Sheffield Visa Section - EEA FAMILY PERMIT

[jessy_h93]

My husband submitted his EEA Family Permit application at the VSF in Dhaka yesterday (7th November). We were not aware of the fact that we need to photocopy all our pictures onto A4 sized paper. The staff at VSF photocopied the pictures in black and white and scanned them in as part of his application. I'm really scared now about his application being rejected as our faces are not recognisable at all on the photocopies. I have spent hours on preparing pictures, writing dates and comments on them. The VSF staff decided not to photocopy any of the comments I wrote on the back of the pictures.

Should I call UKVI and cancel the application? Or should I wait? Has anyone faced the same problem?

My husband has received a text yesterday saying his application has been forwarded to UKVI and the staff at VSF have said that it will take maximum 25 days to get the decision, definitely not any longer.

I have been following this thread from the beginning and I think it will definitely take more than 25 days.

Can you please advise as to what I should do now, I don't mind it being rejected. It's just that I don't want to wait 6 months for a decision and then find out it's been rejected.

hi Jessy, you are on the track, don’t worry. Photocopy of photo is just for formality nothing else. I haves submitted also from Dhaka vfs on 10 sept and got not straight forward mail on sept 28, still waiting without any update. Moreover I did not give any photo that creates more anxiety on me. Best of luck

Hi Hasan thank you for reassurance. I just don't understand why they would photocopy it in black and white. I mean they returned the original pictures back to us. I had written dates and comments on the pictures and they photocopied none of those which is really frustrating. Moreover on the black and white photocopies you can barely tell our faces apart. That's how horrible the photocopies look.

My husband submitted his application on the 7th and received an email from UKVI today (10th Nov)stating that his application has been received and is being prepared to be assessed by an officer. Did you receive that email too?

Good luck with your application too, keep us updated

[hasan123]

My husband submitted his EEA Family Permit application at the VSF in Dhaka yesterday (7th November). We were not aware of the fact that we need to photocopy all our pictures onto A4 sized paper. The staff at VSF photocopied the pictures in black and white and scanned them in as part of his application. I'm really scared now about his application being rejected as our faces are not recognisable at all on the photocopies. I have spent hours on preparing pictures, writing dates and comments on them. The VSF staff decided not to photocopy any of the comments I wrote on the back of the pictures.

Should I call UKVI and cancel the application? Or should I wait? Has anyone faced the same problem?

My husband has received a text yesterday saying his application has been forwarded to UKVI and the staff at VSF have said that it will take maximum 25 days to get the decision, definitely not any longer.

I have been following this thread from the beginning and I think it will definitely take more than 25 days.

Can you please advise as to what I should do now, I don't mind it being rejected. It's just that I don't want to wait 6 months for a decision and then find out it's been rejected.

hi Jessy, you are on the track, don’t worry. Photocopy of photo is just for formality nothing else. I haves submitted also from Dhaka vfs on 10 sept and got not straight forward mail on sept 28, still waiting without any update. Moreover I did not give any photo that creates more anxiety on me. Best of luck

Hi Hasan thank you for reassurance. I just don't understand why they would photocopy it in black and white. I mean they returned the original pictures back to us. I had written dates and comments on the pictures and they photocopied none of those which is really frustrating. Moreover on the black and white photocopies you can barely tell our faces apart. That's how horrible the photocopies look.

My husband submitted his application on the 7th and received an email from UKVI today (10th Nov)stating that his application has been received and is being prepared to be assessed by an officer. Did you receive that email too?

Good luck with your application too, keep us updated

well, I did not show any original documents though all the documents was with me (basically they did not want it that’s why). I was feeling so bad that I did not show the original one and I went to VFS next day again to clarify the issue. They were friendly and said their scanner only supports A4 format paper only. As my marriage certificate was not A4 format originally but I submitted A4 photocopy that’s why no need to show the original one. If any other size you submit, that must be converted to A4 paper size. As your photo is not that size,they just photocopied it on A4 paper just to scan. I also got the application received mail from Sheffield. Just after 15 days got not straight forward mail /quote]

[Ola2]

Hi everyone,
My spouse got refusal on her family permit application, the reason being that she did not submit my bank statement showing my income from my employment in UK. I live and work in UK.

That decision is very very funny because she submitted my Employment contract, 8 months payslips and a letter from my employer.

However, i would like to know if we can appeal the decision and also reapply at the same time?

Does anyone know how long appeal could take and how much do we have to pay?. I saw online that there is a fee for appeals, but as family permit application is free, will the appeal also be free?
Any idea would help please. Thanks.
Ola2

Hi ola2... really sorry for u... may i know when and from wer ur spouse submitted the applicatn?

Application submitted in Abuja, Nigeria, and after 4 months received such erroneous decision.
Please, does anyone have information concerning appeals and the fees?

[Oliver12]

Hi Everyone,

i have been following this forum for some time now. Wish i had read it before applying! Well my husband has submitted his application on 31st August 2017 from Mumbai - North it has been 50 working days as on today just wanted to know if any august applications from Mumbai North have received any response.

I have escalated the case twice and received a not so straightforward mail. Since my husband is a sailor its not feasible for him to have his passport away for so long.

Thanks,

Hi

Applied from Mumbai vfs dated 28/08/17
Escalated only once, recived not straight forward email
Still awaiting response...

Hi Oliver,

Thanks - Hoping they respond. Did you avail for fast track and have you retained your passport?

Thanks.

Hi

1) FYI there is no such thing as fast track while applying for a Family Permit Visa, U do have a fast track option but only for various other visa other than applying for an EU family Permit.
2) Again there is no option u can retain ur passport while applying for a Family Permit Visa, the passport will be held till a decision is made by the Immigration Center, the only option to retain ur passport here is to send a request to them to cancel your application which I believe is also not an option

[alex1990]

Hello everyone
From Ukraine
I have waited and i am waiting
I submitted my application on 20-06-2017

I have Escalated several times
But all the times get all the time not straight .....

My question plz:
Did anyone recived his visa or u know someone recived it who applay after that date?

Is there is new limit for them to make decision?
What we should do in this case ?
And really thy make me asked a lot of questions?
Is there anything we can do ! Or just wait and waited and wait
Man time i called them after 2 weeks as thy keep saying thy even not answer in that date ?


Thats really unbelievable?
Pleas i need answers who can or understand that situation!!!

Hi,
Go through some previous pages in this forum and you will see that there are people who have been waiting since April...
You can try to involve your local MP in UK and Solvit, they can deal with your case on behalf of you. But its not really clear if that helps...
Regards

thank you yanaveron

but i did not understand what you mean by involve your local MP in UK and Solvit?

Hi,
MP its Minister of Parliament, who can help you with stuff like that and not only ( just google MP for your postal code in UK, you will see the contact, where you can write an email explaining your situation)
Solvit is an European organisation represents EEA rights abroad.
Go through some pages back, there were links posted.

again big thank to you yanaveron

[the39]

I applied for EEA FP in June. It has been 5 months. My lawyer suggested that I could use judicial review to pressure the Home Office to make a decision.

Anyone else have experience with JR to deal with delay? Is it effective in terms of costs and results?

[secret.simon]

MP its Minister of Parliament, who can help you with stuff like that and not only ( just google MP for your postal code in UK, you will see the contact, where you can write an email explaining your situation)

An MP is a Member of Parliament, not a Minister of Parliament. Some MPs are ministers and some ministers are MPs, but all MPs are not ministers.

S/he represents all the people resident in a constituency in Parliament. To find out who your MP is and how to contact him/her, search on the Parliament.uk website with your post code.

S/he can ask questions of the government, but can't force the government to do anything specific (such as issuing your visa/RC).

[dokie]

Hi everyone,
My spouse got refusal on her family permit application, the reason being that she did not submit my bank statement showing my income from my employment in UK. I live and work in UK.

That decision is very very funny because she submitted my Employment contract, 8 months payslips and a letter from my employer.

However, i would like to know if we can appeal the decision and also reapply at the same time?

Does anyone know how long appeal could take and how much do we have to pay?. I saw online that there is a fee for appeals, but as family permit application is free, will the appeal also be free?
Any idea would help please. Thanks.
Ola2

Hi ola2... really sorry for u... may i know when and from wer ur spouse submitted the applicatn?

So sorry Ola, I can imagine what you both are going through atm. With regards to your question, I will advice you reapply and add the missing piece "bank statement". Appealing might be more reassuring but the wait could be frustratingly endless (>1yr). Reapplying and appealing could be feasible but I'll advice you reapply. My enquiry about priority for EEA @ TLS ikeja was a YES but I doubt it.

[alex1990]

MP its Minister of Parliament, who can help you with stuff like that and not only ( just google MP for your postal code in UK, you will see the contact, where you can write an email explaining your situation)

An MP is a Member of Parliament, not a Minister of Parliament. Some MPs are ministers and some ministers are MPs, but all MPs are not ministers.

S/he represents all the people resident in a constituency in Parliament. To find out who your MP is and how to contact him/her, search on the Parliament.uk website with your post code.

S/he can ask questions of the government, but can't force the government to do anything specific (such as issuing your visa/RC).

thank you so much its realy very clear for me now what its mean MPs
so may it can be helpfull > it can effect the applactione postive or negtive any how ? i mean if its will be not usful it can affect our applactione badly ?

[yanaveron]

Rheeb1,
Its not about having positive or negative impact on your application or decision. Based on applicants reviews, sometimes MPs inquiries to HO regarding your application, could make the escalation above the decision... or maybe it could be just a coincidence and it's just the time for the decision to be made... sometimes even after MPs inquiries, happens nothing... nobody knows for sure. But in my opinion, its worthy to try contacting the local MP, same about Solvit... worse won't be)))
Regards

[observer_haters]

Rheeb1,
Its not about having positive or negative impact on your application or decision. Based on applicants reviews, sometimes MPs inquiries to HO regarding your application, could make the escalation above the decision... or maybe it could be just a coincidence and it's just the time for the decision to be made... sometimes even after MPs inquiries, happens nothing... nobody knows for sure. But in my opinion, its worthy to try contacting the local MP, same about Solvit... worse won't be)))
Regards

It is only worthy contacting the local MP if he is in a friendly political option for immigrants, I did not have such luck, and my local MP did not respond to my emails at all, unfortunately.

[alex1990]

Rheeb1,
Its not about having positive or negative impact on your application or decision. Based on applicants reviews, sometimes MPs inquiries to HO regarding your application, could make the escalation above the decision... or maybe it could be just a coincidence and it's just the time for the decision to be made... sometimes even after MPs inquiries, happens nothing... nobody knows for sure. But in my opinion, its worthy to try contacting the local MP, same about Solvit... worse won't be)))
Regards

Thanks A lot

[alex1990]

Rheeb1,
Its not about having positive or negative impact on your application or decision. Based on applicants reviews, sometimes MPs inquiries to HO regarding your application, could make the escalation above the decision... or maybe it could be just a coincidence and it's just the time for the decision to be made... sometimes even after MPs inquiries, happens nothing... nobody knows for sure. But in my opinion, its worthy to try contacting the local MP, same about Solvit... worse won't be)))
Regards

It is only worthy contacting the local MP if he is in a friendly political option for immigrants, I did not have such luck, and my local MP did not respond to my emails at all, unfortunately.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO ?
WE have not chanse > we havet to try as we can anyway its desorved to try ?
5 months its not easy wating without geting any updets ?
i called them many times as my spouse do as alwys spend more than 20 pound for nothings !!! all the times thy have said we will conntect you and thy did not !!
nothings worthy than that?

[meakash619]

Hi Everyone

I applied for EEA family permit on 31st March 2017 from New Delhi INDIA and had to wait over 7 months . We finally got family permit on 10th November .Our case was complicated as we met only thrice in India and we registered our marriage in India , since our relationship was a long distance one i thought they would reject it even though i provided a lot of evidence chats and messages ,photos and call logs from 2011-2017 . Please be patient you would get it if everything is in order. There is a huge delay in application processing time but we cant do anything about it. I complained 3 times (paid service) but got no reply after 2nd attempt , I also emailed MP on October 19th and he did checked and replied with an apology and asked to wait until end of this year but we got it within a month so do write to MP as it may help . Also we didn't receive any calls for interview and questioning .I hope all of you will get to be with their family this year . God bless you all

[yanaveron]

Hi Everyone

I applied for EEA family permit on 31st March 2017 from New Delhi INDIA and had to wait over 7 months . We finally got family permit on 10th November .Our case was complicated as we met only thrice in India and we registered our marriage in India , since our relationship was a long distance one i thought they would reject it even though i provided a lot of evidence chats and messages ,photos and call logs from 2011-2017 . Please be patient you would get it if everything is in order. There is a huge delay in application processing time but we cant do anything about it. I complained 3 times (paid service) but got no reply after 2nd attempt , I also emailed MP on October 19th and he did checked and replied with an apology and asked to wait until end of this year but we got it within a month so do write to MP as it may help . Also we didn't receive any calls for interview and questioning .I hope all of you will get to be with their family this year . God bless you all

Hi,
Thanks for the update, very happy for you and good luck with your further applications in UK!

[europehelpme]

I understand the EEA Family permit's main benefit as opposed to just joining your spouse is that it assists satisfying employers regulatory requirements should a spouse be looking for work while in UK but is there anything stopping a spouse of an EEA member going to the UK and then just applying directly for the Residence Permit? Is it a requirement of the Residence Permit that the spouse has a family permit first unless they have another valid visa?

Can you apply for the Residence Permit if you join your spouse without having the EEA family permit? Or is this prohibited if you enter on a tourist visa?

I see no point in waiting for the EEA family permit any longer when as a new zealand citizen I can enter the UK on a 6 month tourist visa, what the hell is the point of waiting around for the 6 month EEA family permit when I can just enter for 6 months as tourist with my wife.
Is the EEA family permit just a formality for those looking for work? Or is it a requirement to get the Residence Permit.

Has anyone tried the later approach of just entering the UK as a tourist and then applying directly for the Residence Permit?

Alternatively, can you enter the UK as a tourist then apply for UK spouse visa?

[europehelpme]

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/ ... 38&from=en

Article 5.2 of Directive 2004/38, states that visas shall be issued free of charge as soon as possible and on the basis of an accelerated procedure. Member States shall grant such persons every facility to obtain the necessary visas. Family members who are not nationals of a Member State shall only be required to have an entry visa in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 or, where appropriate, with national
law.


BUT

ARTICLE 6 states

Article 6
Right of residence for up to three months
1. Union citizens shall have the right of residence on the territory of another Member State for a
period of up to three months without any conditions or any formalities other than the requirement to hold a valid identity card or passport.
2. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall also apply to family members in possession of a valid
passport who are not nationals of a Member State, accompanying or joining the Union citizen.


DOES THIS NOT IMPLY THEN THAT THE FAMILY PERMIT IS MUTE AND THAT WE DONT EVEN NEED IT TO ENTER THE UK AND APPLY FOR THE RESIDENCE PERMIT? WHAT IS STOPPING US FROM JUST ENTERING THE UK WITH OUR EEA SPOUSE?

[europehelpme]

SO i have been asking for over 4 months now if is there a timeframe within which a decision has to be made.

Finally I have found my answer

https://www.euromed-justice.eu/en/syste ... OUNCIL.pdf

ARTICLE 23 has clear timeframes.

The 6 month period mps have stated is FALSE. that is for the residence permit! The longest period under eruopean law according to Regulation 810/2009 ARTICLE 23 is 60 working days

CR02 - how is that. Finally got the answer to my own question

[Merzit]

Today is 120 working days for me. If I don't receive any email, I'll call it for put my first complaint.
Applied from Madrid, Spain. 26/5/2017

[hachel]

Hello everybody,

To those who already got a decision, at any point, did you check your application on the visa4uk website ? If so, did it change to "In Active" at any point before the decision ?

The status of my wife's application went from "Complete" to "In Active" (78 working days), and I'm wondering what could it mean. Or is it just a misspelling of "Inactive" ? Anyone ?

Cheers,

[Tmaran]

Today is 120 working days for me. If I don't receive any email, I'll call it for put my first complaint.
Applied from Madrid, Spain. 26/5/2017

Today is 131 working days fr me
Applied from srilanka colombo

[kurasinski_simran]

Hello everybody,

To those who already got a decision, at any point, did you check your application on the visa4uk website ? If so, did it change to "In Active" at any point before the decision ?

The status of my wife's application went from "Complete" to "In Active" (78 working days), and I'm wondering what could it mean. Or is it just a misspelling of "Inactive" ? Anyone ?

Cheers,

Hi Hachel

I have been waiting for over 120 days now. My application on the visa4uk website said complete for around 50-60 working days after which it changed to 'In Active'

I have too been very confused as to what this means since Im still waiting on some news from their end.

I am sure it is not a spelling mistake but it's very confusing and being highlighted in red is confusing as well.

If someone can explain what this term means, it would be helpful.

Thank you and good luck
Simran

[hachel]

Was hoping it's something. But ok, let's keep on waiting.

Thanks for your reply kurasinski_simran

[Ranjuraj2026]

Hello everybody,

To those who already got a decision, at any point, did you check your application on the visa4uk website ? If so, did it change to "In Active" at any point before the decision ?

The status of my wife's application went from "Complete" to "In Active" (78 working days), and I'm wondering what could it mean. Or is it just a misspelling of "Inactive" ? Anyone ?

Cheers,

Hi Hachel

I have been waiting for over 120 days now. My application on the visa4uk website said complete for around 50-60 working days after which it changed to 'In Active'

I have too been very confused as to what this means since Im still waiting on some news from their end.

I am sure it is not a spelling mistake but it's very confusing and being highlighted in red is confusing as well.

If someone can explain what this term means, it would be helpful.

Thank you and good luck
Simran

Hi simran.. this website is for people applied from inside uk or outside uk? If outside uk can u pls send me the link...

[danny27]

Simran & all,

Pls do not get mixed up.
Visa4uk is where u sent your application from. So obviously it will get inactive so that u do not resend the application or rather for re apply. Its a closed chapter once you get the reference no.

This has got nothing to do with the application already recieved by Shiefield.
Now we have to deal with Shiefield Only.