Since Monday 17th January 2011, the way in which the UK Border Agency (UKBA) returns documents to applicants has changed. The UKBA now requires a particular type of envelope provided by the applicant for certain forms in order for the documents to be returned. The return of documents changes refer to the EEA1, EEA2, EEA3, EEA4 and FMRS forms.

The changes mean that, in order for documents to be returned using the Royal Mail ‘Signed For’ service, the applicant must enclose a dedicated Royal Mail Special Delivery or Recorded Signed For envelope with the application that is both pre-paid and self-addressed. If the applicant does not enclose a suitable envelope, documents will simply be returned using the Royal Mail’s Second Class post system.

This envelope must be large enough for all the documents that need to be returned and must have appropriate insurance. There is more information available on the Royal Mail website in order to ascertain the size and cost of the required envelopes. These can be obtained at your local Post Office.

An EEA1 form is required by EEA or Swiss nationals in order to obtain a registration certificate that confirms their right of residence in the UK according to European Law, although there is no legal requirement to have a registration certificate.

An EEA2 form is the application for a 5-year residence card, which is for family members who come to the UK with an EEA or Swiss national but are not themselves from an EEA country or Switzerland. A valid passport and evidence of their status as a family member of an EEA or Swiss national is required.

An EEA3 form is for confirmation of permanent residence for EEA and Swiss nationals and a valid identity card or passport, plus evidence of a right to permanent residence, is required.

The EEA4 form is for non-EEA nationals that wish to apply for UK permanent residence, and again a valid identity card or passport and evidence of a right to residence is required, in addition to supporting evidence to assist the application.

Residence cards are not immediately available to those people that are not from an EEA country or Switzerland and are who are in the UK with a national of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Slovenia or Slovakia as they must first apply for a FMRS (family member residence stamp), unless their EEA partner has been continuously living and working or studying in the UK for 12 months, which confirms their right of residence under European Law.