EU Citizens and UK Residence Permits - new laws

[tt]

As EU Directive 2004/38/EC scraps Residence Permits for EU citizens (by 30 April this year) http://europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l33152.htm , procedures for EU citizens to get Permanent Residence in the UK will change.

As discussed in the context of the recent big changes for non-EU citizens (raising of the qualification period from 4 to 5 years), there are still some things that are not certain.

One thing that IS certain is that EU citizens will only get permanent residence after 5 years under this new Directive.

The UK Govt has indicated it will scrap the present 4 year qualification for EU citizens (which in any case involves the acquisition of a Residence Permit, which will no longer be obtainable as such under this new Directive).

It has indicated implementing new regulations on all of this, and this may include introducing the registration system (which is allowable under this Directive) which would apply to EU citizens themselves (something which presently does not exist, at least for the pre-2004 members).

Where are the details on all of this. Are the UK regulations on the table. Is the registration procedure going ahead?

What are EU citizens to expect in the UK in the next few months?

[John]

One thing that IS certain is that EU citizens will only get permanent residence after 5 years under this new Directive.

Indeed in the "small print" related to yesterday's changes ... changing 4 years to 5 years .... there is a change to para 255 of the Immigration Rules. So indeed the UK has already legislated so that EU Citizens will get their Permanent Residence after 5 years.

[tt]

Thank you! You have been working hard on this! Much appreciated.

Any news on EU citizens having to register or anything? Or does that aspect stay the same? So that, actually, EU citizens need do nothing to reside in the UK, and presumably, after 5 years, to prove their residency, they (not being able to show a Residence Permit or the like) simply show bills, bank accounts and so on?

[John]

Download :-

Statement of Changes to Immigration Rules

In particular look at no. 12 .... where many paragraphs are changed by the deletion of "4 years" and the insertion of "5 years". That includes in para 255 which deals with EU Citizens getting their Permanent Residence.

The other changes you mention? I cannot spot them, but then there is a lot of "small print" there.

Easier to read is the Explanatory Memorandum starting on page 7 of 10 of the link provided above. That does not appear to cover anything about a registration scheme of EU citizens.