unemployed but not claiming any benefits - urgent

[Emi111]

Hello,

I have just received a letter from the home office asking for additional evidence of my residence in the UK from November 2016 up until present.

I havent gone back to work after maternity leave that finished in November 2016 and im currently a stay at home mum. Haven't been claiming any benefits as my partner earns enough to cover for us as a family - they are asking for original documents like statement of assets, funds or any other sources of income if im self sufficient.

I have no idea what to do? my partner transfers some money into my account on a monthly basis but bank doesnt provide original bank statements and i can only print them out as a pdf. Do you think this will be a suficient evidence? Im starting to panic they wont accept my application because of that.

[ariskar]

Hello,

I have just received a letter from the home office asking for additional evidence of my residence in the UK from November 2016 up until present.

I havent gone back to work after maternity leave that finished in November 2016 and im currently a stay at home mum. Haven't been claiming any benefits as my partner earns enough to cover for us as a family - they are asking for original documents like statement of assets, funds or any other sources of income if im self sufficient.

I have no idea what to do? my partner transfers some money into my account on a monthly basis but bank doesnt provide original bank statements and i can only print them out as a pdf. Do you think this will be a suficient evidence? Im starting to panic they wont accept my application because of that.

Are you an EEA citizen or overseas dependent?

Do you already have ILR/PR?

Employment status matters for some PR/ILR routes, however for BC / Naturalisation (this forum section) it doesn't.

[Emi111]

I am EEA and have the PR already. Any ideas what to do?

[ariskar]

I am EEA and have the PR already. Any ideas what to do?

If you hold EEA(PR) route PR card already, there is nothing you should do. After obtaining PR, you should only be resident and not absent for more than 2 continuous years.

I would advise applying for BC before March 2019, if you intend to do so, as you may have some uncertainty about obtaining new settled status for EEA citizens (in exchange for PR after Brexit).

[Emi111]

Thanks for replying. I have sent my application in January this year and today have recieved the letter asking for that specific evidence?!

[twgal]

see page 15
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 2.0EXT.pdf

The following can be used as evidence of residence:
• original passports or travel documents which have been stamped to show
arrival in the UK and entry and departure from other countries:
o these should be checked against the list of absences provided on the
application form
• Home Office records
• if the applicant does not have passports to cover the qualifying period, other
evidence such as employers’ letters or tax and National Insurance letters:
o in such cases you should assess whether there is sufficient evidence to
show that that applicant has been resident in the UK during the qualifying
period, giving them the benefit of any doubt where claimed absences are
within the limits we would normally allow and there are no grounds to doubt
the accuracy of the claim

You must not normally accept doctors' letters on their own as proof of residence.
However, if nothing else is available and the doctors can confirm that they have seen
the applicant on a regular basis during the period concerned these may be accepted.
If there are gaps in a person’s evidence of residence and it is clear from the
information available that they could not have travelled, you must accept this.
Examples of this might include a refugee who has no means of travel or where
immigration records confirm continuous residence.

[ariskar]

Thanks for replying. I have sent my application in January this year and today have recieved the letter asking for that specific evidence?!

The evidence should cover the dates pre-dating your application for BC. If you were unemployed during your PR period (but not before during the PR qualifying period), you could write a letter mentioning that with dates and attempt providing alternative evidence (bank statements, council tax bills, mortgage, utility bills, etc.) to cover that period.

During the time after you have obtained PR, you are not required to do what under EEA(PR) would be called "qualifying activity".*

You can have lawful residence after having no time limits (PR) without doing any "qualifying activity". You may wish to include that in your letter, as the BC/Naturalisation is not conditioned upon employment.

*Attention, if that predates PR status accrual and is included in your PR qualification period it may invalidate your PR status.