Obtaining Permanent Residence through being a student in the UK
Obtaining permanent residence as a student gives an applicant the right to live, work and study in the UK without immigration restrictions. In general, an EEA national exercising their Treaty rights can apply for a permanent residency after 5 years of continuous residency in the UK. An applicant must be a ‘qualified person’; a student, worker, jobseeker, self-employed, self-sufficient or a combination of these. This article will focus on the student category.
The evidence required:
Enrollment:
According to the EEA guidance on qualified persons, students must show that they are enrolled for the main purpose of following a course of study at a public or private establishments that is registered on the DFES Register of Education and Training Providers. Proof of this can be a letter from the establishment stating term dates, qualification, whether the course was full or part-time and the details of any work placements.
Sufficient resources:
They must also prove that they have enough money to maintain themselves and have comprehensive sickness insurance cover in the UK. It is important to evidence that an applicant exceeds the maximum level of resources which a British citizen can have before they no longer qualify for social assistance under the UK benefit system. Proof needed to fulfill this requirement can vary depending on each student’s individual circumstances.
Comprehensive sickness insurance (CSI):
An EEA national must have a CSI which will cover the costs of the majority of medical treatment they may receive in the UK. Applicants must provide one of the following documents or more covering their 5 years of continuous residence in the UK:
- a comprehensive private medical insurance policy document
- a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued by an EEA member state other than the UK (or its predecessor form E111)
- form S1 (or its predecessor forms E109 or E121)
- form S2 (or its predecessor form E112)
- form S3
How NA Law can help
We are a specialist immigration firm with years of experience in permanent residence applications for European nationals. We will guide you through the entire application process and advise you on the validity of the evidence collected in order to ensure that the application is at the highest possible standard before its submission.