Comprehensive Sickness Insurance for British Citizenship Update

Under changes to the Nationality and Border Act 2022 introduced on 28^th June 2022, the previous lack of Comprehensive Sickness Insurance (CSI) no longer poses a problem for EU nationals applying for British citizenship by naturalisation. Under the old rules, economically inactive British citizenship applicants from the EU or EEA were required to show they had held British Comprehensive Sickness Insurance as proof of living in the UK. Those who did not hold Comprehensive Sickness Insurance, where required to do so, were at risk of refusal of British Citizenship.

What happens to applications submitted before 28^th June 2022?

As an EU national, if you submitted your British citizenship application before 28^th June 2022, case officers will apply the new rule¹. This means that the Home Office will use other forms of proof of lawful residence, such as your EUSS Settled Status or Indefinite Leave to Remain, without requiring further evidence, such as Comprehensive Sickness Insurance.

Therefore, as an EU or EEA national, you will no longer need to show that you held comprehensive sickness insurance to satisfy the continuous and lawful residence requirement for British citizenship.

What is comprehensive sickness insurance?

Comprehensive sickness insurance (CSI) is required to cover the cost of any healthcare required in the UK. CSI may include private health insurance or evidence that the applicant was covered by a reciprocal arrangement between the UK and their home country.

Before the changes to the Nationality and Border Act 2022, in order to show evidence of continuous residence in the UK post-Brexit, certain EEA and EU nationals applying for citizenship needed to show they held CSI. This rule affected those who did not work (e.g. students and job seekers). This meant that those who were economically inactive and did not hold CSI during their time in the UK may have had their British citizenship application refused.

How can Reiss Edwards help?

Reiss Edwards is a leading immigration law firm based in Central London. Our immigration lawyers work with EU and EEA nationals to successfully apply for EU Pre-Settled and Settled Status and British citizenship. We can help you with:

• Checking your eligibility for British citizenship as an EU/EEA national
• Apply for British citizenship on your behalf
• Overcoming any issues with applying for British citizenship such as an application refusal
• Advising on bringing your dependant children to the UK
• Advising on settling permanently in the UK with your partner and children and gaining British citizenship.

References

¹ GOV.UK: Form AN