How long can we be away from UK on EU Permanent Residence card.

[orangecat]

Hello,

Situation is as follows.
Me:
Non-EEA citizen
Have EU right to reside permanent residence card valid for another 9 years
Working here, but can work abroad

Spouse:
EU citizen with permanent residence here
Going on sabbatical and will do research abroad for a year beginning this Autumn

We would both like to be together most of this time abroad. We both will keep our jobs here, continue to pay taxes here and will return for short visits during this period. However we would like to let out our flat during this time, thus no residence during this period. We will return the following Autumn.

Would this situation impact our permanent residence status? I am aware that ILR allows up to 2 years continuous away, but we are not on ILR.

Cheers.

[secret.simon]

PR under the EEA Regulations is also not affected by an absence from the UK for less than two years.

(3) The right of permanent residence under this regulation is lost through absence from the United Kingdom for a period exceeding two years.

[orangecat]

Thank you very much for the information.

I assume this could be chucked out the window if there is no Brexit transition period implemented.

[jmedina]

I think you better get the EU Settled Status:

"If you want to spend time outside the UK:
If you have settled status, you can spend up to 5 years in a row outside the UK without losing your status."

5 years is better than 2.

[secret.simon]

"If you want to spend time outside the UK:
If you have settled status, you can spend up to 5 years in a row outside the UK without losing your status."

That is only if the UK exits the EU based on the Withdrawal Agreement.

If there is either a No-Deal or a no-Brexit scenario, I believe that the maximum absence is two years.

Also see this thread on the same question.

[orangecat]

Thanks again to all of you for your information.