Post
by Kayalami » Wed Aug 17, 2005 5:11 pm
1. You may accompany your husband to the UK as the dependent spouse of an EU national who is coming to the UK to exercise treaty rights = employment/ self employment. You must apply for an EEA family permit at a British Diplomatic Post in a country of which you are a national or legal long term resident (not a visitor) = in your case Mexico or Canada. IMHO the British High Commission in Ottawa is ideal. I believe they no longer accept walk in applications (presuming you are near enough to do so) so make an appointment via their website. The EEA permit will be of 1 year validity. You must submit relevant documents to include proof of relationship, travel documents and evidence to the effect that you are able to support yourselves in the UK without recourse to public funds (social assistance/security).
2. You must enter the UK with or after your EU spouse but not before unless such is not on the EEA permit. Once in the UK your spouse must apply to the Home Office (equivalent to CIC) on the Worker Registration Scheme which requires an offer of employment. The WRS is valid for 1 year. He should include you as a dependent on his application. After 1 year on the WRS he can then apply for a full EU residence permit valid for 5 years again including you in the application as a dependent.
3. After 4 years on the full residence permit you can apply for Indefinite Leave To Remain in the UK aka permanent residence.
4. After holding ILR for 1 year you may apply for naturalisation as a British Citizen subject to meeting qualifying criteria - since you are years away from this I wouldn't get too concerned since laws do and will change.
All applications on the basis of EU law are free of charge - you will only pay at stage 4. Whilst in the UK on the EU and ILR basis you will not require a work permit for employment in the UK.
bon chance
