EEA2 - original docs vs notary-certified copies?

[nordiclatina]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone has experience of sending notary-certified copies instead of original passports, bank statements, payslips etc etc for the EEA2 residence card application.

Is this a bad idea? Apart from the expense, will it delay the application?

I'm very reluctant to send originals since all the posts on this forum and even UKBA's own website indicate that the EEA2 process is taking significantly longer than the recommended 6-month maximum in nearly all cases.

And can anyone recommend a good notary in (West/Central) London?

Any advice greatly appreciated - thank you!

And PS - am I the only one who thinks this is totally unacceptable? What is the deal? Lack of resources? Lack of will?

Surely keeping people's passports for 9 months flies in the face of the freedom of movement rights that the EU legislation is purportedly based on??? IMO the UK Home Office is sticking 2 blatant fingers up at the EU.

[thsths]

Just wondering if anyone has experience of sending notary-certified copies instead of original passports, bank statements, payslips etc etc for the EEA2 residence card application.

That may be a good idea indeed. Personally I am not too worried about bank statements and payslips - since I have little use for them anyway.

For the passport, we have always sent just a normal copy, and the UKBA will request the original when the case has "sat in the queue" for long enough. Applying without an original passport may be possible, but difficult, and obviously the residence card would not be put in the passport then - which creates problems with visitor visas for some European countries.

And PS - am I the only one who thinks this is totally unacceptable? What is the deal? Lack of resources? Lack of will?

It is certainly caused by a lack of resources - but what causes this lack of resources? It seems that the UKBA is more concerned with politically opportune actions (removing foreign prisoners) than with doing the everyday job (issuing residence cards).

In the end, I blame the political system. The Home Office behaves as if it is above the law, and that is because in many ways it is. But European law is a different beast, and I think they will have to pay in the end.

IMO the UK Home Office is 2sticking blatant fingers up at the EU.

It may seem that way, but ignoring European law has a long tradition, so it is by no means unique to the Home Office. There is a process for dealing with "non-compliance", but it can take years, and the law is only in effect for just over 2 years. So this will change, but it will also take time.

[nordiclatina]

thanks so much thsths! v useful reply.

For the passport, we have always sent just a normal copy, and the UKBA will request the original when the case has "sat in the queue" for long enough.

That's what I figured - that we'd send copies and they'd request originals in due course. When you say "normal copies" do you mean don't bother certifying by notary?

Personally I am not too worried about bank statements and payslips - since I have little use for them anyway.

I would normally agree with you about but I've just gone freelance/self-employed so I'll need mine, and my husband needs his now to apply for an NI number etc (as do most recent immigrants, surely?)

In the end, I blame the political system. The Home Office behaves as if it is above the law, and that is because in many ways it is. But European law is a different beast, and I think they will have to pay in the end.

Fully agree! In fact, do you know of any campaigning organisations I can get involved with? This stuff makes me so angry!

[thsths]

That's what I figured - that we'd send copies and they'd request originals in due course. When you say "normal copies" do you mean don't bother certifying by notary?

Essentially yes. They will request the original passport anyway, so it is not worth the effort. The situation may be different for your other documents.

Fully agree! In fact, do you know of any campaigning organisations I can get involved with? This stuff makes me so angry!

No, but this is a good question. There is help available for political refugees, but economic/family migrants receive little attention. You can contact SOLVIT if you need any immediate help. Otherwise, you can certainly write to the European commission or even the European parliament - but as I said they do not work quickly.