EEA Citizen Applications

Anyone who is an EEA National automatically has the right to reside in the UK and can apply for a registration certificate. It is not mandatory to apply for this certificate to live legally in the UK, but it may be required in some cases:

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• If you have family members that are not EEA nationals who wish to apply for a UK family permit, you will need to provide proof that you live legally in the UK – a registration certificate will fulfil this requirement.

• Some employers may want a copy of a registration certificate to prove your eligibility to work in the UK.

• If you are an EEA national exercising Treaty rights in the UK, then you may request a registration certificate as confirmation of your right of residence under EC law.

In order to apply, you must:

• Be working

• Be studying

• Be able to support yourself independently

• Have a registration card

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If you’re a non-European family member of an EEA or Swiss national, and you will need to come into the UK with your EEA or Swiss national family and you can then apply for a residence card. This is a document which confirms your right of residence under European law. Your residence card could be an endorsement in your passport (also called a ‘vignette’), or it could be a separate document, which is called an ‘immigration status document’ – a residence card is normally valid for 5 years from the date when it is supplied.

Permanent Residence Card

If you have lived in the UK for 5 years as an EEA national and your family members who have resided in the UK for five years continuously in accordance with the EEA Regulations 2006 can also apply for Permanent Residence in the UK. Such application is made under Regulation 15 of the EEA Regulations 2006. The application form EEA (PR) is completed to submit an application for permanent residence as an EEA national or as a family member of an EEA national.

Family Permit

If you are a family member of EEA nationals from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) you can apply for a family permit to join your EEA national. EEA family permit is issued for six months and before the expiry of the EEA family permit, the non-EEA national can apply for a residence card as a family member of an EEA national. Similarly, a person who has entered the UK with a family permit under Surinder Singh principle can apply for a residence card as a family member of a British Citizen. Residence card as a family member of an EEA national is issued for five years in accordance with the EEA Regulations 2006.