Do I need an EEA Family Permit?
Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 2:32 pm
Hello,
I'm having some trouble figuring this one out. From what I understand, since my wife is a Swedish Citizen exercising her treaty rights to live in the UK, I should have the ability to join her in London under EU Free Movement rules. I'm an American Citizen which means that since I don't need to apply for a visa (like if I were from, say, traveling on a passport from Russia/Saudi Arabia/Afghanistan/etc), I don't have to get one. Plus, I don't think I have time to get one, as my flight leaves on the 16th of September.
We met when I was earning a graduate degree with the University of London, and we dated for two years. Last August, we decided to "try America," (which we didn't like) so we got married this July with plans of living in Europe for good. We both like London, and she's back there now preparing for me to arrive except now I'm worried. We'll only have been married two months when I arrive, even though we've been together for well over two years and I don't know what they'll think of that. Does this look better if I explain in person to a Border Force person, or should I just submit the forms and hope they get here in time?
Further: since she lived in London for three years prior to us leaving for the States, she's provided me with tax statements, a copy of her NHS card, her NI number, and months of UK bank statements showing her living off savings in the U.S. (she's also provided me with statements for last year showing that she made money in London, too).
We've recently put down money for rent on a flat in London (I have that form as well), and she just picked up a job (I have her contract) that will carry her share of the rent until I fly over mid-September. I have a bank statement that says I've got enough money to make rent for about two months, and a letter from our landlord that says I already paid my first months rent, next month's rent, and a security deposit. I plan on working in the UK (I have an NI number too) and the recruiters I've spoken with say they can start me off at a salary that would definitely not put me in need of public funds.
What I feel is this: my wife has every right to be called a "qualified person," in the eyes of the Home Office and I have a ton of supporting evidence. Do I need to apply for this dumb EEA Family Permit? And, if I decide not to apply for one, will this affect their decision if I apply for an EEA (FM) card?
And just to fully get the rant out: the EEA Family Permit seems to be somehow illegal in a lot of ways because--and correct me if I'm wrong--if I can prove that she is exercising her treaty rights (working) and prove that our relationship is legitimate (it is), I should be able to live and work in the UK with none of this bureaucratic rigamarole. Blah.
anything helps,
-D
I'm having some trouble figuring this one out. From what I understand, since my wife is a Swedish Citizen exercising her treaty rights to live in the UK, I should have the ability to join her in London under EU Free Movement rules. I'm an American Citizen which means that since I don't need to apply for a visa (like if I were from, say, traveling on a passport from Russia/Saudi Arabia/Afghanistan/etc), I don't have to get one. Plus, I don't think I have time to get one, as my flight leaves on the 16th of September.
We met when I was earning a graduate degree with the University of London, and we dated for two years. Last August, we decided to "try America," (which we didn't like) so we got married this July with plans of living in Europe for good. We both like London, and she's back there now preparing for me to arrive except now I'm worried. We'll only have been married two months when I arrive, even though we've been together for well over two years and I don't know what they'll think of that. Does this look better if I explain in person to a Border Force person, or should I just submit the forms and hope they get here in time?
Further: since she lived in London for three years prior to us leaving for the States, she's provided me with tax statements, a copy of her NHS card, her NI number, and months of UK bank statements showing her living off savings in the U.S. (she's also provided me with statements for last year showing that she made money in London, too).
We've recently put down money for rent on a flat in London (I have that form as well), and she just picked up a job (I have her contract) that will carry her share of the rent until I fly over mid-September. I have a bank statement that says I've got enough money to make rent for about two months, and a letter from our landlord that says I already paid my first months rent, next month's rent, and a security deposit. I plan on working in the UK (I have an NI number too) and the recruiters I've spoken with say they can start me off at a salary that would definitely not put me in need of public funds.
What I feel is this: my wife has every right to be called a "qualified person," in the eyes of the Home Office and I have a ton of supporting evidence. Do I need to apply for this dumb EEA Family Permit? And, if I decide not to apply for one, will this affect their decision if I apply for an EEA (FM) card?
And just to fully get the rant out: the EEA Family Permit seems to be somehow illegal in a lot of ways because--and correct me if I'm wrong--if I can prove that she is exercising her treaty rights (working) and prove that our relationship is legitimate (it is), I should be able to live and work in the UK with none of this bureaucratic rigamarole. Blah.
anything helps,
-D