19 year long residency - help with application

[Petulacek]

I have read the official EEA(PR) guidance notes and have a few questions on how to complete certain parts of the application and the required evidence.

I am a Czech Republic national (E8), who has lived continuously in the UK from 12 October 1998 to date.
I plan to apply for PR in Sept 2017 (when I return from holiday).

I would like to use my last 6 years of residence as the qualifying period and apply as a Worker. I then intend to apply for a passport immediately.

I have been in part time legal employment since 3 September 2007 to date with the same employer, working 30 hours per week. In addition, I acquired a second part time employment, which started on 22 January 2008. I am still working in both jobs and have P60 Forms for both employments for each year since 2007/2008 financial year.

To fill in the gaps from when I first entered the UK on 12 October 1998:

I have lived in the UK between Oct 1998 – May 2004 on ‘Student Visa’ and renewed these annually according to the legal requirements. I have only photocopies of these visas as I had to return my original passport when I renewed it.

I then commenced legal part time employment as a Mothers’ Help on 1 June 2004. I have the relevant Registration Certificate, issued on 30 June 2004. I also commenced a second legal part time employment as an Administrative Assistant on 1 June 2004, working for the family’s father’s firm. I have the relevant Registration Certificate, also issued on 30 June 2004. I have remained in both employments for a period of 12 months, completing the required 12 month period of registered employment on 30 June 2005. I have also studied at a University on a full time course from Sept 2004 and graduated in July 2007. I have my admission letter and graduation certificate as evidence. However, I did not have comprehensive sickness insurance during this period. I have P60 Forms for the period 2004 – 2007 and a P45 Form from March 2007 evidencing the end of both employments (the tax and NI for both jobs was deducted directly from the earnings in one of the employments). However, I don’t think that I have worked enough hours in both jobs over the four years to qualify for a worker status during this period as my hours tended to go up and down over the period of my university studies.

My questions are:
1. What date shall I put in my application as the date I first entered the UK? I have had a lawyer advise me to put the start date of my qualifying period and then attach a cover letter explaining my previous circumstances as per my summary above.
If you advise that I put the 12 October 1998 as my first date of entry:
a. How do I answer questions relating to whether I have studied since entering the UK, and the follow-on questions regarding comprehensive sickness insurance and financial resources to support myself? I do not wish to rely on this period as my qualifying period, but worry that they may refuse my application should the HO find my responses inadequate or lacking in evidence.
b. Could the lack of original evidence of my Student Visa from the period 1998 - 2004 (I only have photocopies) mean that the HO will consider my stay during this period illegal, and therefore somehow penalise me and refuse my application on these grounds?
c. Do I also need to list the employments from 1 June 2004 in my application?

2. In terms of evidence, as per the official guidance notes, can I only send the last 6 years’ worth of P60 Forms, or shall I include further evidence, in which case will bank and credit card statements (from two different banks) be enough?

Any advice will be very much appreciated. Thank you!