EEA Residence Permit
An EEA national who is applying for an EEA Residence Permit Visa for the UK entitles them and their dependents right of residence. Under European Community law, right of residence gives EEA nationals the right to legally work and live in the UK.
The EEA residence permit will allow the holder to work freely in the UK, whether it is running a business, managing a company or just accepting offers of work. All these options can be undertaken without the requirement of a Work Permit; however there can be certain circumstances where an applicant may need to register under the Worker Registration Scheme.
How Capital Visas Can Help
Capital Visas being a leading specialist in UK immigration can assist you in every aspect of your relocation to the UK, from advice on the initial application process to a range of services to assist you once you have arrived in the UK.
Benefits
Working in the UK under this type of permit allows the individual to undertake various types of employment without requiring a UK Work Wermit. EEA residence permit applications are made by the individual instead of a sponsoring company, as it is done for Work Permits. Due to this reason the applicant does not have to have an offer of employment as a requirement. Also the EEA residence permit application does not require a minimum points based threshold to be reached like the Tier 1 Visa previously known as the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme. As long as the applicant is a national of an EEA member country and can support themselves along with any dependents that may be coming to the UK with them. This type of visa is a highly recommended and a more simple route to living and working in the United Kingdom.
Duration
The UK right or residence visa runs for a duration of five years, and after spending four of the five years in the UK, EEA permit holders would then be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK. Individuals who successfully obtain ILR can later become eligible to apply for Naturalization to become a UK national.
Eligibility Criteria
1. In order to qualify for this type of visa, you will need to be a national of one of the countries listed below as well as being able to demonstrate that you are in a position to support yourself and any dependents that you will be bringing to the UK. You may also live in the UK as a student or as a retired person, as long as you are able to fulfil the criteria.
2. If you are planning on immigrating to the UK to set up a business, then you will be required to submit a detailed business plan which mentions the nature of your business, your earnings as well as any relevant experience you already have in a relevant field and qualifications.
These types of permits are unlikely to be granted if the individual is coming to the UK for a short period, for example if they are intending to live and work in the UK for three months. Applications are also unlikely to be successful if the candidate does not have sufficient funds to prove they can support themselves.
Nationality
The following nationalities are members of the European Economic Area (EEA).
1. Austria
2. Belgium
3. Denmark
4. Finland
5. France
6. Germany
7. Greece
8. Republic of Ireland
9. Italy
10. Luxembourg
11. Netherlands
12. Portugal
13. Spain
14. Sweden
In addition, new members since 1 May 2004 are:
15. Cyprus
16. Czech Republic *
17. Estonia *
18. Hungary *
19. Latvia *
20. Lithuania *
21. Malta
22. Poland *
23. Slovakia *
24. Slovenia *
* If you are a national of one of these countries you may need to register under the Worker Registration Scheme. Please see the relevant section of the site for further details.
Employment
An individual on the EEA residence permit does not have to work whilst living in the UK, however they will have to be able to support themselves and any dependents without any recourse to public funds.
Dependants and Spouse Immigration
A candidate's spouse, unmarried partner and dependents are allowed to accompany them to the United Kingdom, without the need of any other visa, such as Dependency Visa, Fiancé Visa, Marriage Visa or De Facto Visa also known as the unmarried partner visa. Any dependents who are obtaining leave to enter the UK in this manner will have to be supported by the main individual who holds the permit, but like the main applicant they will have the same rights and would be eligible to apply for ILR after four years.