Exercising treaty rights in the UK

[conference12]

Hello people,

I'm about to make an application for my wife for an EEA Family Permit, but I was slightly confused about the 'exercising treaty rights in the UK' thing.

I there a specific way to prove that I am exercising my treaty rights in the UK or a specific form to fill in?

Or is it merely a case of submitting enough information to show that I am living in the UK?

I'm a French citizen and I've been living in the UK for 20+ years since I was a young child, so is it a case of just providing enough evidence like bank statements, gas/electric bills, school and university documents to show that I have been living in the UK?

Also I am not currently working as I was made redundant from my previous job, is this something that will go against me? (I am not claiming any benefits as I am able to support myself)

Also I've never had any kind of permanent resident certificate or any kind of document to say that I am resident in the UK, is this going to be detrimental to the application?

Thanks in advance!

[Jambo]

You probably have a PR status already. It is just a question of proving it. Have you worked for 5 continuous years in the past? Can you prove it (P60s)?

[conference12]

How would I prove that I already have Permanent Resident status already?

I have bank statements and mobile phone bills going back bout 10 years, and gas/electric bills going back about 6 years.
I also have mortgage statements, but these only go back about 3 years.
I have GCSE / A-Level / degree certificates from when I was at school and uni
Also a British driving Licence, credit card statements etc.

Would the above enough to prove I have been in the UK and that I have been 'exercising my treaty rights'?

I terms of work, I was made redundant from my previous job around January 2011, and I have not been able to find employment since then, however I have been self-sufficient and not been claiming any benefits and been living off my savings (not been in any financial trouble, all bills and mortgage still getting paid).

This job I was made redundant from, I was working at that company for about 4 years, and before that I had a gap of about a year, and prior to that I had a job for about 2 years, and going back again I had a gap of 6 months and before that I was at university - So I've not had 5 years of continuous work due to the gaps in between

Would me not being in a job currently count against me?

Would not having worked for 5 years continuously count against me?

Also, do I list my status as being self-sufficient or a job seeker? Because I am self-sufficient in terms of my finances, but also looking for a job.

Thanks again!