Our site is back up and running… well our old one, anyway. Just WAIT until you see Keith’s new design! It’s so nice!
For those of you following Becky’s VISA STORY… WE GOT A MIRACLE!!!
It’s a notoriously messed up and slow process… some people have been waiting 14 months! And we got Beck’s visa back in THREE WEEKS!
Becky has been involved in forum (chat room) of people in her same situation… married to an European Union citizen and living in the UK. She’s been making “friends” with fellow immigrants on this forum and wrote her story after a few others asked her. We decided that, even here, God should get the Glory because there really is no other way to explain this.
So… there’s the short version. It’s all done. Beck is good to go for 5 years. If you want to read the more detailed story of what Becky wrote on the forum for immigrants, please read below…
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Hi again all… I’ve been rendered speechless this week. I can’t find any other way to describe my story than a complete miracle.
Here’s my story:
I’m American. My husband is Dutch. We were married on 04/04/09.
10 January 2009 – still in the States, called UK Border Agency in New York City for advice at $3.00 a minute on the call because their free email advice was telling me that I needed the Marriage Visa to enter and marry someone present and settled in the UK. I was brand new to this whole process and had no idea what I was doing, so I wanted to make sure my fiance being Dutch and not British didn’t effect this advice they gave me via email. The phone call ended with the same advice: Marriage Visa.
23 January 2009 – granted 6 month marriage visa for $850.
21 March 2009 – entered UK for first time on this visa.
04 April 2009 – got married
20 April 2009 – returned from honeymoon, called Home Office here in UK (Croyden) to confirm my next steps. Told once again to apply for the extension of the marriage visa (FLR-M Form) for £460. But because my husband can’t part with his visa for 4 weeks (travels alot with his job), we booked a premium appointment for £660,
03 July 2009 – Premium appointment for £660 – he took a day off of work, and we went to Croyden on 03 July 2009. They immediately told us we had the wrong form, wrong appointment and wrong department. We were very discouraged all along – neither one of us are know anything about this and we were going on the advice of representatives we talked to at the Home Office. But I had a sinking feeling all along we had applied for the wrong visa. We were told to apply for the EEA2 residence card and it would take “up to 6 months.” The lady said, “but at least it’s free!” (And we didn’t pay that £660 yet for the premium appointment.)
13 July 2009 – posted EEA2 application 10 days before original marriage visa expires on 23 July. Started researching forums, etc. and found this one. Started to get really anxious and worried about several things: would I be able to travel at the end of August? Would I be let back into the country? Would I be able to work? I then learned about the Certificate of Application (COA) on this forum verifying that you have an application in the system and your old visa’s status remains the same – this is what will get me in and out of the country. But the news on this forum that this will take 10-12 months is very disheartening.
23 July 2009 – received COA (didn’t ask for it) just 10 days after posting EEA2 application. Was worried because we have upcoming travel plans and people are saying on this forum that it usually takes 7-10 days but some people said 7 weeks!
27 July 2009 – After 2 weeks of constant attempts to get through to the phone number in Liverpool and my husband even calling the office in Croyden demanding to speak to managers, etc., we sent an email requesting our passports back. We didn’t include any proof of travel – we figured they’d ask for it if they wanted it. No auto-response or anything that they received our email. (Oh, and the people in Croyden are blaming the people in New York for giving us the wrong visa and taking our money since the right thing would’ve been a family permit for free! They say we have to take that case up with the office in New York.)
04 August 2009 – about to write another email for our passports, but discover a special delivery card in our mailbox. (We missed the postman.) Tracked the number of return envelope we included in original package and it was the envelope! We thought it might be our passports, so didn’t sent another email.
05 August 2009 – go to post office to pick up envelope and see it’s a very thick envelope and think right away it’s all my papers back (supporting documents.) Was very confused and feared a rejection. After reading the letter several times to make sure and then looking in my passport, I discovered that it was all done! I HAD MY RESIDENCE CARD!!!
I’m still shocked. I have no idea how it happened in 3 weeks. We were incredibly thorough in our supporting documents (we feared we sent too much.)
We are simply believing it was a miracle.
Two small snags: My husband has been here 2.5 years and working, but never applied for a residence card. We applied for his (EEA1) at the same time and didn’t get his back. So, his passport is still in Liverpool. We sent another email AND printed and sent it via post yesterday with another return envelope included.
The other frustration: We think that original marriage visa wasn’t the right one and are wondering if we can get our money back.
But overall, we are estatic and in shock. I was debating putting my story here because I continue to have sympathy for those waiting and didn’t want to “rub it in.” I have no advice because I’m still so new to this system. But maybe the record of my events can help you.
I know people have all kinds of different beliefs, but I can tell you we prayed for a miracle and got it!