Permanent Residence granted without paperwork (update)

Hi all, This is an informative post to let people know a possible path to permanent residence:

My wife (Chinese) moved back to the UK with me (British) from Ireland in 2010 using the Surinder Singh route. We supplied all of the paperwork that they request, twice, for the initial 6 month and then the 5 year residence permit. By the time it came to apply for permanent residence, most of the paperwork had been lost as we have moved house a couple of times - stuff like proof I was working in Ireland, residence information, bank statements, bills etc. so we were worried when we had to fill in the form for PR which demanded all these things. To cut a long story short, we applied without any of that paperwork, but just enough to show that we had been resident and working in the UK for the past 5 years and also our daughter's birth certificate, mortgage information and stuff. We also included a cover letter stating that the 6 month entry permit and 5 year residence permit are demonstration that we fulfilled all the requirements for using the EEA route.

I'm pleased to say that this morning, her permanent residence card arrived (a proper card, too).

So for anyone who is applying via this route and doesn't have the paperwork for their time in Europe, it seems that this is a valid argument for not having it.

One swallow does not a summer make.

You may have got very lucky with your caseworker. I would not count on this being standard HO procedure.

Oh you're quite right. I did however phone the immigration office prior to submission and they did say that this is the approach we should take. It may also be that the rules have changed in the interim regarding maintenance of paperwork since we came into the country in 2010. Prior to our own application, I had not heard of anyone doing this and it is a strong point that having an EEA FP and residence permit is itself evidence that we were exercising treaty rights.