EEA Family Application Lawyers London

How do I apply for a family or extended family permit?

An EEA family permit makes it easy for a non-EEA family member of an EEA citizen to enter the UK.  If you do not have a permit, you may have trouble at the UK border.

To be eligible as an EEA family member you must be:

• the spouse or civil partner of an EEA citizen
• an unmarried partner of an EEA citizen with whom you are in a lasting relationship
• a child or grandchild under 21 years old, or dependent child, or grandchild of any age of an EEA citizen
• dependent parent or grandparent of an EEA citizen

Adopted family members are treated the same as a natural family for the purposes of EEA family permits.

An extended family member is a sibling, aunt, uncle, cousin, nephew or niece who is dependent on the EEA national, or a member of their household, or is reliant on their care due to a serious health condition.

You may also qualify for a family permit under the Surinder Singh Route, or if you have a derivative right of residence or retained right of residence.  Our team can assist you in quickly establishing if you can enter or remain in the UK under any of these routes.

What criteria must be met by the EEA citizen I am joining?

The EEA citizen whom you are joining must meet the following criteria:

• have been either in the UK or travelling with you to the UK within six months of you applying for a family permit
• if they have been in the UK for more than three months, they must have the right of permanent residence or be a ‘qualified person’

What is a ‘qualified person’?

A qualified person is exercising their EU Treaty rights.  This means, they are living in another EU member state as a person who is:

• employed
• self-employed
• a student
• economically self-sufficient

They must also be legally living in the member state.  For example, if they are a student or self-sufficient, it is important they have Comprehensive Sickness Insurance.

Why do I need a Permanent Residence Card?

If you are an EEA national and you have been legally exercising your Treaty rights in the UK for at least five years, you automatically gain permanent residency status.  This is why, prior to the EU referendum, few EEA nationals living in the UK bothered to obtain a Permanent Residence Card.  However, in 2015, the UK government changed the rules, making the Permanent Residence Card part of the eligibility criteria for acquiring British Citizenship.

Therefore, if you wish to become a British Citizen, to solidify your right to stay in the UK regardless of what happens with Brexit, you must first obtain a Permanent Residence Card.

How do I qualify for a Permanent Residence Card?

To qualify for a Permanent Residence Card, you must:

• be a citizen of an EEA country
• have been living in the UK as a ‘qualified person’ for at least five years
• have followed all the immigration rules (for example, have Comprehensive Sickness Insurance if you are a student or economically self-sufficient)

Why should I instruct RVS Solicitors to help me apply for a Permanent Residence Card?

The refusal rate for Permanent Residence Cards is high.  Our solicitors are experts in dealing with EEA matters and can quickly spot if there are aspects of your application which may cause the Home Office to refuse it.  If possible, we will write a covering letter to accompany your application to explain any issues.  For example, many self-employed individuals do not have five years’ worth of invoices to submit as evidence they have been exercising their Treaty rights.  Our team can write a detailed explanation to ensure your application is not refused on these grounds.

By instructing us, you can save time, money, and relax in the confidence that we have got your EEA application in hand.

To find out more about how we can assist you with obtaining EEA Family Permits and Permanent Residence Cards, please contact our London office on 0207 841 1081 or complete our online form to make an appointment. Find out more information on our fees here.