Help with application time line

[hungolad]

Dear All

Wondering if you were able to help me out with a quick question. I would like to find out what the earliest date I could apply for naturalisation as a British citizen.

I am an EU citizen who applied for the PR card last year relying on the period 28 September 2009 and 30 November 2014 (this is the date when handed in the application). I received the PR card a few weeks later with an issue date of 11 December 2014.

Browsing through some paperwork I realised that I held an EU EHIC card from 29 July 2009 and could have applied for a PR from that date onwards on the basis of self-sufficiency but I only relied on the period when I started uni and was a student from 28 September 2009.

Hope this makes sense if not here's a neater timeline

29 July 2009 - issue date of EU EHIC
28 Sep 2009 - period included in PR application
30 Nov 2014
11 Dec 2014 - issue date of PR card

I would be keen to apply for citizenship as soon as possible but I'm uncertain about whether the issue date of the PR card or the dates included in the PR application are relevant when it comes to the 5 + 1 (Exercising EU rights and 1 year residency).

I wonder if I was able to apply for citizenship as early as 30 July relying on the following

29 July 2009 - 27 Sep 2009 self-sufficiency
28 Sep 2009 - 29 July 2014 PR card
29 July 2014 - 29 July 2015 Residency

Thank you very much for your time and your kind help in advance.

[fwd079]

Dear All

Wondering if you were able to help me out with a quick question. I would like to find out what the earliest date I could apply for naturalisation as a British citizen.

I am an EU citizen who applied for the PR card last year relying on the period 28 September 2009 and 30 November 2014 (this is the date when handed in the application). I received the PR card a few weeks later with an issue date of 11 December 2014.

Browsing through some paperwork I realised that I held an EU EHIC card from 29 July 2009 and could have applied for a PR from that date onwards on the basis of self-sufficiency but I only relied on the period when I started uni and was a student from 28 September 2009.

Hope this makes sense if not here's a neater timeline

29 July 2009 - issue date of EU EHIC
28 Sep 2009 - period included in PR application
30 Nov 2014
11 Dec 2014 - issue date of PR card

I would be keen to apply for citizenship as soon as possible but I'm uncertain about whether the issue date of the PR card or the dates included in the PR application are relevant when it comes to the 5 + 1 (Exercising EU rights and 1 year residency).

I wonder if I was able to apply for citizenship as early as 30 July relying on the following

29 July 2009 - 27 Sep 2009 self-sufficiency
28 Sep 2009 - 29 July 2014 PR card
29 July 2014 - 29 July 2015 Residency

Thank you very much for your time and your kind help in advance.

I am guessing that you can apply once you have spent six years here (five exercising treaty rights, one year afterwards as permanent) but please see Q 5 in this link. Good luck.

[hungolad]

Ok so do you think the earliest date is 30 July then? Many thanks.

[fwd079]

Ok so do you think the earliest date is 30 July then? Many thanks.

That would be my idea, yes. Please go through the link I suggested in earlier post.
Also, have you considered using Nationality Checking Service?

[hungolad]

I see. As I will be applying prior to the issue date of the PR card would I need to provide evidence of exercising treaty rights for the past 6 years or only up to the issue date of the PR card?

[blooms]

You have two choices:

1) Apply now based on 5+1 years of exercising Treaty rights. You will have to re-submit all your forms to show you have been exercising treaty rights to have obtained PR a year ago. So, forms/statements/bills etc going back 6 years

2_ Wait until Dec 11, 2015. You will then only have to submit your PR card which itself is evidence of having exercised treaty rights in the 5 years previous.

[hungolad]

If I go with option 1 and say I submit the application on 30 July

- would I need to provide evidence of exercising treaty rights for the 30 July 2009 - 30 July 2014 period or right up until the date of submission which is 30 July 2015?

- how does Home Office check the 1 year residency requirement? Just asking as I would like to leave the country in June (I'd be still be within the 90 days limit) to start a course in France and would only pop back to the UK to submit the application.

[fwd079]

If I go with option 1 and say I submit the application on 30 July

- would I need to provide evidence of exercising treaty rights for the 30 July 2009 - 30 July 2014 period or right up until the date of submission which is 30 July 2015?

Yes, whole five years, excluding the sixth year.

- how does Home Office check the 1 year residency requirement?

Residency requirements.

[hungolad]

All clear now. Does it help at all that I already have the PR card? Can I possibly mention that or even include the card or the case number?

as per the residency requirement I meet both the total and '90 days in the last year' absence criteria I am just worried about the present address I give in the application? Can that be a 'correspondence' UK address, say a friend's address? Or do I have to provide tenancy agreement or utility bills or council tax bill?

[fwd079]

All clear now. Does it help at all that I already have the PR card? Can I possibly mention that or even include the card or the case number?

If you want to go before a year on PR is spent, then no.

[hungolad]

okay thank you very much for your help I really appreciate it!

how could I possibly find out more about the one query below?

as per the residency requirement I meet both the total and '90 days in the last year' absence criteria I am just worried about the present address I give in the application? Can that be a 'correspondence' UK address, say a friend's address? Or do I have to provide tenancy agreement or utility bills or council tax bill?

[hungolad]

Hi all, here's another question for you - something I could not find an answer for when browsing through threads.

I am an EU citizen who can apply for British Citizenship in August this year. I would like to start a course in France in July so wondering if I can move to France and then come back to post the application a month later. I would be within the 'max 90 day outside the UK' limit.

Are there any requirements regarding the current address when I submit the application? Can that be a 'correspondence' UK address, say a friend's address? Or do I have to provide tenancy agreement or utility bills or council tax bill etc?

Any info/help would be much appreciated.

[fwd079]

okay thank you very much for your help I really appreciate it!

how could I possibly find out more about the one query below?

as per the residency requirement I meet both the total and '90 days in the last year' absence criteria I am just worried about the present address I give in the application? Can that be a 'correspondence' UK address, say a friend's address? Or do I have to provide tenancy agreement or utility bills or council tax bill?

Its your present address. No need to provide any utility bills etc. During my appointment at Nationality Checking Service the lady didn't even accept my Council Tax bills and letters, said to keep it simple. I got approved without a problem.

If you are going abroad for a short while then personally I'd consider Mail Redirection to your correspondence address.

[fwd079]

Duplicate thread. I'd request keeping all queries in one thread. Please avoid as it is against the rules. I've replied there, please take a look.

[hungolad]

Are you 100% sure that it's only a correspondence address and I don't need anything (bills, driving licence, etc) to prove that I actually live there?

[fwd079]

Are you 100% sure that it's only a correspondence address and I don't need anything (bills, driving licence, etc) to prove that I actually live there?

You definitely live at your address, correct? Then provide that address and as I suggested in earlier post, put a mail redirection from your address to the address of your friend's house. Please go to nearest post office if you want to learn more about mail redirection.
Personally I'd simply Book NCS and apply, for a minor fee you'll have a huge peace of mind. They'll also give you your originals back, plus can advise you if there is anything concerning, although I dont see anything wrong personally.

Also, if you are abroad, please make sure to take time off from there for Biometric registration, that is a requirement for all applicants, regardless of their background. Good luck.

[hungolad]

Yes that's my current address but will be starting a course in France from July and will be there for 6 months so is it possible to leave the UK in July, move out from the address with setting up redirection to either France or to a friend's place here in the UK, come back in August to submit the application and also come back for the ceremony when approved.

[CR001]

And you will also have to come back to do the biometric enrollment once the letter is posted to you.

[hungolad]

Yes sorry I meant to include that. Is my plan legal and acceptable then?

[hungolad]

Will it not be a problem that the address provided is not a current address? Is the home office going to check that I am actually renting there or paying council tax bills etc or is that a correspondence address only?

[Julian11]

Periods of self sufficiency count toward your five years of EU treaty rights but only if they are not your first thing in the UK; what 'kicks off' the five years is employment or studies, so studies>self sufficiency>employment for example is fine, but with self sufficiency>studies>self sufficiency, for example, only the latter two would count.

You could apply as early as 28 Sept if you wished (having to re-show all your evidence), but I would advise simply waiting until December. You already have the PR card which will mean your application will probably be much faster and straightforward, with less chances of mistakes occurring, so you'll likely get it faster than if you apply in September anyway. This will be the quickest, safest, and easiest route for you to take. I've seen EU citizens with PR be approved within 2-3 weeks of application on this forum.

(No idea re the last few bits in the discussion, so I won't address those!)

[fwd079]

Yes that's my current address but will be starting a course in France from July and will be there for 6 months so is it possible to leave the UK in July, move out from the address with setting up redirection to either France or to a friend's place here in the UK, come back in August to submit the application and also come back for the ceremony when approved.

That plan could work. Provided you keep CR001's advice in mind.

[hungolad]

A few more questions arose:

Q1 How many years of exercising Treaty rights am I meant to prove? I thought only 5 years are required (only residency matters in the last year) but in the AN form section 2.4 says 6 years. This has confused me. Do I have to submit evidence of exercising treaty rights for 5 or 6 years? How do I fill in this bit?

Q2 Since I already have a PR card, am I expected to attached that to the application form? Or can I perhaps write a cover letter and explain my situation and that I applied for PR late and I am entitled to citizenship earlier?

Any help or advice is much appreciated - as usual. Thank you!

[CR001]

Answered here (click) already.

Hi all,
Q1 How many years of exercising Treaty rights am I meant to prove? I thought only 5 years are required (only residency matters in the last year) but in the AN form section 2.4 says 6 years. This has confused me. Do I have to submit evidence of exercising treaty rights for 5 or 6 years? 5 years treaty + 1 residency.

Q2 Since I already have a PR card, am I expected to attached that to the application form? Or can I perhaps write a cover letter and explain my situation and that I applied for PR late and I am entitled to citizenship earlier? Your PR card is just as good as a blank sheet of paper if you want to use it before completing 12 month requirement so - no. FYI, Citizenship is not an entitlement but a privilege.

[hungolad]

Periods of self sufficiency count toward your five years of EU treaty rights but only if they are not your first thing in the UK; what 'kicks off' the five years is employment or studies, so studies>self sufficiency>employment for example is fine, but with self sufficiency>studies>self sufficiency, for example, only the latter two would count.

You could apply as early as 28 Sept if you wished (having to re-show all your evidence), but I would advise simply waiting until December. You already have the PR card which will mean your application will probably be much faster and straightforward, with less chances of mistakes occurring, so you'll likely get it faster than if you apply in September anyway. This will be the quickest, safest, and easiest route for you to take. I've seen EU citizens with PR be approved within 2-3 weeks of application on this forum.

(No idea re the last few bits in the discussion, so I won't address those!)

Julian, do you think if I started my application with 2 months of self sufficiency and then 3 years of studies then 2 years of employment I would be refused?