emilyscage

Hello all,
After you helped us so much with the EEA, I am writing you now to ask about the EEA2.
My wife (got the EEA visa through Surinder Singh) and I (British) are moving to the UK in a month.
Our both professions require us to be freelancers, so we need to open small companies in the UK once we get there.
My question is what is the procedure to do this in the UK for my wife?
From what I read she need to attach a letter from employer to the EEA2 request? but in her profession she will be working in an acrobatics studio and they don't employ teachers, they pay freelancers.
Also, how long after the application can she open her business and start working? as they want her to start working as soon as possible....

Thank you guys!

BritInParis

Have a read of Form EEA2 and the guidance notes.

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...Card_06-14.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...3/guideeea.pdf

You are the sponsor so it'll be your employment details they are interested in. Also as a Surinder Singh application then it's evidence that you were working in another EEA Member State prior to returning to the UK that is most important. If you are/were self-employed then Form EEA2 has a section for both of you to complete your self-employment details. You don't need letters from your employer but other evidence that you are self-employed such as evidence of paying national insurance contributions, bank statements which show income earned or accountants’ letters. Payslips if you have them would also be acceptable.

You can both start working immediately. The EEA residence card is not a mandatory requirement for your wife to remain in the UK though it is useful to have to allow your wife to leave and enter the UK without reapplying for an EEA Family Permit each time.

emilyscage

So the minute we apply she can start work? What about opening a freelancer company? She need an NIN first no?

BritInParis

Providing she has an EEA Family Permit she can work from the moment she arrives in the UK. Bear in mind however that the EEA2 application will take around 3-6 months to be processed and your wife will be without her passport during this time.

emilyscage

From what I understand she can ask for her passport back after she applies. Are you sure about the ability to work with EEA permit? (she just got it), I thought she need the EEA2 to be able to start working and get NIN.

chaoclive

My civil partner got his NINO after entering the UK on an EEA family permit. I called them to request an application form. The number we used was: 0845 6000643. They sent me a form within a few days and we had the NINO in about 10 days after application. They asked for copies of all UK visas in the passport. I also wrote a cover letter explaining our situation.

It DEFINITELY is possible to work on an EEA FP and my civil partner is living proof of this. However, I'm not familiar how to go about the process for self-employment/freelancing, although this is perfectly legal too.

Non-EEA citizens do not have to apply for EEA2, it is not a compulsory document. It does make many things easier though.

You can definitely request your passports back from the Home Office after the application for an EEA2 residence card has been lodged. We did exactly this just after we received our COA and we got both of our passports back within 10 days of the request. See here: https://eforms.homeoffice.gov.uk/out...Documents.ofml.

emilyscage

Thank you so much for the answers!
What about NHS? How does this work for my wife? What does she need to do to be able to go to a doctor if she need to?

chaoclive

My partner registered with a gp after he got his NINO. No questions asked and he was issued an NHS card in a week or so. He has been to the doctor once. No issues. Think it went smoothly cos I was working.

emilyscage

Hi all,
We are now working on the EEA2, there is a new form and i was wandering if this is the right one?
https://www.gov.uk/government/upload..._FM__01-15.pdf

not2old

unfortunately yes, its the new 129 pager effective 30 January which is longer, replacing the old 38 pager

https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-uk-re...rd/eligibility

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...er-form-eea-fm

emilyscage

Thank you!
Do we have to print it all or just the relevant parts?
And by the way who makes the application? me (British citizen) or my wife? (Israeli citizen)

not2old

the whole 129 pages

She fills it out with your help of course

Section 21 page 126, she, as the applicant signs it, section 21B next page, the sponsor signs it

Good luck

not2old

emilyscage, as an option, rather than applying for the EEA2, why not have her apply for the NI number first so she can begin the freelance work... post#6 above

Then apply for the 'Residence card'?

emilyscage

She already got her NIN and today opened a business and started working since last month.
We still need the EEA2 no?

not2old

Good news on those points.

see the post below from earlier in the thread.

Now, if it was my Spouse I'd have them apply for the Residence Card (RC), because 5 years down the road when applying for the 'permanent residence card and Citizenship - you'd want to have the RC to go with the rest of the documents at that time.

Also, when traveling out of the country & coming back in may make it just that one step easier at the Border control by having the wallet size RC & its also another piece of ID as well as a back up document.

Good luck with it