EEA national applying for PR and British Citizenship

[frandsand18]

Hello,
I would be most grateful if you could help me with these questions. I am a German national who has been living and working in the UK since 2003.

I have just started to look into becoming a British citizen (due to Brexit), but have read so much confusing and contradicting information, that I'm very confused. My questions are:

1.Do I definitely need to apply for a permanent residence card before applying for British citizenship? (I have been in the country for 13 years now continuously).

2.If having to apply for the PR card, do I need to fill in the 85 pages form or is there a simpler way?

3.If having to apply for the PR card, is there a way I can not send my passport (I don't have an ID card to send instead) as I will need to be travelling for work?

4.Do you know how long is taking to get the PR card nowadays?

5.Would I need to apply for the British citizenship after a year of receiving the PR card, or can I apply immediately, as I have been here for 13 years (and they ask for 6 years).

6.Do you know what is the validity time for the Life in the UK test? - I would like to see if I can take it soon but I may be applying for the citizenship in some months (if I need to apply for the PR first).

Thanks a lot

[CR001]

1. Yes, you need a document certifying PR (DCPR) before you apply for citizenship. It is a mandatory requirement since 15 November 2015.

2. Yes although some people have applied by letter. Moderator noajthan might be ableasier to advise more.

3. You have to send originals. You can request your passport back after 10 days I think.

4. Roughly 6 months. There has been a huge influx of applications so expect delays.

5. If you have a 5 year qualifying period and already acquired PR at some point, you can probably apply immediately. The DCPR is only confirmation of a status you already attained in the past.

6. LIUK does not expire. You also need English B1 or a UK degree or NARIC ELA assessment if you have a foreign degree.

[noajthan]

...

My questions are:

1.Do I definitely need to apply for a permanent residence card before applying for British citizenship? (I have been in the country for 13 years now continuously).

2.If having to apply for the PR card, do I need to fill in the 85 pages form or is there a simpler way?

3.If having to apply for the PR card, is there a way I can not send my passport (I don't have an ID card to send instead) as I will need to be travelling for work?

4.Do you know how long is taking to get the PR card nowadays?

5.Would I need to apply for the British citizenship after a year of receiving the PR card, or can I apply immediately, as I have been here for 13 years (and they ask for 6 years).

6.Do you know what is the validity time for the Life in the UK test? - I would like to see if I can take it soon but I may be applying for the citizenship in some months (if I need to apply for the PR first).

Thanks a lot

1) Yes

2) Current form is not mandatory. Use earlier, simpler form.

Example here:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/eea-ro ... f#p1337424

3) No.

But you may request passport back after a few weeks.

4) Several months - check timeline topic.

Your mileage may vary.

5) Depends if you have a British spouse.

Otherwise you have to have been free of immigration time restrictions for a year (not hold a PR card for a year)

6) No expiry.

But in the immortal words of Keynes: In the long run we are all dead

[secret.simon]

To the OP,

I am a German national who has been living and working in the UK since 2003.
...
3.If having to apply for the PR card, is there a way I can not send my passport (I don't have an ID card to send instead) as I will need to be travelling for work?

3) No. But you may request passport back after a few weeks.

You may be better off applying for a German Identity Card and submitting that instead.