Permanent Residence Card expiring, UK resident since 2002, passport expired, what should I do?

[likelyorlikelier]

I would be grateful for advice with the situation below.

My Mum's UK Permanent Residence Card is expiring in October 2024.

She has no criminal convictions. She has lived in the UK since 2002 after moving from Israel. She may have received ILR, but we haven't yet found the Home Office letter to confirm this. She has a UK PRC stamp in her expired Israeli passport. The card is due for renewal in October 2024.

Myself and my brother received Lithuanian passports as dependants of our father. We now also have Settled Status under the EUSS. Mum’s passport continued to be the Israel one, until it expired and the embassy refused to renew it.

I helped her make a late EUSS application in January 2024. On the grounds that she is a family member of EEA nationals, with some evidence to say why the application is late (divorce, domestic abuse, and severe ill health). Unfortunately, there was not much evidence supplied regarding domestic abuse and ill health, but I wrote a well-worded supporting letter.

There is still no answer regarding the application.

My mum is very concerned about the approaching renewal date and having no ID documents or proof of status.

Additionally, to change a PRC to an e-Visa under the new Gov.uk guidelines, Settled Status under EUSS is required.

It’s an ominous catch-22.

I have a feeling that the EUSS may not be applicable to my mum. Applying for ILR (if she doesn't have it), or a British passport, is sadly difficult for her. She has taken the Life in the UK test but needs an IELTS test result. However, all test centres are over 1hr drive from us, and mum has chronic fatigue which inhibits her from getting up before 3pm to start her day, let alone travel for hours or predict that she can even attend an appointment.

She could ask the GP to fill out a medical exemption form, but hasn’t visited the practice for years, and worries that there isn’t enough evidence in her records for the form to be granted.

Certainly a positive EUSS outcome would be better as it’s also free, unlike a British passport… But at this stage nothing is clear and it would be helpful to hear from someone experienced on here.

I would be most grateful.

[CR001]

How old is she ?

[likelyorlikelier]

She is 59.

[meself2]

Does she have any other nationalities?

[likelyorlikelier]

I don’t think so. She moved to Israel from another country in the 90s, but has no passport from there.

[contorted_svy]

Having a passport isn't the same as having a nationality. What was her nationality at birth? How could she claim an Israeli passport unless she has been Israeli at any point? Has she been stripped of her Israeli nationality?

Appreciate ILR is expensive, but if that is the secondo best option to regularise her status, you could stay overnight very close to a test centre if she can't obtain a medical exemption (I am assuming that is the only barrier to applying for ILR).

Also this may or may not work but it is worth trying a SAR with UKVI and see if they still have the records of her settlement - if she has a PRC she must have been considered settled at some point. Note UKVI delete records after some time so this may be a long shot.

[likelyorlikelier]

Thank you for your reply.

Her nationality at birth was different, she held a Russian passport. She has not been stripped of her Israeli nationality, but the embassy is (probably illegally) refusing to renew her passport since she has no plans to visit Israel in the coming future.

Thank you for suggesting SAR. Could a SAR be damaging to the currently unanswered EUSS application process, though? And what would it helpfully prove in terms of settled status, if she has no ILR? Sorry, much questioning; I haven't heard of that process before.

Finally we wondered, could she apply for a Lithuanian passport on the basis that her children are Lithuanian nationals?

Thanks again for your thoughts.

[meself2]

could she apply for a Lithuanian passport on the basis that her children are Lithuanian nationals?

Very unlikely.

Her nationality at birth was different, she held a Russian passport.

What is stopping her for getting a Russian passport now? It will take a few months, but at least she will have a document.

[contorted_svy]

Thank you for your reply.

Her nationality at birth was different, she held a Russian passport. She has not been stripped of her Israeli nationality, but the embassy is (probably illegally) refusing to renew her passport since she has no plans to visit Israel in the coming future. She can obtain a Russian passport then probably, she should go ahead and request one.

Thank you for suggesting SAR. Could a SAR be damaging to the currently unanswered EUSS application process, though? And what would it helpfully prove in terms of settled status, if she has no ILR? Sorry, much questioning; I haven't heard of that process before. It won't have any effect on a pending application. If she obtained settled status, it will show there, as it is an immigration application.

Finally we wondered, could she apply for a Lithuanian passport on the basis that her children are Lithuanian nationals?

Thanks again for your thoughts.