html