Applying for EEA Family Permit in Spain.

Laura721 · Post by **Laura721** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 8:50 pm

jrge wrote:UPDATE:
My friend's wife had her appointment today in Madrid. Biometrics were taken and supporting documents received.

She was informed that applications are being dealt within 15 business days, and due to the holidays, her application won't be looked at until next week.

Did she have to wait for 4 hours at the embassy like us? Awful!!

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 9:34 pm

Four hours is rather a long time. Were you able to go in together or were you kept outside?

Laura721 · Post by **Laura721** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 11:56 pm

Woman downstairs is lovely, they let all couples in together it seems. But we did wait 1 hour downstairs in the queue to go up.

Then upstairs there was just one woman dealing with all applications so it just took forever! 3 hours upstairs by the time we left.

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 12:03 am

If you'd applied in India, you'd have been left outside. No loos, no water, tough. Having said that, it should not have taken 4 hours. Facilitated, as soon as possible...

jrge · Post by **jrge** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 12:59 pm

Laura721 wrote: Did she have to wait for 4 hours at the embassy like us? Awful!!

She waited for 3 hours.

Did they also tell you the processing time would take 15 days?

EUsmileWEallsmile wrote: If you'd applied in India, you'd have been left outside. No loos, no water, tough. Having said that, it should not have taken 4 hours. Facilitated, as soon as possible...

I think it all comes down to the Country you are applying from. I applied for my EEA Family Permit in the US and it was very easy. Online application, a trip to get biometrics taken (1 hour altogether) and sent supporting documents via priority mail. No waiting in line, no significant disruption.

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 1:14 pm

EUsmileWEallsmile wrote:If you'd applied in India, you'd have been left outside. No loos, no water, tough. Having said that, it should not have taken 4 hours. Facilitated, as soon as possible...

Just to clarify, the waiting outside was for the EU national, not the applicant. To be fair, the application was done reasonably quickly and there was an appointment system available, which we used.

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 1:16 pm

jrge wrote:
Laura721 wrote: Did she have to wait for 4 hours at the embassy like us? Awful!!
She waited for 3 hours.

Did they also tell you the processing time would take 15 days?

Three hours is also ridiculous. Was this down to a queue or some other reason?

The 15 days is the UKBA's target date for issuing non-settlement visas.

jrge · Post by **jrge** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 2:22 pm

EUsmileWEallsmile wrote: Three hours is also ridiculous. Was this down to a queue or some other reason?

The 15 days is the UKBA's target date for issuing non-settlement visas.

I think it was: queue 2 hours; reception of documents 1 hour.

Nonetheless, if we consider these:
*) A solicitor here in London wanted £550.00
*) Another solicitor in Spain wanted €950.00 to "help" them apply for the EEA Family Permit.
*) A non-for-profit Organisation -in London- wrongly advised them (they told them it was required to show monthly earnings of £2,500.00; to have a private residence -not shared-, to have CSI and to fully disclose their financial investments)

I helped them gather necessary supporting documents and filled out the on-line application, and all for a cup of coffee.

As you can see, my friend's wife was happy to wait for 3 hours.

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 2:29 pm

It was very kind of you to help your friends out.

To my mind, the wait was excessive.

MelC · Post by **MelC** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 2:40 pm

EUsmileWEallsmile wrote:It was very kind of you to help your friends out.

To my mind, the wait was excessive.

but if there were a lot of people applying in person, and only one person to administer the paperwork? which is what was stated in the posts...

Its quite annoying when EU citizens are refused entry to an EU embassy, after all, is the embassy not "EU" territory?

some of the best visa apps are done over a cuppa in a relaxed atmosphere.

the prices quoted and incorrect info that was noted in the previous post is very scary!

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 2:53 pm

One person dealing with applications. Sounds like there was not enough then.

MelC · Post by **MelC** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 3:09 pm

EUsmileWEallsmile wrote:One person dealing with applications. Sounds like there was not enough then.

I totally agree with you!

I do think it depends where people apply, in which country...

we didn't wait long to enter the embassy, but were threatened with arrest for applying for a visa, my freind was also threatened when they went to apply, and had to fight for over 6 months to get the entry visa, and same country different EU embassy another friend was frog marched out with his arm up his back, his EU wife was NOT permitted to enter the embassy!

the couple who were also threatened with arrest are now in the EU and had to queue for 2 hours before the prefecture opened to be assured of entering because they close the doors on how many applications for residence they will see each day, (thats EU and non EU residence) they then qued for another hour to actually get inside, and then another hour to see the prefecture...
and were then not allowed to apply for residence because the prefecture wanted a mountain of things that are not required....

so my friend has endured this twice now!

3 hours and getting the visa or RC would seem like heaven to her i think.

between staffing levels and training.... its back to "understanding" and things improving?

im not seeing that in all embassies.... we fight on!

jrge · Post by **jrge** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 4:59 pm

EUsmileWEallsmile wrote:It was very kind of you to help your friends out.

To my mind, the wait was excessive.

If we don't live to help others, then why to live after all?

All of you guys/girls have helped tons of people without even knowing them; being me one of those.

MelC wrote: the prices quoted and incorrect info that was noted in the previous post is very scary!

Sadly, unscrupulous people do exist.

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 6:28 pm

A couple of hours work soon adds up to several hundred pounds when solicitors are involved.

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 10:36 pm

MelC wrote:we didn't wait long to enter the embassy, but were threatened with arrest for applying for a visa, my freind was also threatened when they went to apply, and had to fight for over 6 months to get the entry visa, and same country different EU embassy another friend was frog marched out with his arm up his back, his EU wife was NOT permitted to enter the embassy!

the couple who were also threatened with arrest are now in the EU and had to queue for 2 hours before the prefecture opened to be assured of entering because they close the doors on how many applications for residence they will see each day, (thats EU and non EU residence) they then qued for another hour to actually get inside, and then another hour to see the prefecture...
and were then not allowed to apply for residence because the prefecture wanted a mountain of things that are not required....

so my friend has endured this twice now!

Did anyone complain formally about each of these? And to whom?

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 12:40 pm

jrge wrote:All of you guys/girls have helped tons of people without even knowing them; being me one of those.

I would love to meet some of the people on this board. (And I would love not to meet some others.)

jrge · Post by **jrge** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 1:22 pm

Directive/2004/38/EC wrote:
jrge wrote: I would love to meet some of the people on this board. (And I would love not to meet some others.)

lol...you just quoted the CFO of my company. That's her favorite sentence..

Cheer up mate! life isn't fair, but we can all make a difference.

Laura721 · Post by **Laura721** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:27 pm

Jrge please let us know when your friends hear anything re their application. I understand ours is most probably more complex than theirs so will take longer but still good to know. As last Thursday and Friday were holidays and not including the Monday we submitted, it has been 7 working days so far. Fingers crossed next week is the week.

Laura721 · Post by **Laura721** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 12:09 pm

No news COULD be good news?

I know our case is complex but we are trying to live each day with hope. We cannot sleep much these days awaiting news, nothing so far

We handed in documents/biometrics April 2nd.

jrge · Post by **jrge** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 6:01 pm

Laura721 wrote:No news COULD be good news?

I know our case is complex but we are trying to live each day with hope. We cannot sleep much these days awaiting news, nothing so far We handed in documents/biometrics April 2nd.

I'm sorry for the delay (was out on a business trip).

Today, 18th April, my friend's wife has received her EEA Family Permit. It was approved on 16th April.

Her flight has already been booked, and she's flying into London this incoming Sunday.

Hang in there, it'll come soon!

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:21 pm

jrge wrote:
Laura721 wrote:No news COULD be good news?

I know our case is complex but we are trying to live each day with hope. We cannot sleep much these days awaiting news, nothing so far :( We handed in documents/biometrics April 2nd.
I'm sorry for the delay (was out on a business trip).

Today, 18th April, my friend's wife has received her EEA Family Permit. It was approved on 16th April.

Her flight has already been booked, and she's flying into London this incoming Sunday.

Hang in there, it'll come soon!

What was the length of time - around 10 days?

Laura721 · Post by **Laura721** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:31 pm

They gave documents in day after us so April 3rd (correct me if I am wrong), after that there were 2 bank holidays in Madrid so Monday 16th when it was issued was 7th working day.

Laura721 · Post by **Laura721** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:32 pm

And congratulations to your friends, by the way!

jrge · Post by **jrge** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:17 am

She had her biometrics done on 4th April, but was told her file wouldn't be assigned to an ECO until 10th April (don't know why).

Calendar days, it took 14 days.

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Thu Apr 19, 2012 8:29 pm

jrge wrote:She had her biometrics done on 4th April, but was told her file wouldn't be assigned to an ECO until 10th April (don't know why).

Calendar days, it took 14 days.

Not a bad timescale when you compare it to the person applying from Pakistan.

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Applying for EEA Family Permit in Spain.