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Hi all, I have a query I hope you can help me with.

This is the situation:

-Italian national (so EU enjoying free movement)
-moved here in May 2001 to work
-applied for residence certificate in 2013, granted in spring 2013
-would like now to apply for citizenship

I seem to understand that as a EEA national you can apply for citizenship in two ways:
1) using your residence certificate, which means waiting 1 year after it was issued to apply
2) not using the residence certificate, which means re-submitting all the paperwork that you had submitted to obtain the certificate in the first place.

Can you confirm this is right?
And if so, what is the best course of action, 1) or 2)?

thanks!

See Q1 & Q5 in Citizenship FAQs - Common Questions - Read before posting.

There isn't a better option. Both are essentially the same.

Jambo wrote:See Q1 & Q5 in Citizenship FAQs - Common Questions - Read before posting.

There isn't a better option. Both are essentially the same.

Thanks Jambo for your swift reply.

In case one uses the route of using the certificate, does one have to provide paperwork to cover for the year from the date of issue of the PR certificate to the date naturalisation application?

It's not clear on the ukba website.

thanks!

No.

You don't need to prove treaty rights. Just residence and for that a passport is enough.

Jambo wrote:No.

You don't need to prove treaty rights. Just residence and for that a passport is enough.

Sorry I am a bit confused.
The passport is Italian, so how does that prove residence?
Did you mean certificate of residence?

thanks again

I suggest you read the last page of the application form (form AN) to see what is required to apply for naturalisation.
Passport is used to prove identity and residence.
PR Confirmation is used to prove you are free from immigration control.

Jambo wrote:I suggest you read the last page of the application form (form AN) to see what is required to apply for naturalisation.
Passport is used to prove identity and residence.
PR Confirmation is used to prove you are free from immigration control.

That's the issue, I checked and rechecked and it's not clear at all.
I tried calling and they don't know.
By the way EU passports don't carry an address, so they can't t be used to prove residence.

What I'm trying to understand is: if I use the route of applying for naturalisation using the PR certificate, do I have to provide documents for the year from date of issue of said certificate to date of naturalisation application?
How do the know I was still here exercising my EEA rights in that year?

knitter wrote:

Jambo wrote:I suggest you read the last page of the application form (form AN) to see what is required to apply for naturalisation.
Passport is used to prove identity and residence.
PR Confirmation is used to prove you are free from immigration control.

That's the issue, I checked and rechecked and it's not clear at all.
I tried calling and they don't know.
By the way EU passports don't carry an address, so they can't t be used to prove residence.

What I'm trying to understand is: if I use the route of applying for naturalisation using the PR certificate, do I have to provide documents for the year from date of issue of said certificate to date of naturalisation application?
How do the know I was still here exercising my EEA rights in that year?

Proof of residence is not a proof where you live but proof you have been in the UK to meet the residential requirements (less than 450 days of absence in 5 years, less than 90 days in the last year).
It's true that EU passports don't get stamped. Having said that a passport is enough to meet the requirements.

Once you have obtained PR status, you don't need to exercise treaty rights anymore and not required to prove it either.

That's the issue, I checked and rechecked and it's not clear at all.
I tried calling and they don't know.
By the way EU passports don't carry an address, so they can't t be used to prove residence.

What I'm trying to understand is: if I use the route of applying for naturalisation using the PR certificate, do I have to provide documents for the year from date of issue of said certificate to date of naturalisation application?
How do the know I was still here exercising my EEA rights in that year?[/quote]

Proof of residence is not a proof where you live but proof you have been in the UK to meet the residential requirements (less than 450 days of absence in 5 years, less than 90 days in the last year).
It's true that EU passports don't get stamped. Having said that a passport is enough to meet the requirements.

Once you have obtained PR status, you don't need to exercise treaty rights anymore and not required to prove it either.[/quote]


Thanks, the part about the PR status is very clear.
But I am quite surprised that a passport that doesn't get stamped can be used to meet te residential requirements.
How do they know?

knitter wrote:
But I am quite surprised that a passport that doesn't get stamped can be used to meet te residential requirements.
How do they know?

You can prove in so many ways.

- Bank statement

- Utility bills

- Flat/house contact

- Payslip

askmeplz82 wrote:

knitter wrote:
But I am quite surprised that a passport that doesn't get stamped can be used to meet te residential requirements.
How do they know?

You can prove in so many ways.

- Bank statement

- Utility bills

- Flat/house contact

- Payslip

Yes, you are right. But I don't think you have read the thread.
My question is different, and I'll repeat it:
in case you apply for naturalisation using your PR certificate, you have to wait one year before since issue of said certificate.
Now, do you have to provide documents to meet the residential requirements for that last year or not?
Their call center said yes to be on the safe side, but they were uncertain.

It is not clear cut or black and white. You can go round in circles forever.

If you have some proofs, just submitt them. They will return all the originals once the application is decided.