If you are an EU citizen and you live and work in the UK, you can apply for a registration certificate to make your life easier when applying for benefits and services. Here is how to do it! To make it easier to navigate and understand the explanation, we compiled a useful vocabulary list for you!
Prove your right to live in the UK
Source: www.gov.uk
You can apply for a registration certificate if you’re a citizen of a European Economic Area (EEA) country and want to prove your right to live in the UK.
You don’t need a registration certificate, but it can:
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make it easier to claim certain benefits and services
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be used to support a family member’s application for an EEA family permit or residence card
You must be working, studying or able to support yourself independently to apply.
The EEA includes all EU states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and, for immigration purposes, Switzerland.
How to apply
You can download the form and apply to the Home Office by post. Include the supporting documents listed on the form, plus payment of £55 per applicant.
Apply at a premium service centre
You can also download the form and use the premium service at a premium service centre.
If you’re a dependent, you can only use the premium service if you’re:
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a married partner of the main applicant
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a civil partner of the main applicant
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a sibling of the main applicant
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a child dependent under 22
You can’t use the premium service if you’re applying as an unmarried partner.
Getting permanent residence
You can apply for a permanent residence card if you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years as a ‘qualified person’ (ie you’ve been working, studying or supporting yourself independently). This will prove your right to live in the UK permanently.
You can also apply if you’re the family member of a ‘qualified person’ and you’ve been in the UK for 5 years.
Download and fill in the permanent residence card application form. Post it to the Home Office with the £55 fee and supporting documents listed on the form.
See what a sample application form looks like
KEY WORDS
to claim = to ask, demand
European Economic Area (EEA) = provides for the free movement of persons, goods, services and capital within the single internal market of the European Union (EU) through three of the four member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway – and all 28 member states of the EU. (Source: Wikipedia)
dependent = the children, or the husband/wife/partner of someone who works in the UK
prove your right to live in the UK = be able to show that you can live in the UK legally
sibling = brother or sister
supporting documents = documents that you need to send with your application (e.g., birth certificate, marriage certificate, rental lease, etc)
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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