Have 5 years o continuous employment, was a student pre 2011

[itsme_honest]

Hello,

I hope someone can clarify this aspect of the PR application for me. I am a German national and have been employed for more than 5 years (continuously) in the UK. (Still currently employed.) So I want to base my PR application on this.

I originally came to the UK in 2005 to study for a PhD. I graduated in 2010. I started employment after graduation.

The on-line application form asks "Have you been a student or done vocational training since entering the UK?". Obviously I have, from 2005-2010. I know that in 2011 the law (or its enforcement) changed in that students are now required to have comprehensive health insurance. I did not have this, nor was I ever told I needed it at the time.

What does that mean for my application? I feel it should not be relevant (since I am a qualifying person and have been for over 5 years), however the on-line form does not let me skip this question.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[vinny]

I don't think that it would be relevant to your PR, which is based on 5-years as a qualified worker.

[itsme_honest]

I don't think that it would be relevant to your PR, which is based on 5-years as a qualified worker.

Thank you vinny. That's what I was hoping. My dilemma is what to put on the online form. I want to use the online service because of the local authority passport checking option (I have an ID card but may have to travel to the US for work in the summer). The form does not allow me to skip questions. Lying would be a bad idea, I am sure. And once I've put it on there that I didn't have comprehensive insurance, will that not simply give the home office a reason to refuse my application?

With the paper application I could send a cover letter explaining that my application is based on the last five years, but I don't know if the option exists for the online service?

[prforyou]

I am in the same boat as you, German, PhD 2004-2010!

Also sitting on the online form. I have been working part-time though and have half a year of German health insurance during my studies.

From what I have read in other forums, you can do either way: say no there, because it is not part of your qualifying period, but explain in a cover letter or in the box for additional information that you were a student in those years but that you do not count this towards your qualifying years. Or you could also say yes there, and no to CSI, and also explain the above in the cover letter or as additional information. I personally would opt for not ticking the box, as it streamlines your application, and you do not have to later provide evidence of your self-sufficiency as student (which is not relevant for the application in any ways, as you do not base your qualifying years on it). What you tick as activity should be that what counts toward your qualifying period.

[alijawad786]

I don't think that it would be relevant to your PR, which is based on 5-years as a qualified worker.

Hello,
As Vinny already mentioned the application is based on EEA PR as a Qualified person,
if the Form says anything about your studies just simply say yes but you are putting you application in on the basis as a qualified person. it wont affect you

[itsme_honest]

Thank you alijawad786 and prforyou.

I am not comfortable with lying on the form, so I will do as alijawad786 suggests and tick all the correct boxes ("yes" to studies, "no" to health insurance) and then use the "Additional Information" field to say that my application is based on five years as a qualified worker starting in 2011. I will then only submit evidence relating to this period, and the months since the end of the 5 year period (bank statements, council tax bill etc to prove that I am still resident in the UK).

In theory, mine should be a straight-forward case, but you never know!!

(I also have to tick the self-employment box as I was briefly self-employed in 2009, but again I'm not counting this period so I won't submit any accounts or tax returns relating to the self employment.)