Hi all,
I am sure that my question has been answered in other posts, but
I just want to be 100% sure, I called HO several time and funny enough
I got different answers to my question
I am German Citizen living and working in the UK since 1999.
I hold a EEA3 permanent Resident since 2004. My wife is an non-EEA and hold an EEA2 resident since June 2004 that expiers in Sept. 2010 (1 Y EEA family permit + 5 Y EEA2).
In early 2006, I applied for British Citizenship and was granted it. I now hold both German & British passport.
My wife will finish her 5 years stay in the UK in June 2009 next year.
My question is, does she need to send her passport to the UK-BA to apply
for the EEA4 Permanent Resident or does she get that status automaticaly,
as she is dependent on me, and I am still exersising the EEA treaty since 1999 non-stop.
As far as I know, she gets automatic Permanent Resident in June 2009. And then in June 2010, she can apply for British Citizenship.
On the UKBA British Citizenship website, the standard requierment for EEA national and thier Family members states clear that EEA family members (That can also be non-EEA nationals) do not need to apply for a PR:
UKBA British CitinzenshipEuropean Economic Area nationals and Swiss nationalsIf you are a European Economic Area (EEA) national or a Swiss national or the family member of such a person, you will automatically have permanent residence status if you have exercised EEA free-movement rights in the United Kingdom for a continuous five-year period ending on or after 30 April 2006. You do not have to apply for leave to remain. You should have held permanent residence status for 12 months before you apply for naturalisation.
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The reason I ask for this, is that I know how long a EEA4 PR will take, I know the pain from many posts on this Forum. And that EEA4 stamp is nothing but a confirmation of PR, in which is really a 10-year resident and not a true "No Time Limit". So really a EEA4 stamp on the non-EEA national is not a MUST.
So the Question is: Does my wife need to apply for the PR in EEA4 or does
she gets that status automaticaly after staying 5-Y in the UK married to me
and I exersising my EEA treaty in the UK?
Many thanks to all and wish all the readers a Happy New Year 2009