EEA Residence Card - Health Insurance

[sloopjohnb]

Hello,

I am a student planning to apply for a residence card in the UK. I have searched thoroughly for information about what to do regarding the required Comprehensive Sick Insurance to very little avail.

- I could get a EHIC from my home country, but apparently I would then need to write a letter saying my stay in the UK is temporary. However, I want to settle and work after my studies in the UK. Will the letter interfere with future applications? For instance, after the 5 years I intend to apply for permanent residence.

- If I do need to pay for private insurance, what is the cheapest plan accepted by the Home Office (or whichever office deals with these cases)?

- If I start working, do I need to be working for the 5 years to get permanent residence in the future?

Many thanks

[noajthan]

If I start working, do I need to be working for the 5 years to get permanent residence in the future?

Many thanks

You attain PR by 5 years of exercising treaty rights continuously in UK as a qualified person (eg as a student, worker, self-sufficient person, etc).
So the PR clock can start as soon as you arrive in UK & start studying (as long as you have the CSI/EHIC that a student needs to have)

[sloopjohnb]

So can I just not apply for a residence card at the moment and wait for the 5 year period, when I would then apply for permanent residence showing my EHIC as CSI for my time as a student?

Many thanks

[noajthan]

So can I just not apply for a residence card at the moment and wait for the 5 year period, when I would then apply for permanent residence showing my EHIC as CSI for my time as a student?

Many thanks

I believe you can & many people have probably done the same.

Ofcourse to submit EHIC as evidence of health cover you have to intend to stay in UK for just a short-term period of study.
You may need to submit evidence of a 'centre of life' to return to in your home country too.
But, hey, who knows what the future may bring & even the best laid plans can change
- who knows, you could decide later on to make a go of it in UK & apply for confirmation of PR.

(On the other hand UK may not be in EU by the time you graduate so the option of suddenly deciding to stay on after all may have evaporated by then ).

Good luck.

[sloopjohnb]

Thank you for your reply. Yes, I am aware that the EHIC can only be used in cases where the applicant intends to return to their home country.

Does anyone here have any experience with applying for permanent residence whilst showing the EHIC as proof of CSI for at least some of the 5 years?