My wife is an EU Citizen (Irish) and has been given a job in Sweden. I'm South African and have been told that I should apply for a residence card and that the process will take around 15 months.
If I've understood the Migrationsverket Website correctly, I'm entitled through EU right of residence (as a spouse) to live and work in Sweden while waiting for my application to be processed. While waiting I should enter Sweden using a Schengen visa, which will expire shortly after I arrive, and present myself for photographs and fingerprints as soon as possible once in Sweden.
Once I have completed this process, and I'm waiting 15 months for the application to be processed, how will I show my status as a legal resident of Sweden when traveling or applying for work?
Some examples:
As my Swedish visa will have expired, will I be able to leave Sweden to travel to South Africa and visit my family, or will they stop me at the border as it appears I have been living illegally past the terms of my visa?
If they don't stop me, will I be able to re-enter Sweden as my visa is both expired and the terms were infringed by staying past the term?
Will I be able to travel through the EU as a tourist while waiting for my application to be processed?
How do I apply for work, open bank accounts etc, and prove that I'm legally allowed to live and work in Sweden?
Thank you for reading this, any help would be greatly appreciated.