EEA permit vs Settlement
Oct 18th 2004, 10:30 am
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2004
Location: Sweden
Posts: 19
EEA permit vs Settlement
Hello again!
My husband (UKC) was told by our local embassy (Stockholm) that we could apply for either an EEA Family permit or a Settlement permit for me to go to the UK with him to live. I have a 5 year residence permit for Sweden, which allows us to apply in that category. However, I can't find much information comparing the two options.
Does an EEA family permit allow me to get FLR, or do I have to apply once I get there ?
It seems from descriptions of the EEA family permit that it is only valid when I travel into the UK *with* him and only for a year. If I can apply for FLR once there it doesn't matter too much to me but if not, then it seems that even with a wait for processing in the long run its worth doing the settlement permit.
Can anyone shed some light on this?
My husband (UKC) was told by our local embassy (Stockholm) that we could apply for either an EEA Family permit or a Settlement permit for me to go to the UK with him to live. I have a 5 year residence permit for Sweden, which allows us to apply in that category. However, I can't find much information comparing the two options.
Does an EEA family permit allow me to get FLR, or do I have to apply once I get there ?
It seems from descriptions of the EEA family permit that it is only valid when I travel into the UK *with* him and only for a year. If I can apply for FLR once there it doesn't matter too much to me but if not, then it seems that even with a wait for processing in the long run its worth doing the settlement permit.
Can anyone shed some light on this?
Oct 18th 2004, 11:34 am
#2
Retired
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,649
Re: EEA permit vs Settlement
How long have you been married? If the answer is four years or more (and living overseas) then you can get settled status in the UK (permanent residence). Settlement has a number of advantages over the EEA permit - not least the fact you're not dependent on his status and you can naturalise as a British citizen after three years.
If married less than four years you get a temporary spouse visa, but again the pathway from this visa to settled status in the UK is more straightforward than off the EEA permit. It may be possible to get an EEA permit but you'd then have to try to switch to a spouse visa to get settled status in the UK after arriving there - I don't know how straightforward this path is.
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk and http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk should help.
Are you eligible for Swedish citizenship? If so, that should give a better route to the UK, although you'd still need to get settled status onshore so as to be able to apply for British citizenship later.
Jeremy
If married less than four years you get a temporary spouse visa, but again the pathway from this visa to settled status in the UK is more straightforward than off the EEA permit. It may be possible to get an EEA permit but you'd then have to try to switch to a spouse visa to get settled status in the UK after arriving there - I don't know how straightforward this path is.
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk and http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk should help.
Are you eligible for Swedish citizenship? If so, that should give a better route to the UK, although you'd still need to get settled status onshore so as to be able to apply for British citizenship later.
Jeremy
Originally Posted by agileflower
Hello again!
My husband (UKC) was told by our local embassy (Stockholm) that we could apply for either an EEA Family permit or a Settlement permit for me to go to the UK with him to live. I have a 5 year residence permit for Sweden, which allows us to apply in that category. However, I can't find much information comparing the two options.
Does an EEA family permit allow me to get FLR, or do I have to apply once I get there ?
It seems from descriptions of the EEA family permit that it is only valid when I travel into the UK *with* him and only for a year. If I can apply for FLR once there it doesn't matter too much to me but if not, then it seems that even with a wait for processing in the long run its worth doing the settlement permit.
Can anyone shed some light on this?
My husband (UKC) was told by our local embassy (Stockholm) that we could apply for either an EEA Family permit or a Settlement permit for me to go to the UK with him to live. I have a 5 year residence permit for Sweden, which allows us to apply in that category. However, I can't find much information comparing the two options.
Does an EEA family permit allow me to get FLR, or do I have to apply once I get there ?
It seems from descriptions of the EEA family permit that it is only valid when I travel into the UK *with* him and only for a year. If I can apply for FLR once there it doesn't matter too much to me but if not, then it seems that even with a wait for processing in the long run its worth doing the settlement permit.
Can anyone shed some light on this?
Oct 19th 2004, 12:56 pm
#3
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2004
Location: Sweden
Posts: 19
Re: EEA permit vs Settlement
HI.
Thanks for your post. We have been married less than four years and I am not eligible for Swedish citizenship....it seems all paths point to going with a settlement permit (especially given we are not in any huge hurry)....
Thanks so much!!
Thanks for your post. We have been married less than four years and I am not eligible for Swedish citizenship....it seems all paths point to going with a settlement permit (especially given we are not in any huge hurry)....
Thanks so much!!
