Confusion over EEA-PR application for myself and wife

[TexJD]

Hello,

My wife and I came from Poland to work in the NHS in 2008. Finally became eligible for applying for citizenship recently but then found out I have to apply for a permanent residence card first. I have worked continuously since entering the UK so it's not a problem. My wife worked for the first 3 years and then became a stay at home mother to look after the kids (last 5 years).

I figure my application will be straight forward. How do I go about my wife's application as she technically hasn't been working for the last 5 years? The only category that fits her situation is that she is an EEA national that has ceased activity due to early retirement (I guess you can look at her sitaution as early retirement although using the term 'early retirement' seems a bit weird to me)- would this be correct? Or are we in the situation that I have to get PR first and then she applies as a family member and I am her sponsor?

Thank you very much for any help.

[noajthan]

Hello,

My wife and I came from Poland to work in the NHS in 2008. Finally became eligible for applying for citizenship recently but then found out I have to apply for a permanent residence card first. I have worked continuously since entering the UK so it's not a problem. My wife worked for the first 3 years and then became a stay at home mother to look after the kids (last 5 years).

I figure my application will be straight forward. How do I go about my wife's application as she technically hasn't been working for the last 5 years? The only category that fits her situation is that she is an EEA national that has ceased activity due to early retirement (I guess you can look at her sitaution as early retirement although using the term 'early retirement' seems a bit weird to me)- would this be correct? Or are we in the situation that I have to get PR first and then she applies as a family member and I am her sponsor?

Thank you very much for any help.

No your wife is not retired.

Did you apply/register for WRS properly?

Simply apply together. You are main applicant.
Wife is your dependent / family member.

[TexJD]

Thank you for your reply.

We started work in 2008 by entering a training scheme for postgraduate doctors. We weren't in the same hospital and both hospitals told us that everything had been sorted - of course it hadn't been! So we applied for the WRS in 2009.

I have been trying to fill out the EEA-PR application jointly but got stuck on which section applies to her. Would it be section 7 - EEA national former worker that has ceased activity (she doesn't fit into retired, incapacitated, or working in another EEA state) or will her details go into section 11 - spouse of a sponsor. But this would imply that I am sponsoring her of which I do not know if that would be correct.

I'm sure I'm making this harder than it needs to be and I'm just confusing myself. Thank you for any clarification of this.

[toni34]

Thank you for your reply.

We started work in 2008 by entering a training scheme for postgraduate doctors. We weren't in the same hospital and both hospitals told us that everything had been sorted - of course it hadn't been! So we applied for the WRS in 2009.

I have been trying to fill out the EEA-PR application jointly but got stuck on which section applies to her. Would it be section 7 - EEA national former worker that has ceased activity (she doesn't fit into retired, incapacitated, or working in another EEA state) or will her details go into section 11 - spouse of a sponsor. But this would imply that I am sponsoring her of which I do not know if that would be correct.

I'm sure I'm making this harder than it needs to be and I'm just confusing myself. Thank you for any clarification of this.

You can sponsor her and that would be fine . She will just come under the dependant section while you are the main sponsor , her working or otherwise is immaterial as far as you are qualified for Pr as a worker then she will qualify too .

[noajthan]

Thank you for your reply.

We started work in 2008 by entering a training scheme for postgraduate doctors. We weren't in the same hospital and both hospitals told us that everything had been sorted - of course it hadn't been! So we applied for the WRS in 2009.

I have been trying to fill out the EEA-PR application jointly but got stuck on which section applies to her. Would it be section 7 - EEA national former worker that has ceased activity (she doesn't fit into retired, incapacitated, or working in another EEA state) or will her details go into section 11 - spouse of a sponsor. But this would imply that I am sponsoring her of which I do not know if that would be correct.

I'm sure I'm making this harder than it needs to be and I'm just confusing myself. Thank you for any clarification of this.

From stated facts your wife can only acquire PR through you as her sponsor.

Apply as main applicant, add wife as family member as I suggested before.

Do you mean you applied up to a year late for WRS but once registered you stayed registered (no interruptions) for at least 12months - and you have WRS documents?

[TexJD]

Thank you for your reply.

We started work in 2008 by entering a training scheme for postgraduate doctors. We weren't in the same hospital and both hospitals told us that everything had been sorted - of course it hadn't been! So we applied for the WRS in 2009.

I have been trying to fill out the EEA-PR application jointly but got stuck on which section applies to her. Would it be section 7 - EEA national former worker that has ceased activity (she doesn't fit into retired, incapacitated, or working in another EEA state) or will her details go into section 11 - spouse of a sponsor. But this would imply that I am sponsoring her of which I do not know if that would be correct.

I'm sure I'm making this harder than it needs to be and I'm just confusing myself. Thank you for any clarification of this.

From stated facts your wife can only acquire PR through you as her sponsor.

Apply as main applicant, add wife as family member as I suggested before.

Do you mean you applied up to a year late for WRS but once registered you stayed registered (no interruptions) for at least 12months - and you have WRS documents?

That is correct. Applied a year late but then worked 12 continuous months. I have the WRS certificate and card. I guess I have to fill out the section on WRS that I worked 'without permission' for a year? If so I'll add a cover letter stating the circumstances...

[noajthan]

That is correct. Applied a year late but then worked 12 continuous months. I have the WRS certificate and card. I guess I have to fill out the section on WRS that I worked 'without permission' for a year? If so I'll add a cover letter stating the circumstances...

Members in your situation have been successful with PR clock running from the date of the certificate.

(If you had changed jobs and happened to have gaps during first 12 months of your WRS it would be more problematic).