Residence Documents: To Apply Or Not To Apply

We are currently receiving lots of queries from EEA nationals asking about the need to apply for residence documents, and in particular documents certifying permanent residence.

Permanent residence is an automatic right, but it does not automatically provide the EEA national with a physical document. For this document, you need to apply to the Home Office for:

• Registration card or certificate – if you have lived in the UK for less than five years
• Permanent residence document – if you have lived in the UK for five years or more

Yes, the application is 85 pages long, but in reality only a few sections are applicable to each applicant.

Do I need to apply?

It is not mandatory for an EEA national to hold documentation certifying residence or permanent residence in the UK, but we think that anyone who is planning to remain in the UK should apply.