3 Brexit tricks for EEA nationals!
Brexit has brought up many question marks for British citizens and their EEA neighbours, not least surrounding the topic of immigration.
For EEA nationals already living and working in the UK, the negotiation of Brexit will be a tense and worrying time. There are, however, a few tricks which could help EEA nationals to protect themselves and their families against a hard-line Brexit.
- Apply for a registration certificate
If you have been in the UK for a period of less than five years, you can apply for a registration certificate. This would certify that you are in the UK in accordance with your treaty rights and would be valid for five years from its date of issue. Following an official withdrawal from the EU, it may even allow you to remain in the UK for the valid duration of your certificate.
- Apply for Permanent Residence
If you have been continuously resident in the UK for five or more years, you are likely to have acquired the right to permanently reside in the UK. You can apply for confirmation of this by filing a Permanent Residence application. If granted, Permanent Residence confirms that you have the legal right to live permanently in the UK.
- Apply for British citizenship
If you already possess confirmation of your right to Permanent Residence, you could be eligible to apply for British Citizenship. This would grant you all the rights of a UK citizen, allow you to apply for a British passport, and would be a bullet proof option against a hard-line Brexit.
If you successfully apply for any of the options listed in the bullet points above, it is more than likely that your dependants in the UK will be protected by your new immigration status.
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