Excercising EU treaty rights as self-sufficient individual

[lrtrscn]

Hello,

I am an Italian citizen and in the process of applying for my permanent residency. I have been in UK just over 5 years now. However between August 2012 and April 2013 I didn't have a permanent work contract. I worked first as an unpaid intern until November 2012, then as a temp at a book shop for 6 weeks and then was unemployed for 3 months between January and April 2013.

I plan to qualify as a self-sufficient person during the months preceding April 2013. I had money in my bank account and an European Health insurance card. I will provide different types of documents: rent contract, bank statements, doctor's appointments, letters from the offices where I interned.

I was wondering whether you think it will still be rather difficult to prove I was excercising treaty rights during those first months and if my application has high chances of being rejected.

Also should my application be rejected I would probably apply again in April 2018, when I will have 5 years of almost uninterrupted work history on record. Would a previously rejected application affect negatively my new application in April 2018?

Many thanks for your advice!

lrtrscn

[secret.simon]

Also should my application be rejected I would probably apply again in April 2018, when I will have 5 years of almost uninterrupted work history on record. Would a previously rejected application affect negatively my new application in April 2018?

No. Each EU application is assessed independently of any past applications by the same person.

[Indguru90]

I was wondering whether you think it will still be rather difficult to prove I was excercising treaty rights during those first months and if my application has high chances of being rejected.

Why would it prove difficult? If you had an EHIC and money in the bank throughout that period, you were exercising Treaty rights as a self-sufficient person which is fully reckonable for PR purposes. The test is that you need to have sufficient resources to meet your essential outgoings, which usually works out at around £640 per month, depending on your circumstances. You can use bank statement(s) or letter(s) of support to evidence your funds.

You may choose to apply as a jobseeker for the Jan-Apr 2013 period, provided you can show that you were actively seeking work during that period (such as: registration with a recruitment agency or DWP, copies of applications, invitation letters, etc.)