Guidance Notes for Applying as a European National or as the Family Member of a European National

GUIDANCE NOTES FOR APPLYING AS A EUROPEAN NATIONAL OR AS THE FAMILY MEMBER OF A EUROPEAN NATIONAL

Version 1.0, July 2009

The following notes advise EEA nationals – which for these purposes includes European citizens, and nationals of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland – and members of their families about the documentation they will need to support an application made under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 (“the 2006 Regulations”). These notes explain what information EEA nationals and members of their family who are living in the United Kingdom need to supply in order to apply for a registration certificate or a residence card to confirm the holder’s rights of residence under European law. The notes also explain what information EEA nationals and their families need to supply in order to apply for confirmation of permanent residence (which is usually acquired after living in the United Kingdom in accordance with the 2006 Regulations for five years, but may be acquired earlier than that in some circumstances – see regulation 15 of the 2006 Regulations). Please note that this material is not applicable for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals, who should go to www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/eucitizens/bulgarianandromaniannationals/ for further information.

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REGISTRATION CERTIFICATES
A registration certificate is a document issued to an EEA national that confirms that person’s right of residence under European law as at the date of issue. You are not required to have a registration certificate to enter, live or work (or exercise any other treaty right) in the United Kingdom. If you are a national of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia or Slovenia working in the UK under the Workers Registration Scheme, you are not eligible to apply for a registration certificate until you have completed 12 months of continuous employment in the United Kingdom or otherwise ceased to be subject to that...