I am a bit concerned about how difficult it could be to prove you have been living in the UK for the long residence route. I have been reading that under this route (10 years of legal stay in any combination of visa categories) you have to supply proof of your residence throughout the 10 years.
However, the official information is very vague as to how much it is really needed (Guidelines, here, p. 24: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... _03_16.pdf):
You should also provide documents of the type listed below to show that you were continuously resident in the UK during any periods for which you are unable to provide a passport.
- Doctor’s letter(s) showing registration for each year of your stay and lettes from hospital(s)
or other local health service(s) - Council tax letter(s) or bills for each year of your stay
- Gas, electricity and water and other domestic bills or statements for each year of your stay
- National Insurance contribution records for each year of your stay or P60 forms
- HM Revenue and Custom/Inland Revenue letter(s) and/or P60 statements of income tax
paid - Employer(s) letter(s) confirming the dates during which you have been employed
- Department for Work and Pensions letter(s) and letters or other documents from other
government departments or agencies - Full birth certificate(s), ie one which shows the parents names for any of your children
born in the UK - Mortgage document(s) showing any property you own in the UK and/or a letter from your
landord confirming the period of your tenancy - Any other documents/details which support your application
My question is... do you really need most/all of the above (when applicable)? Or do you need just a few of the above, as long as they cover the 10 years?
I mean, 10 years is a long time. What if, for half of that time, you do not have bills in your name, or a tenancy contract? What if for a few years you shared a number of houses with a number of different people who managed and kept the paper bills of the house, and with whom you have lost contact with? Can for example, proof of full-time studies, or full-time employment, or P60s, covering the 10 years compensate the fact that you cannot supply bills in your name for some of the years?
I just want to plan and start getting all necessary documents in place, and I was wondering what has been the experience of other people going through the same challenges. Any success stories where people did not supply bills or tenancy contracts, for example?
Thanks.
