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Hi. I am an Italian citizen currently residing in Italy. I just got a EEA fp for my Japanese wife as we intend to move to the UK relatively soon.
I would like to have a clarification: as I'm busy with my job in Italy at the moment, my wife is meant to travel to the UK a few times before our final move in order to set up things like finding a place to stay and stuff like that. In principle she's granted multiple entries in the UK only if she travels with me or is joining me there.
I really don't have time to take care of this practical aspects myself, so I would prefer to delegate them to her.
Do you think she might have some problems at the border if she travels alone? Thanks a lot!

As a Japanese, she doesn't need a visa to visit the UK so she can enter as a visitor (tourist) instead of using the EEA Family Permit.

If asked, she can explain that she is only visiting now and will return to Italy and you plan to travel together later on this year (and enter using the EEA Family Permit then).

She should not try to use the EEA Family Permit if you are not with her or not living in the UK already.

Jambo wrote:As a Japanese, she doesn't need a visa to visit the UK so she can enter as a visitor (tourist) instead of using the EEA Family Permit.

If asked, she can explain that she is only visiting now and will return to Italy and you plan to travel together later on this year (and enter using the EEA Family Permit then).

She should not try to use the EEA Family Permit if you are not with her or not living in the UK already.

Thanks a lot! The only thing is that she automatically needs to use the EEA FP I'm afraid because it's a sticker in her passport. Probably it's enough to tell the immigration officer that she's there as a tourist in that specific situation, hoping not to create any unneccessary fuss...

albechan wrote:Thanks a lot! The only thing is that she automatically needs to use the EEA FP I'm afraid because it's a sticker in her passport. Probably it's enough to tell the immigration officer that she's there as a tourist in that specific situation, hoping not to create any unneccessary fuss...

When a Japanese national arrives to the UK, the IO usually doesn´t skim the passport for visas, but just places a stamp.

By the way: You wouldn´t have had to apply for the EEA-FP at all. You could have just gone to the UK, and that´s about it.

However, now that the EEA-FP is in her passport, I´m convinced she still won´t have a hard time. Japanese usually don´t cause trouble (as you probably know), as such they don´t attract much attention, immigration-wise.

I´m sure she´ll be just fine.

albechan wrote:The only thing is that she automatically needs to use the EEA FP I'm afraid because it's a sticker in her passport. Probably it's enough to tell the immigration officer that she's there as a tourist in that specific situation, hoping not to create any unneccessary fuss...

The fact she has the visa, doesn't mean she needs to use the visa.

Most likely, the IO will not see it. If he does and asks about it (or your whereabouts), she should just say the truth - the visa is for later. This time I'm just visiting as a tourist.

ca.funke wrote:

albechan wrote:Thanks a lot! The only thing is that she automatically needs to use the EEA FP I'm afraid because it's a sticker in her passport. Probably it's enough to tell the immigration officer that she's there as a tourist in that specific situation, hoping not to create any unneccessary fuss...

When a Japanese national arrives to the UK, the IO usually doesn´t skim the passport for visas, but just places a stamp.

By the way: You wouldn´t have had to apply for the EEA-FP at all. You could have just gone to the UK, and that´s about it.

However, not that the EEA-FP is in her passport, I´m convinced she still won´t have a hard time. Japanese usually don´t cause trouble (as you probably know), as such they don´t attract much attention, immigration-wise.

I´m sure she´ll be just fine.

Thanks. I know that Japanese tend not to attract too much attention but she's a bit worried about that and wanted to feel reassured (yeah, I guess she's really Japanese...) She's been traveling quite extensively and she told me that recently feels UK IO became more inquisitive. Not specifically towards her, just in general. Anyway, I agree with you guys: it should be fine.

Tell the truth and everything will be fine. She has nothing to hide. It's perfectly ok for her to visit the UK and look around.