Immigrationboards.com

Good morning all,

I would kindly ask you to assist me with these questions.

My personal circumstances, in a nutshell:
- Italian Citizen and registered with AIRE since 1994 (Italian Consulate as a citizen permanently living outside Italy). Moved to the UK in Dec 1993 after being in a relationship with my now wife of 22 years (British Citizen). Got married in the UK (Registry Office) in early 1994.We have a grown up daughter who holds double citizenship.
- Have worked continuously since arriving in the UK for major recognisable international companies and we have never lived anywhere else but the UK in this timeframe.
- Never applied for PR or anything certifying my status due to the length in the country and my marriage to a BC and not being a requirement for me, since in principle I would have exercised my EU Treaty Rights by 1999 under the pre 2006 rules.

Following the Referendum I have decided that I will need to permanently secure my position and started looking for British Citizenship. I have done an extensive research online and I am really confused on these points. Can you please answer them for me?

1) Do I need to apply for a EEA PR document or card prior to submitting my application for Citizenship? Which of the two types do I need and which of the downloaded forms (EEA_PR or EEA_QP?)

2) If I don't need to prove my PR status, what evidence for what period would I need to submit with the application? Should I only look back at supplying evidence (P60's, payslips etc) for the last 3 years here? Also in relation to absences from the UK (never been absent as such, just a few days off on hols or work abroad) - Do I only have to report the last 3 years?

3) Do I really need to sit an English language test or just the "Life in the UK" test?

Thank you so much for any input you can provide. The more I read the more confused I am becoming!

Cheers!

Regarding point 3) Life and English Tests I think I can comment (being newbie):
Life Test seems to be compulsory unless you are 65 or over, or there are certain medical circumstances which you have to prove. But it's very easy and there are some good resources on the web, plus the 3rd edition of the book. I spent three minutes in the exam room and passed 100%. OK, it costs £50 ... but then BC doesn't come cheap ....
B1 English Test (£150) should be a doddle for you having been in the country for so long. As I don't have a degree but professional qualifications I thought I can rely on those for English proficiency. Sat 16 papers all in English, hand written! But HO won't accept that... so took the easy route and passed B1 with distinction.
I'll leave the more technical aspects of your query with the experts.
Good luck!

Do you have an ILR stamp in any of your old passports? ILR was issued to EEA citizens on request pre-October 2000. If you have that, you do not need confirmation of PR. Else, you do.

JustMeConfused wrote:1) Do I need to apply for a EEA PR document or card prior to submitting my application for Citizenship? Which of the two types do I need and which of the downloaded forms (EEA_PR or EEA_QP?)

Apply for a Document certifying Permenent Residence (DCPR) on EEA_PR.

JustMeConfused wrote:2) If I don't need to prove my PR status,

You do, so the rest of the question is moot.

JustMeConfused wrote:3) Do I really need to sit an English language test or just the "Life in the UK" test?

See Who doesn't need to prove their knowledge of English. A UK degree qualification counts for this purpose.

Hi guys,

Thanks a lot for the speedy replies. Much appreciated.
I have kept both my expired passports covering 1996 to 2007. Both of these were issued by my consulate in London and clearly state my residence as "town name" (Gran Bretagna). I lived in the same town for 18 consecutive years. I cannot find any ILR stamp as of course the passports were Italian, so who would stick a British stamp on it? Certainly not the Italian Consulate in London.

So do you think that's enough proof of my PR status or do I still need to go down the EEA PR route first and do you recommend to include these expired passports along with my current valid one?

Appreciated again thanks!

JustMeConfused wrote:who would stick a British stamp on it?

British Immigration Officers at the airport. As mentioned, it was only done at request.

In the absence of an ILR stamp, you must apply for and get a DCPR using Form EEA_PR.

How have you exercised treaty rights in the UK? Have you worked for five continuous years and do you have proof of that?

secret.simon wrote:

JustMeConfused wrote:who would stick a British stamp on it?

British Immigration Officers at the airport. As mentioned, it was only done at request.

In the absence of an ILR stamp, you must apply for and get a DCPR using Form EEA_PR.

How have you exercised treaty rights in the UK? Have you worked for five continuous years and do you have proof of that?

I have worked full time consistently for 22 years. Moved a few companies but mostly been at a employer on average 7 or 8 years each. Hope that answers your question?

You will have to pass the Life in the UK test, and unless you have a UK degree (or a foreign one taught in English), you will need to pass an English test too.

Don't worry, I completely understand it is absurd.