Permanent Residence Card Renewal

Note: you can no longer apply for or use the UK residence card. Instead, you need to apply for EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).

The Permanent Residence card scheme allows EEA citizens and their extended family members the opportunity to prove their eligibility to remain in the UK. If your Permanent Residence card is about to expire, you may be wanting to know what the process for replacing it entails. In this article, we are going to look at Permanent Residence cards for EEA nationals and their extended family members and the process of renewing them.

How do I go about replacing my current EEA Permanent Residence card?

If your current Permanent Residence card is about to expire, you will need to fill out a form or you can also apply online. You will need to ensure that you are still eligible for the card. Once submitted, you should receive a reply within a few months. The time that it takes for a decision will depend upon how busy UKVI is at that particular point.

If your circumstances have changed, you may still be eligible for an EEA Permanent Residence card under a few different options. These are usually the "retained right of residence" or the "Surinder Singh" option. If you are unsure as to whether you are eligible to retain your rights to remain in the UK on an EEA Permanent Residence card, please get in touch and our immigration solicitors specialists will be happy to help you.

How much longer will the Permanent Residence scheme run?

The current EEA Permanent Residence scheme is scheduled to end upon Britain leaving the European Union - the date of this is still somewhat undecided. For many people, this causes potential issues with future planning. If your Permanent Residence card expires in the next couple of years, you may want to consider applying for a new one now to cover whatever interim period exists.

As the future remains unclear as far as the rights of EEA citizens and their extended families is concerned, it is always best to ensure that you have protected yourself as much as possible. Some people may be eligible to apply for "Indefinite Leave to Remain" if they've been in the UK for long enough. If you are eligible for "Indefinite Leave to Remain" then it may be a very wise decision to take that course. If you are in any doubt as to what to do as far as your immigration status is concerned, please get in touch and let us help you to figure out what your next move should be. We can assess your case and present you with a range of options that can work for you.

What happens after the scheme has come to an end?

Currently, the British government has insisted that there will be procedures put in place to help those who are already in the UK on a Permanent Residence card. With that in mind, we believe that it is often the best policy to secure your status as well as you can. If you are eligible to remain in the UK via "Indefinite Leave to Remain", we would suggest that this might be the ideal cure for any worries that you may have. You could, if possible, also apply for British citizenship.

British citizenship is the ideal aim for foreign nationals who are looking to cement their stay in the UK and if this is something that you would like to look into in more detail, please get in touch and we'll be happy to assist you. Our immigration specialists are experts at helping people become British citizens and we would love to help you achieve it too.

Are there any plans to replace the scheme with something similar?

Currently, the British government has only announced that there will be a scheme to replace the current Permanent Residence card scheme for EEA nationals and their extended families. What this looks like in reality is somewhat unknown. It is likely that the scheme will be designed on what currently exists and if that is the case, you should expect that your rights will remain almost unchanged.

The UK will be expected to honour its commitments to EEA citizens, and if news reports are to be believed, the UK may well end up remaining a member of the EEA. Of course, at the moment that is all conjecture and we assume that the best policy is to assume the worst-case scenario and plan accordingly. That being the case, it may be ideal to get in contact with our immigration specialists and see what they can do to help in your case. You may well be eligible for something different from what you have now and it may be beneficial.

Are there any other ways in which I can remain eligible to stay in the UK?

There are numerous options for foreign nationals who want to remain in the UK. Even if you are currently on an EEA Permanent Residence card, you may well be able to switch to an alternative immigration scheme such as one of the visa routes, or if you have enough time in the UK, you may be able to apply for "Indefinite Leave to Remain".

To discuss your options, please get in touch and our expert immigration specialists can help to talk you through your options and give you a much clearer view of your immigration future. In many cases, we can make a huge difference in our client's lives.

Where can I get more help?

If you need more help with the EEA Permanent Residence scheme or indeed any other immigration query, please get in touch and our expert immigration lawyers will be able to help. We have an extremely talented and knowledgeable team who are waiting to help with whatever query you may have. So, for more information or to begin using our services get in touch today and let us help with your immigration case.