# EEA (FM) Residence card - biometrics appointment and return of documents



## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Hello

We are planning to send the EEA (FM) Residence card application / documents tomorrow.

We have two questions:
- Should we wait to get a letter after we submit the application before my husband goes to a Post Office branch to have his biometrics taken?
- At which step of the process can we request to have our passports back? Is it OK if we do the request as soon as they receive the package? Or should we wait to receive the CofA? Or that the biometrics are taken?

Thanks!

AL


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Hi everyone,

I hope someone will be able to help as we will send everything tomorrow (and we do not want to mess it up if we need to have the biometrics taken before...)

Thanks!

AL


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## Caio M. (Sep 26, 2015)

Hello Al,
The letter for taking the biometrics will arrive after you submit the Aplication.
You will need this letter when you go to the post office.
As far as requesting your passports it can be done at any point of the process.


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Thanks a lot Caio!


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Hello again everyone!

So we have sent all our documents yesterday, and they got delivered today to the Durham PO Box for EEA applications (according to Royal Mail tracking).

Can I already request our passports back or should I wait to receive any acknowledgement email from the Home Office? If I request the passports back, is the Royal Mail reference enough for them to identify our application (and of course our names etc.)?

Thanks!

AL


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Hi all!

On top of my above questions (can I already request our passport/IDs back?) I would like to know as well if I can get our marriage certificate back without impacting our application as we only have one.

Thanks!

AL


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Hi everyone! Sorry for "bumping" that post but I cannot find the answer by browsing through the forum. I saw that some applicants waited for a letter to come before requesting documents back and some did not. And I really do not know about requesting our marriage certificate back (I would like to have it so that my husband can present it at the border in case of additional scrutiny).

Thanks a lot in advance!!


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

You can always get as much wedding certificates as you want from the registry you got married, since you haven't got an acknowledgement , i dont think you can ask for your documents yet.


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Mrbentley said:


> You can always get as much wedding certificates as you want from the registry you got married, since you haven't got an acknowledgement , i dont think you can ask for your documents yet.


Thank you for your reply. We got married in San Francisco (USA) and they have a strict rule of only providing one marriage certificate for the first 6 months. So we would like to get it back to be able to have it on us when we travel, in case we need to show it at the border.

We actually requested the documents back some days after they signed for the package in Durham. I saw that some people in this forum did this successfully, using the RoyalMail Tracking number.


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Ok thats fine, i understand, have you by any chance got a reply or an acknowledgement from them? That they recieved your documents, assides the tracked delivery?


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Mrbentley said:


> Ok thats fine, i understand, have you by any chance got a reply or an acknowledgement from them? That they recieved your documents, assides the tracked delivery?


Not yet... But I know they opened the envelope since they cashed the cheques for the EEA(FM) and EEA(QP) applications


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

That's much better, when did they cash it if you dont mind me asking.
I am currently monitoring an application
Submitted 26 October
Received 27 October Tracked royal mail
And no further action, no bank charge or nothing.

Regards :v:??:laughing::v:?


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

My timeline is so far:
Submitted 27 October
Received 29 October (from RoyalMail tracking)
Cheques cashed 04 November

We have to be patient in this waiting game now... Frustrating, I know


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

It sure is, i called and was told wait 4 weeks for an acknowledgement...its quite disappointing, that they ignore their jobs and keep people waiting. Lets keep counting.. Keep me posted on your progress :hand:?:grinning::hand:?


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Hello, any news yet?


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Nothing on my side yet...


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Its funny, hopefully countdown to a month and a reply will come.


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

My wife called them, and she was told its going to take 4- 6weeks to get an aknowledgement from them that they have the documents . Which sounds insane


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

My documents where returned yesterday, becuase they could not take out th money, i have. Sent it again this mornig.. Regards


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Hi

On my side I received an acknowledgement by email that my application was being considered. It was only sent to me (EEA national - I applied for EEA(QP)) and not to my husband.

Here is the timeline:
- Sent: 27/10/15
- Received by home office (tracking Royal Mail): 29/10/15
- Request for return of documents form sent: 01/11/15
- Cheques cashed: 04/11/15
- Progress enquiry form sent: 15/11/15
- Application acknowledgement received by email for EEA national: 16/11/15


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Update:

- Application Sent: 27/10/15
- Received by home office (tracking Royal Mail): 29/10/15
- Request for return of documents form sent: 01/11/15
- Cheques cashed: 04/11/15
- Progress enquiry form sent: 15/11/15
- Application acknowledgement received by email for EEA national: 16/11/15
- Biometrics request letter received: 17/11/15


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Happy to see its going fast and smooth, i sent mine again today, so ild see how it goes. And i will keep you updated :grinning:


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Resent my appliction 17/11/15
Resent fee page 18/11/15
Charged 19/11/15...
Waiting continues ...


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Update:

- Application Sent: 27/10/15
- Received by home office (tracking Royal Mail): 29/10/15
- Request for return of documents form sent: 01/11/15
- Cheques cashed: 04/11/15
- Progress enquiry form sent: 15/11/15
- Application acknowledgement received by email for EEA national: 16/11/15
- Biometrics request letter received: 17/11/15
- Biometrics done: 18/11/15
- Passports and national ID sent back by home office: 23/11/15
- Passports and national ID received from home office: 24/11/15

Still no Certificate of application


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Good to hear, just give them a few weeks they will send you one, in the past it was issued immediately but now things just go slow and snaily . Stay strong :smiley:


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Send an email to request for your COA email: [email protected] . You will surely get it afterwards


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Thank you Mrbentley for this address! When I look online it seems it is more to get a duplicate of a CofA or a new one when the original one has expired.

Has anyone on this forum used it to get the first CofA?

Thanks!

AL


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

From what i have read you can ask for one just provide your case Id.. There is no harm in trying.


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Submitted 26 October
Received 27 October HO
Application Returned 16th November (due to inability to deduct application fee )
Resubmitted 17 November
Received 18 November by HO 
Resubmitted fee page 18 (November due to error i made which i noticed)
Fee page received 19 Nov and deducted.
Biometrics letter received 3 Dec date 30 Nov.
Biometrics submitted 3 Dec.


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## ALBoston (Aug 13, 2015)

Update:

- Application Sent: 27/10/15
- Received by home office (tracking Royal Mail): 29/10/15
- Request for return of documents form sent: 01/11/15
- Cheques cashed: 04/11/15
- Progress enquiry form sent: 15/11/15
- Application acknowledgement received by email for EEA national: 16/11/15
- Biometrics request letter received: 17/11/15
- Biometrics done: 18/11/15
- Passports and national ID sent back by home office: 23/11/15
- Passports and national ID received from home office: 24/11/15
*- Certificate of Application received: 08/12/2015 *

Finally!


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Lol, you are so excited ...


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## RR_ZA (Dec 17, 2015)

*EEA permits and working*

Hello, 

I am a South African national and relocated to the UK in late October with my Italian wife (she's exercising her treaty rights by working here). 

I submitted my residence card application on 19 November. I also time started applying for jobs in the UK - I was told in SA and through calls to the UKVI that I would be allowed to work on the EEA family visa I obtained in SA. 

I have been made an offer of appointment but I am still waiting to have any contact with UKVI since submitting my documents. 

My prospective employer has contacted UKVI to request information on my status and they have indicated that I should receive a letter (with the reference number the employer needs to do the necessary checks) within 4 weeks of the application - which is now. 

They also informed my prospective employer that they are running on schedule and that there is no backlog. 

My questions: 

- Are there any ways that I may explore to get confirmation of my status here while I wait for the letter? 

- Does the EEA family permit (valid until April 2016) cover me until the letter actually arrives (at which point I would have to submit my biometrics and wait for the Certificate of Application)

Will I just have to wait it out? With Christmas on the horizon, I am hoping that things haven't slowed down. 

I really hope that I won't have to inform my prospective employer that I won't be able to accept the offer. 

Advice/assistance most appreciated


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Hello South african, sadly you just have to wait it out, the home office will not provide you with any further documentation , just wait for your COA, and if you employer understands the EU law they will not stress you out, sadly in the uk its difficult to prove to employers your right to work without official confirmation for the home office.


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Submitted 26 October
Received 27 October HO
Application Returned 16th November (due to inability to deduct application fee )
Resubmitted 17 November
Received 18 November by HO 
Resubmitted fee page 18 (November due to error i made which i noticed)
Fee page received 19 Nov and deducted.
Biometrics letter received 3 Dec( dated 30 Nov)
Biometrics submitted 3 Dec. 
COA received 22 Dec( dated 20 dec)


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Hello people, any news yet?


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## capetonian101 (Jun 2, 2014)

Time line for EEA2 (married)
App posted-1/10/2015
Received-2/10/2015
Payment taken-6/10/2015
Bio letter received-15/10/2015(dated 12/10/2015)
Bio done-15/10/2015
COA- 31/10/2015(with work) dated 30/10/2015
Resident Card-pending

This waiting game is starting to get on my nerve.
What will happen to us all on EEA2 if the Uk leave the EU?


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Nothing will happen really, you remain where you are.


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

Hopefully you shoulf get yours this month, most people get theirs in 4months so be hopeful, uk leaving the EU will not affect you, they can't send everyone away.


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## capetonian101 (Jun 2, 2014)

Im hoping for at the latest end of February to have it.


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## Cmoi87 (Jan 8, 2016)

hello we sent the application for the residence card December 28 . I want to know how long it will take because my eea expires first of March and I want to know if I can stay in uk after this date if I still wait for answer. Thank u for ur help


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## Mrbentley (Nov 5, 2015)

You can stay for as long as you want, just be patient and follow the time lines, from the date your application fee was deducted you can count down to when you will be asked for your biometrics, say 3weeks . Good luck and stay calm.


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## Cmoi87 (Jan 8, 2016)

Thank u so much for ur answer and for ur help  u think for how long i can have my RC (if i will not have refuse)


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## Cmoi87 (Jan 8, 2016)

Hello 
Bio letter received today 19.01.2016 (dated 15/01/2016)
I should make My biometric but the home office dont send me back My passeport !!!
I want to know if its possible to make it without passeport ????
Please i need ur answer thanks lotttttt


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## Gmanindian (Jan 31, 2016)

Hello everyone. Just a quick update on my situation - I'm a Non-EEA citizen married to an EEA citizen. I applied for my RC on 16th dec, received and completed biometric on 7th Jan, received COA on 25th Jan. all the process has gone just fine but there's one problem - the Payment of £65 has not been deducted from my bank account. Don't know if I should worry about it or is this normal? 

Please reply with your opinion.

Thanks in advance


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Probably nothing to worry about, as fees are handled by a commercial firm, not UKVI.


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## Gmanindian (Jan 31, 2016)

Hey thanks Joseph. Hopefully everything is fine. I called up the home office number but also the operator was surprised. But he was also surprised that I got my biometric done and also received my COA. 
Do you know an ETA for RC as per the current situation?


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## Gmanindian (Jan 31, 2016)

Apologies - I meant Joppa. Stupid autocorrect


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Seems to be getting faster, about 2 months.


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## Gmanindian (Jan 31, 2016)

Thanks for the reply. That's a relief.


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## Cmoi87 (Jan 8, 2016)

Hello everybody 
Can i know please for how long i will receive news about My Rc ??
Thanks for answer


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## Cmoi87 (Jan 8, 2016)

Hello everyone 

Coa received : 5/02/2016 
Resident Card-pending...  

For how long i should wait ?
Thanks for ur answer


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## Cmoi87 (Jan 8, 2016)

Please can i have some answer !!! Need help


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Latest news is it's taking about 5-6 months.


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## Cmoi87 (Jan 8, 2016)

Thank you joppa have a good day


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## ccarlosdiazd (Jul 28, 2015)

Hi guys, I'm a non EU citizen married to an eu citizen, submitted my application for rc on march, biometrics were taken on earlier days of April, and since then I haven't received the CoA. Im leaving my current job and will be starting a new job in a month but my new employer is asking me for my documents (passport, Visa, etc) is there anything I could do except wait? I'm out of the timelines now, that's why I'm concerned


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Contact the European section and politely request CoA: https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi/european-nationals


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