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hope you can help me in an immigration matter.

I'm an EU citizen (from Finland),and have lived here for about 20 years. I would like to get a permanent residency or British Citizenship,but am not sure if I qualify.

I have worked in this country full time for approx 4,5 years. Apart from that, I have also worked part-time (but my earnings were so low I didn't have to pay tax). I have also been studying,but always part-time (don't have exact dates), and have a BSc in Business. And other times been on JSA.

However, for about the last 8 years I haven't been able to work due to mental health problems, so I'm in receipt of benefits. ESA, DLA (permanently) and Housing benefit.

I looked at the forms I would need to fill in for permanent residency card or citizenship,but they both mention that I would need to prove that I have worked or studied in this country full time for the last 5 years.


I would very much appreciate if you could help me.

babyabull wrote:hope you can help me in an immigration matter.

I'm an EU citizen (from Finland),and have lived here for about 20 years. I would like to get a permanent residency or British Citizenship,but am not sure if I qualify.

I have worked in this country full time for approx 4,5 years. Apart from that, I have also worked part-time (but my earnings were so low I didn't have to pay tax). I have also been studying,but always part-time (don't have exact dates), and have a BSc in Business. And other times been on JSA.

However, for about the last 8 years I haven't been able to work due to mental health problems, so I'm in receipt of benefits. ESA, DLA (permanently) and Housing benefit.

I looked at the forms I would need to fill in for permanent residency card or citizenship,but they both mention that I would need to prove that I have worked or studied in this country full time for the last 5 years.


I would very much appreciate if you could help me.

Maybe you can enquire into acquiring settlement (ILR) based on 'long residence' to start with, that may be a step in the right direction ...
https://www.gov.uk/long-residence

Best of luck - as you have lived here a long time, you seem committed to our country

babyabull wrote:hope you can help me in an immigration matter.

I'm an EU citizen (from Finland),and have lived here for about 20 years. I would like to get a permanent residency or British Citizenship,but am not sure if I qualify.

I have worked in this country full time for approx 4,5 years. Apart from that, I have also worked part-time (but my earnings were so low I didn't have to pay tax). I have also been studying,but always part-time (don't have exact dates), and have a BSc in Business. And other times been on JSA.

However, for about the last 8 years I haven't been able to work due to mental health problems, so I'm in receipt of benefits. ESA, DLA (permanently) and Housing benefit.

I looked at the forms I would need to fill in for permanent residency card or citizenship,but they both mention that I would need to prove that I have worked or studied in this country full time for the last 5 years.

I would very much appreciate if you could help me.

babyabull,
It appears you several options after all.

It seems you have an option to apply for PR - you say you have worked & studied in the past so all good;
there is also an option to declare any medical situation or incapacity on the PR application form.

Ref: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... _04-15.pdf

See

I’m an EEA national who ceased activity (stopped work or self-employment) due to retirement, permanent incapacity or because I’m now active as a worker or self-employed person in another EEA state

Suggest you contact a law centre or your local CAB or a migrants support group to follow this up
- they could help out in person with the application.

Best of luck.

About PR applications on medical grounds, this FOI request asks a relevant question:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ ... ent_evalua

Q. Is there UKBA policy related to "periods of incapacity or sickness" for EU citizens? This might include, but is not limited to, what types of incapacity or sickness are "allowed", or how long a period of incapacity or sickness can be.

Answer
With regard to periods of incapacity or sickness - this is detailed in the European Casework Instructions which are available on our website and regulation 5 and 6 of the 2006 Regulations refer.

Regulation 5 details the length of time a person will need to have been working prior to termination of employment and also makes allowance for workers who have become incapacitated as a result of an accident at work or an occupational disease.

Regulation 6 details the circumstances where person who is no longer working will continue to be classed as a worker.

Your five years of EU treaty rights need not be the last five years. You can use ANY five years at all to get the PR, and then you just need to prove residency in the UK for the last 5 years (without having to meet the exercising treaty criteria). Citizenship for EU citizens is made up of those two parts, even though they often overlap: normal residency criteria everyone has to meet, which applies to the most recent few years + EU treaty exercise to acquire PR, which takes 5 years during any of the time you've lived in the UK.

If you can combine the 4.5 years of work with 0.5 years of continuous part time work (ie, one contract, even if only for a few hours, that went for the continuous half year) or continuous studies, that together form a continuous 5 years, then you would qualify from the EU PR perspective, and then you living here covers the residency side for the last 5 years. I think (but am not 100% sure) that you wouldn't need to prove CSI for the studies as you'd have done that before those rules came into place just a few years ago.

Best of luck.

Thank you sooooo much for your kind replies! have been a big help to me,and I can now start researching these points more. many thanks again

Hello
Planning to go to Sri Lanka for medical treatment for about 1 year. Thought it is good to apply for British citizenship now but as planning to go in mid July for treatment unable to apply as I need the passport to travel.

1. Is there a way to hand in citizenship application over the counter?
2. Is it possible to handover application to the local CAB office and get back the passport?
3. As it is a requirement not to be absent for more than 90 days before applying is it possible to apply from overseas through the British High commission as then no problem not having the passport with me until it is approved.
4. Do I have to produce a letter from the GP about this and what sort of letter should I have to attach to the application? what should the letter say.a

Pl advise as hoping to travel during the 2nd week of July 2015

Thank you.

upparj123 wrote:Hello
Planning to go to Sri Lanka for medical treatment for about 1 year. Thought it is good to apply for British citizenship now but as planning to go in mid July for treatment unable to apply as I need the passport to travel.

1. Is there a way to hand in citizenship application over the counter?
2. Is it possible to handover application to the local CAB office and get back the passport?
3. As it is a requirement not to be absent for more than 90 days before applying is it possible to apply from overseas through the British High commission as then no problem not having the passport with me until it is approved.
4. Do I have to produce a letter from the GP about this and what sort of letter should I have to attach to the application? what should the letter say.a

Pl advise as hoping to travel during the 2nd week of July 2015

Thank you.

1. Use local NCS (offered by local councils for reasonable fee);
documents, including passport (but not LITUK certificate), will be returnd to you.

2. No, don't think so (unless they offer NCS) - use NCS as #1

Be careful about being absent so long.
You will need your UK household mail monitored in case of any followups and questions from HO.

You will also need to be in UK to provide biometrics when summoned to do so;
also to attend naturalisation ceremony.