Hi Guys,
Good news! Today I went to my local post office to collect our PRs!!!
This is our timeline: Non-EEA (me) & EEA (wife)
EEA 3 & 4 Applications sent: 26/10/2012
EEA 3 & 4 Applications received: 29/10/2012
EEA 3 & 4 Applications date: 25/10/2012
COA received: 19/11/2012
COA date: 12/11/2012
PR date: 25/06/2013
Total time: 8 months!
I cannot be grateful enough to all the wonderful people that helped me to endure all these horrible 8 months. I must confess that reading this forum gave me hope! My wife and I can finally stop checking the Royal Mail track & trace website and best of all... We will be travelling as planned!
My advice to all who are still waiting is: Do Not Give Up!. Try every single thing there is, all emails, all relevant people, institutions, etc. Even if others say that it didn't work or bounced back, etc. I even threatened with compensation. Another advice is to remind the UKBA that the 6 months period is coming up and you will need your passports for urgent reasons. You might also start sending RODs.
I also wanted to tell you that this is a new PR vignette design. Certainly different to my RC (which they stamped cancelled btw). The design and colours are similar. I was expecting the old PR design found on Google. The PR vignette for the EEA national is also the new design but placed in the old blue card.
If it helps... these are the emails I emailed the most (all found in this forum):
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UKBAeuropeanenquiries@ukba.gsi.gov.uk
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Liverpooleuro.passportreturns@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
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UKBACustomerComplaints@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Obviously you must seek help from your MP and copy them into every email. Your MP can call and write letters on your behalf. Even if this doesn't seem to help in the beginning, don't lose hope! it all adds up in the end because you will have more evidence.
Last but not least, ask God for help! Even if you are not religious... PRAY! Praying will make your waiting time more bearable and having the conviction that God is on your side will give you inspiration and confidence for writing emails. Even when we thought we wouldn't get our passports on time or that they would be refused, we had that little hope that everything will be OK.
Remember: "Do not be afraid, for I am always with YOU" (Isaiah 41:10).
That's all! Enjoy your weekend amigos!