European Residence

European Residence Documents

An EEA national does not require a visa to enter or remain in the UK. They are permitted, under European immigration law, to come to the UK to work, study, be financially self-sufficient, or maybe retire. Such activities are called “exercising Treaty rights”. To maintain a full legal status in the UK an EEA national must exercise Treaty rights in one way or another.

If the EEA national has family members who are also EEA nationals then of course the family members do not require any visa to come to the UK either.

But what if they have family members who are not EEA nationals? In such a situation European immigration law enables the non-EEA family member to apply for a European visa to show that they have the right to join their European family member in the UK or remain with them in the UK.

European law gives a very broad definition of “family member”, and it can include members of the family apart from partners and minor children.

EEA Family Permit

This is a visa which is issued (free of charge) by a diplomatic post outside the UK. It enables the non-EEA family member to come to the UK with their EEA family member or join their EEA family member already in the UK. It is issued for six months.
Because of Brexit the terminology for European visas issued in the UK is now changing. Previously there was the EEA Residence Card and the EEA Permanent Residence Card. But now there are Pre-Settled Status and Settled Status, which work in a similar way to the old categories.

Pre-Settled Status is a status that a non-EEA family member holds which shows that they are in the UK on the basis of European law.

Settled Status can be acquired by either an EEA national or non-EEA family member after being in the UK for five years and is also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain. It enables the holder to live and work in the UK without time limit.

In many cases Pre-Settled Status and Settled Status applications can be made via App and they are free.

At Get UK Visa we have extensive experience of all kinds of European visas and we will be able to assist you.