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I am a non-EU citizen married to an EU citizen, holding a EEA FP visa for 6 months. As I want to remain here with my spouse, I need to ask for the residence card. My spouse works for an Italian Company with an Italian contract but she works in UK for the Italian company (the contract is Italian not UK). My spouse arrived in UK 6 months ago and I arrived 4 months ago. I called the help phone number for Europeans and what I understood is that if I want to keep my passport, instead of applying for a residence card, I have to apply for a Registration certificate (QP) with my wife online. With this service I can use the return passport service and keep my passport while they are processing the application.

If I do that, do I have to apply also for a Residence Card? Or is the Registration certificate (QP) a kind of residence card?

How long does it take to get the Registration certificate (QP)? If I applied only for the Registration certificate (QP), for how long if this document valid? Can I work in the meantime only having the Registration certificate (QP)?

I am very confused about whether the Registration certificate (QP) for my spouse and me is equivalent to a residence card.

To remain in UK is it enough that we (my EU spouse and I) apply for the Registration certificate (QP) or do I have to apply also for the residence card?

Can you please help me to understand if it is possible to get a residence permit without leaving my passport for 6 months? That is the time the residence card process takes.

It is possible to ask again for the EEA Family permit in Italy? How long do I have to be outside UK to ask again for the EEA Family permit in Italy? Is there any restriction about the number of times you can ask for the EEA FM Visa?

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The Registration Certificate is for EEA nationals only. The way it works is that your spouse applies for that includes you in the application. If you're both approved, she gets the certificate and you get a residence card.

To do this, your spouse must use the online application:

In your application you can include your spouse, civil partner, children and other relatives if they are currently in the UK with you and are dependent on you, or part of your household, even if they are a non-EEA national.

By contrast, the paper application says:

You cannot include your family members on this form. If you have a partner, family members or other relatives, and they wish to apply for a registration certificate or residence card, they must apply separately and each pay the specified fee.

If you apply online, you can use the European Passport Return Service:

You can use this service if you are an EEA or Swiss national and you have applied online for a registration certificate or a document certifying permanent residence. You can also include any family members (of any nationality) who you have included in your online application.

You should also note that you are not required to be in possession of a residence card or an EEA family permit to remain in the UK. You can always prove your right to remain in the UK by proving your relationship to your spouse. It therefore makes no sense to "ask again for the EEA Family permit in Italy," unless you need to go to Italy for some reason and need a new one to get back into the UK. There is no restriction on the number of times you can get an EEA family permit.

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  • Thank you very much!!! I was worried about the right to work, because I want to find a job and I didn't know that together with the registration certificate of the EU they give also the residence card for the non EU. Also, as in some of the jobs I applied they need that I travel outside UK, and in the process of the residence card they keep my passport for 6 months, I was very worried. But I think with that option is perfect! Do you know how long it takes the passport return service? The passport of the non EU is returned? And do you know if they give you a COA saying that the non EU can work?
    – user3084383
    Commented May 14, 2017 at 8:34
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    @MarceS I'm afraid I don't know these things, except that they're unlikely to give you anything authorizing you to work, because they haven't yet determined whether you are in fact eligible.
    – phoog
    Commented May 14, 2017 at 14:51

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