If you would like to know more about our Permanent Residency and Naturalisation package please call our team on 0207 836 8505.
Certificate of Permanent Residency
A certificate of Permanent Residency is a settlement status under the EEA Regulations 2006/ 2016, and is open to EEA Nationals, only. Like Indefinite Leave to Remain, EEA Nationals are required to live and work in the UK ‘Continuously’ for a period of 5 years or more before they qualify.
Certificate of Permanent Residency Requirements
- You must be an EEA National. For non-EEA Family Members applying for a Permanent Residence Card please click here
- You must show you have been exercising your treaty rights as a ‘qualified person’ in the UK for the full 5 year term.
- Qualified person is defined in the EEA Regulations 2016 as a; Job Seeker, Worker, Self Employed Person, Self Sufficient Person or Student.
- Continuity of residence is not broken from a leave of absence for 6 months or less per year. Anything more than 6 months may be considered as a break of leave, unless there are legitimate reasons for your absence such as maternity leave.
- Unlike Indefinite Leave to Remain, you do not need to sit the Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK test in order to qualify for a Certificate of Permanent Residency. However you will be required to fulfil the requirement should you wish to go on to Naturalise as a British citizen.
Certificate of Permanent Residency Process
- You can keep your passport while your application is being processed by using the European Passport Return Service.
- The fee for this service is approximately £10 per applicant.
- Otherwise, all EEA applications are considered via the postal and premium route.
- The processing fee is £65 per applicant.
- The application may take up to 6 months to process.
Key information
- An EEA National is now required to successfully apply for a Certificate of Permanent Residency before applying to Naturalise.
- There is more flexibility within the EEA Regulations 2016 compared to the UK rules for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
EEA Nationals who currently hold a Certificate of Permanent Residency, may be required to switch into a new ‘Settled Status’ in order to qualify to Naturalise.
- If you have been in the UK for more than 6 years as a qualified person you may be eligible to Naturalise immediately after your application for a Certificate of Permanent Residency has been approved.