Background: a few years go I applied for a visa to join my EU fiance who was living in the UK with an Indefinite Leave to Remain as a non-EU (South African) citizen. That visa was rejected (at huge expense): apparently there wasn't sufficient proof that our relationship was genuine.
NOW: We've been married for three years, living together in South Africa, and the visa situation seems magically better. If I'm understanding the EEA Family Permit correctly, I'll be able to apply at no cost, and join my wife in the UK.
Question: I'd like to speak to somebody who's actually gone this route. How easy is it in practise, and how much proof of financial support did you need? I'm lucky to also have supportive family living in the UK, but I don't know if I'll need to secure a job offer remotely as well.
Thanks for any help!
Working in England as non-EU spouse of an EU citizen?
Is your wife a UK citizen? If she is you go through the UK immigration process. If not the EU immigration process requires that she be 'exercising her treaty rights' in the UK which means working or studying - that's what you have to prove and that's the only thing you have to prove. If you want a professional opinion try here: http://oisc.homeoffice.gov.uk/how_to_fi … n_adviser/
Hi Bob
I'd already found the oisc website, but it's a bit silly because they don't seem to have advisers outside of the UK? At least, I tried the finder - http://oisc.homeoffice.gov.uk/how_to_fi … er_finder/ - and it can't find any results in South Africa. Funnily enough I tried e-mailing a Law Centre, which also offers immigration advice, and their response was that they don't offer advice to anybody outside of the UK *rolls eyes* Once I get to the UK, I'll be able to find out how to get to the UK!
My wife's not a UK citizen, but she's got an Indefinite Leave to Remain in her passport, and she's a citizen of an EEA country. The thing I'm uncomfortable about is that it looks like if you go the EEA Family Permit route you can travel to the UK, but you need to apply within the UK for residence and work authorisation. That doesn't seem right ... give up everything where I am, just to apply for authorisation when it's too late for anything else? mmm. Any thoughts?
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