Proof of living in the UK

[yokaam]

Hi all,

I've searched the forum but have not been able to find a specific answer, so I hope this is ok.

I'm Swiss (i.e. passport does not get stamped upon entering/exiting the UK) and have ILR under the EU settlement scheme. I am in the process of applying for citizenship. I fulfil all the criteria etc, but as part of the application I am asked to provide "Proof of living in the UK for 5 years if applying in your own right". I took one year off work to travel inside and outside of the UK (still fulfilling the absences criteria), but because of that I do not have any "letters from employers, educational establishments or other government departments" as I was voluntarily unemployed, and was not registered with any councils as I had no fixed place. Also, bank statements and utility bills which were accepted for the ILR are said to not be acceptable proof.

So my question is, what documents can I provide given that my passport doesn't have stamps, and considering I wasn't working/registered with a council? I have requested a subject access request from the Home Office - do you think this would classify as 'other government departments' ? It would be somewhat ironic if not...

Many thanks!

[Frou01]

Hi!

Can I ask you if you received your SAR already?
I’m about to apply for one as well. I will use it to proof
my entries: exits if they don’t like my evidence.
However I got lots mix of payslips, P60s/45, Council tax, HMRC, tenancy and NHS letter.
I’ve seen posts where HO didn’t accept council tax and sometimes people got no other evidence, not everyone is working.
I’m also surprised they ask us again for evidence when HO already confirmed we lived here long enough by receiving Settled Status, ILR.

[alterhase58]

Hi all,

I've searched the forum but have not been able to find a specific answer, so I hope this is ok.

I'm Swiss (i.e. passport does not get stamped upon entering/exiting the UK) and have ILR under the EU settlement scheme. I am in the process of applying for citizenship. I fulfil all the criteria etc, but as part of the application I am asked to provide "Proof of living in the UK for 5 years if applying in your own right". I took one year off work to travel inside and outside of the UK (still fulfilling the absences criteria), but because of that I do not have any "letters from employers, educational establishments or other government departments" as I was voluntarily unemployed, and was not registered with any councils as I had no fixed place. Also, bank statements and utility bills which were accepted for the ILR are said to not be acceptable proof.

So my question is, what documents can I provide given that my passport doesn't have stamps, and considering I wasn't working/registered with a council? I have requested a subject access request from the Home Office - do you think this would classify as 'other government departments' ? It would be somewhat ironic if not...

Many thanks!

You provide your P60s for the periods you were employed.
Other government departments means Councils (for tax bill), DWP (Pensions, Unemployment, Child Benefit), HMRC (Tax coding and correspondence), etc.
The SAR won't help you in this respect as it's for data held by UKVI only.

[alterhase58]

Hi!

Can I ask you if you received your SAR already?
I’m about to apply for one as well. I will use it to proof
my entries: exits if they don’t like my evidence.
The data may not be in their systems and you are not required to prove your movements.
However I got lots mix of payslips, P60s/45, Council tax, HMRC, tenancy and NHS letter.
You only need one type of document, e.g. one P60 for a year or one council tax bill per year, etc.
I’ve seen posts where HO didn’t accept council tax and sometimes people got no other evidence, not everyone is working.
I’m also surprised they ask us again for evidence when HO already confirmed we lived here long enough by receiving Settled Status, ILR.
Naturalisation is not an immigration application, it comes under the British Nationality Act and the requirements are different - applicants must provide what is requested for this application.

[yokaam]

Thanks for your replies.

Regarding the one proof per year, I took the year off Oct-Sept so I have employment that covers part of the year for all years, would that be sufficient?

So seeing that I don't have any P60 for when I took a year off, have no council tax registration because I was partly moving around and partly on a subtenancy agreement, and didn't apply for unemployment benefit because it was voluntary unemployment - it may be difficult for me to prove residency and therefore get citizenship. Is this correct? Any other ways around this?

Yes, I've received the SAR, it took about a month.

[Frou01]

Is your SAR showing your exit/ entries?
You got a European passport with getting any stamps here?

For the year you were travelling in the country did you have any other letters, anything with date and your name?
Maybe get a list of appoints by your GP, dentist, optician etc from that time. If you had appoints there will be a list to request.
I contacted all of these and got all appointments listed.

[alterhase58]

Thanks for your replies.

Regarding the one proof per year, I took the year off Oct-Sept so I have employment that covers part of the year for all years, would that be sufficient?

So seeing that I don't have any P60 for when I took a year off, have no council tax registration because I was partly moving around and partly on a subtenancy agreement, and didn't apply for unemployment benefit because it was voluntary unemployment - it may be difficult for me to prove residency and therefore get citizenship. Is this correct? Any other ways around this?

Yes, I've received the SAR, it took about a month.

In that case I would suggest a cover letter explaining this concisely and some of the documents that @Frou01 is suggesting.

[Frou01]

And maybe contact your bank get them to send you a list of all transactions in that particular year and highlight
every time you used an ATM in the UK.

[yokaam]

Great, thank you!

I will try to gather as much evidence and documentation as I can - is there any danger of providing too many documents?

Passport doesn't have any stamps and the SAR is showing exit and entries but I think they caveat that saying it may not be a complete list or sth if I rememeber correctly.

[Frou01]

I sent my application last weekend and uploaded my documents at UKCVAS account already.

There’s no such thing than too much as far as I know.
Just remember each pdf files must be under 6MB and in B/W and of good quality.
I did just for evidence of residence 6 files 2015-2020.
For each year one. I filled each files with as many documents I needed for each each.
In the first year where I didn’t work I provided more.
For each month any proof, a mix of Nhs doctors appointments, invoices, tenancy agreement, gas certificate, proof of payment of rent plus a reference of my landlord.
For years later on where I was in employment I used p45/60, payslips, council tax, HMRC letter.
So while I used at least 12 documents for the time I cannot provide their preferred evidence (official letters, employment) I had at least 12. In other years only 4. A p45/60 likely would have been enough.

Then I uploaded in “others”:
- Cover letter (definitely write one explains your circumstances).
- Settled Status letter
- Language certificate
- 2 Referee declarations.

Lituk I haven’t uploaded, as no certificate. My unique ref number is in my form. Maybe could upload a screenshot of my Lituk pass email. However I don’t think that’s necessary, they got the number to check.

I think I have so far 13 files. Maybe I will print out my statement from HMRC in finances, but I’m sure they do their own tests anyway.

Just upload what you think will help. Rather more than less. But no need to duplicate months of evidence.