RESIDENCE CARD HOLDER

ENTERING TO THE UK

One may travel, join, to the UK with the EEA national relative when the holder has a valid residence card issued on the basis of a family member of an EEA national who is exercising the free movement rights in another state (i.e. not your EEA relative’s Member State of nationality) on the basis and pursuant to Article 10 of the directive 2004/38/EC. The residence card is a document issued by EU- law (under the free movement directive), and the  residence card of the article 10  addresses  the wording “ Residence Card of a Family Member of a Union Citizen”,  or another document from article 20 “Permanent Residence Card of a Family Member of a Union Citizen” is also acceptable. While, document issued on the basis of biometric  residence permits issued under the national law of another Member State are not acceptable and do not exempt the holder from the requirement to obtain an EEA familypermit. 

For Example: For example, a non-EEA spouse of a German national living

in Germany will usually hold a residence permit issued under German domestic law. Therefore, a United Kingdom EEA family permit is required for travel and entry to the UK.

A non-EEA spouse of a German national living and working in France will usually hold a residence card issued by the French authorities under EU law. Therefore a United Kingdom issued EEA family permit is not required for travel and entry to the UK.

If you are the non-EEA national family member of an EEA national and you do not hold a residence card issued under Article 10 or Article 20 issued by an EEA Member State, you will need to apply for an EEA family permit before travelling to the UK with/to join your EEA family member.

Having this said, a Non-Eea family member of EEA national that holds a residence card (of that of article 10 or article 20) allows   to travel, join their EEA national in the UK, provided they will present additional documents such as, having the possession of valid passport, evidence that you are a family member of EEA national e.g, marriage certificate or birth certificate- as having the “residence card” alone to be presented to the authority does not allowed you to enter to the UK, it has to come with additional documents/evidence as stated.

In addition, if you are not travelling with your EEA national family member, you will also need to show: evidence that your EEA national family member is in the UK, and evidence that they have a right of residence in the UK because: they have been in the UK for less than three months, or they are in the UK as a worker, self-employed person, self-sufficient person or student, or they have acquired a right of permanent residence in the UK under EU law. Find more information about applying for an EEA family permit.

Source: Home Office