not2old

thanks Dave, just needed that confirmed for those that may believe they can short cut it

not2old

Dave, for those going the SS route in Malta, as a general budget guideline, could you please provide some approximate costs similar to what Angela provided for us in post# 421

For a couple, on the basis they're going the 'employed route' - exclude flights or groceries. Thanks

Initial 30 days to finding rental accommodation,

Start up settlement costs

Short term rental costs (half decent self catering apartment))

other costs


Then the month/month costs

Approx average monthly € costs in euro Total all-in (exclude grocery & entertainment) =

Rent (one two bedroom furnished apartment (Silema/Valletta) or a recommended area - include deposits/security as applicable
Utilities (what are they)
Transportation, type
Cell phones/internet/TV
Banking charges/costs
other

britishsunshine

Hi Angela
Thanks for sharing. I am currently in Dublin also and is going through the SS route and have just applied for Residence card for my husband. would love to join your facebook group.

not2old

Welcome to BE & the SS thread.

What has been your experience going the SS route through Ireland so far - good, bad, indifferent?

DaveLovesDee

Home phone + internet €20 per month with GO

not2old

Dave post #440.... thanks

For the SS route through Malta ...

If I may use those numbers & put them into Angela type format as well as summarize what you've told us previously. I have included input from others.

Please comment or make suggestions or changes to what I have posted below

- EU citizen landing in Malta with non EU spouse/partner, through immigration

The SS activities start, hopefully complete & in home country ASAP

Start up costs first 30 days while you find your way around

- Short term accommodation pre-booked prior to arrival [~30 days] €450 - €500

- Cell/mobile phones from (GO provider) €30 each one + €10 top up

- Bus transportation ~€30 each person 30 days

- Groceries & eating out two people ~€500 ++

Settling in from this point forward,keep copies of everything you do

- Comprehensive insurance if not already obtained prior to landing in Malta

- Set up a Bank account (suggested no fee) Banif bank as the easiest to do

- Get a Heath card and/or Residence card (subject to finding work or self employed)

- Obtain library cad, store loyalty cards

- Locate furnished rental accommodation for the next up to 6 months. Use local agents or ads in newspapers/on-line. Frank Salt, Remax, quicklets, Bernards agents

- Rented accommodation ~ €600 -€1000/mth - expect first & last months rent + 50% agents fee

- Utilities ~€130/mth (Gas, electricity, water)

- Internet/phone line combo €20/mth

- start looking for employment, expect €5/hr minimum wage as well as some difficulty. Seasonal work during the tourist season. Take any job that gets you through 3-4 months, even if its several PT jobs

- Three months after employment begins, make an application for the 'Family Permit'

Fair Lady

Anyone know if there has ever been a refusal for the FP (after exercising treaty rights for 6 months) when some of the dependant children are adopted and USA Cits? I would love to know if there are any families who have gone the SS route with adopted children and were accepted.

DaveLovesDee

As far as I'm aware, adopted children are treated exactly the same as natural children.

100% success rate for FP applications via Malta, including a UK/USA couple with a child.

not2old

I want to share the following with you for those that continually mention to give it 6 mths exercising the SS route through Ireland & the need to get a 'family permit' before arriving in the UK then applying for the Residence Card

Please do not shoot the messenger

EEA2 Surinder Singh 3 Month Success Story : EEA-route Applications • Immigrationboards.com

DaveLovesDee

They were lucky.

No FP application, went via Belfast to Manchester (rarely are immigration officers covering these), and a UK RC issued without any problems.

Yes, SS can be done quickly if you're lucky, but my personal view (and experience) is that you need at least 10 weeks employment/self-employment (payslips/invoices) which can be at least an extra month if you're paid/invoice monthly. By going via Belfast back to the UK, they cut off another 3-4 weeks of waiting for the FP as well. As the UK haven't incorporated recent ECJ judgements into UK law yet, this is a risk each SS-er has to decide for themselves. I usually add another month after this for giving notice to employer and landlord (especially if you've paid a large deposit).

It's also easier (and cheaper sometimes) to take a 6-month lease than shorter one, especially in areas of high demand.

DaveLovesDee

I'm also aware of someone who has recently been granted their FP at the 3rd time of application.

After a year in Ireland!

not2old

details please of the reason it was 3x applications & why it took so long ... was?

DaveLovesDee

The applicant applied aft 6 months and 9 months, then 11 months. First 2 times were wrongly refused on 'centre of life' by an IO who has refused most of the applications they've dealt with.

not2old

maybe its time to refresh the 'UKVI policy on SS route applications. From the horses mouth

"FOI Release 30270/31444.

Guidance issued to caseworkers for assessing applications made under the Surinder Singh route from 1 January 2014.

The information was released on 20 January 2014."


https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...nder_Singh.pdf

From that first training slide used by caseworkers

"Centre of life" being the most critical

Transferral of the centre of life

Period of residence in the EEA state as a worker or self-employed person
Generally, the longer the British citizen has been exercising Treaty rights in another EEA member state, the more likely it is that they will have transferred the centre of their lives.There is still no minimum time period that must be spent in the host member state and all cases must be assessed on their own merits.

Caseworker guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...-_redacted.pdf

I suppose a Brit living in the UK, work & play decides to go the SS route through a member state with his/her spouse - should make 100% sure the 'centre of life' rules are followed & met.

If the Brit together with their non EU spouse/partner (after living together in a non EU country) are coming from another country in the commonwealth, the USA, Asia to a member state to exercise the SS route, then it would seem the 'centre of life' is not in question.

The second part of the SS route is life in the member state: working, bank accounts, paying tax, utilities, rent, add a library card, loyalty card - it cant be more simple, except & it would appear the UKVI own interpretation that they take into account the sponsor has worked or been self-emplyed for 3 months prior to the (applicant) spouse making the application for the 'Family permit'

So if you enter a member state, take a 3 month holiday before starting a work activity - then the time will pass.

The UKVI use the term 'Integration' (don't you just like that one). Simply, if your 'centre of life' is not clean to show you have broken away your 'life the UK' and integrated life in the member state, then I would expect you'd have some difficulty at the time of the 'Family permit' application

not2old

That of course was based on what the 'Applicant' said, without detailed facts or the IO position?

I'm guessing, some folks just don't get the clean cut 'centre of life' & blindly (we can con the IO) thinking that they can keep ties to the UK, several ways, from - leave of absence from their job, keep bank accounts, a residence, paying rent, phone bills, utilities etc.

As for the IO (bless them) are just following policy to the letter. I would be the same 100%, that if it isn't clean cut, then 'refuse the application' till it is right

- Centre of life is key

- Being in employment/self-employment in a member state ASAP,

- Integration of life in the member state

- Residence, utilities, bills the lot