Permanent Residence (PR) is a type of residency status you can seek in the UK if you are an EU citizen living in the UK. You must meet certain other requirements to be eligible before you can file a Permanent Residence Application.
This particular type of residency is available to EU citizens under the European law. A PR is similar to the Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) which is granted to non-EEA citizens who must adhere to the UK immigration law. The requirements for PR and ILR are similar and so are the residency rights available once you are granted either status.
If you are looking to apply for EEA PR, you can consult the Permanent Residence application lawyers London at the London-based Adam Bernard’s can help. Our British residence solicitors London offer tailored advice and guidance that is relevant for each specific residency application.
UPDATE: In the wake of Brexit, the EEA PR application is no longer available to EEA nationals. Instead, you must now apply for Pre-Settled or Settled status if you wish to move to UK after Brexit. Such an application can be filed under the EU Settlement Scheme or EUSS.
The deadline for EUSS applications was June 30, 2021. EU citizens in UK can apply for a residency status in the UK under EUSS if they had been living in the UK before December 31, 2020. It is also possible for the non-EEA family members of EU citizens to apply under the scheme.
You can still apply after the deadline if you qualify as an exception. Our European nationals solicitors can advise you on whether or not you qualify.
You have two ways to submit an application for EEA PR. You can apply online or submit a paper-based application. The paper-based application comprises of an 85-page form and it can be quite daunting to fill it out. In contrast, the online application is more intuitive and you can easily fill it out by providing the relevant details.
You must provide the required information along every step of the online application before you can go to the next step. So it is important to have all relevant information and documents at hand before you start filling the form. Our European nationals solicitors can help you bring it all together.
Another advantage of an online application is that you get back your passport in a matter of days. To do this, you must book an appointment to have your passport checked by the local authorities in the UK. This must occur within 5 days of submitting the Permanent Residence application.
Once the authorities check your passport for relevant details, it is returned to you through the European Passport Return Service.
It is important to note that not all applicants have the option of submitting an online application. You must apply through the paper-based form if:
You can consult our Permanent Residence application lawyers London to see whether or not you can apply online. Our British Residence solicitors London can also help you if you must submit a paper-based application.
You are eligible to apply for a Permanent Residence if you meet the following requirements:
If you are applying as the non-EEA family member of an EEA citizen, the following requirements apply:
You can consult our European nationals solicitors to know the precise set of requirements you must fulfil. Our British residence solicitors London can also advise you how best to satisfy these requirements.
An EEA PR grants you the right to live in the UK for the rest of your life. There are no restrictions on your entry or exit, which means that you don’t need a visa to enter or leave the UK. You can also work, study, and reside anywhere in the British territories.
However, the continuity of the PR status is subject to certain conditions. If you leave the UK for 2 continuous years without returning, the Home Office can revoke your permanent residency status on its discretion.
Your PR status is also subject to your adherence to British law and any serious or criminal offences may have an impact on it.
As noted above, it is no longer possible for you to apply for an EEA Permanent Residence in the UK following Brexit. At the same time, the EUSS deadline has passed and unless you qualify as an exemption, you can’t apply for PR any more.
If you already have a Pre-Settled or Settled Status under EUSS, you can continue living in the UK. Once you have been in the UK for five years, you can then apply for a permanent residency status and ultimately apply for British citizenship. You also have the option of seeking a Frontier Worker Visa as a European national in the UK.
The Home Office is yet to devise new immigration rules for the European nationals who want to arrive, work, live, or settle in the UK. For this reason, the precise UK immigration options for European citizens are unclear at this time. You can consult reputable European national solicitors to get the latest updates in this area.
If you have been living in the UK as a European national and are no longer sure of your status, or if you want to come and settled in the UK, it is critical that you consult reliable British residence solicitors London.
If you are an EU national and came to the UK after January 1, 2021, you will need to meet specific requirements to be eligible for settled status. Similarly, non-EEA nationals can also seek settlement in the UK through the Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) once they satisfy the minimum residency requirements.
To be eligible for ILR as an EU or non-EU national, you may need to fulfil the following criteria:
You must also meet other requirements such as passing the Life in the UK Test, and demonstrating a minimum level of English language proficiency.
To apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after you meet the aforementioned requirements, you must follow these steps:
You may also need to meet other requirements and provide other documentation as a part of your settlement application. Our Permanent Residence application lawyers London can offer valuable advice in this regard.
Being home to the top British residence solicitors London, Adam Bernard’s law firm offers tailored advice and guidance. If you are a European national who wants to study, live, or work in the UK, our European nationals solicitors can offer detailed advice on the options available to you.
Our British residence solicitors London will work with you to explore these options and see which one best suit your need. The British residence solicitors London at our law firm also assist you throughout the application process to ensure that your application is complete and accurate before you submit it.
Call us today at 0207 100 2525 to schedule a free consultation with our Permanent Residence application lawyers London.
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