Immigrationboards.com

Hello there,

I am writing to seek the opinion of the members on this forum on my EEA PR application and more precisely on my 5 continuous qualifying years. I know there are plenty of posts about this application and I found the answers to most of my questions (thank you for that) but every application has its uniqueness so I wanted to see what do you guys think about my case.

08/12/2010 - 11/12/2010 - looking for work / not officially registered as jobseeker / have application and interview invitation emails
12/12/2010 - 31/07/2012 - working / can prove it / also wrs registered
01/08/2012 - 14/09/2012 - looking for work / not officially registered as jobseeker / have application and interview invitation emails
15/09/2012 - 31/10/2015 - working / can prove it
01/11/2015 - 10/01/2016 - looking for work / not officially registered as jobseeker / have application and interview invitation emails
11/01/2016 - 31/03/2016 - self-sufficient / starting a business / no CSI / lost EHIC (non UK) card
01/04/2015 - current - working at my company and can prove it


First of all, I never wanted to claim any benefit so I never registered as jobseeker. This seems like a disadvantage for me at this point but I originally thought it would be the opposite. Also, I might have messed up the whole thing by not having CSI while I was self-sufficient in the beginning of this year. I wasn’t aware that I had to get such insurance to be a “qualified person" and I was more worried about my business than my upcoming PR application. Although, I did have an EHIC card valid for 5 years issued in 2012 in an EEA country (not in UK) but lost it in 2014. I have the police report from that lost wallet stating the EHIC card as well. I’m not sure if that acceptable at all??

Should I even mention that I was self-sufficient or say that I was still looking for work? I had some interview emails still coming in that period in order to prove if that is ok?

Do I have to worry about my self-sufficient months at all? It seems like I completed the 5 continuous qualifying years on 12/12/2015?

Thanks for your time in advance

Could you get a letter form the health authorities in your country of origin confirming your EHIC cover?
Together with the loss report of the card, this should do.
Also bear in mind that if you use EHIC to replace CSI, you will need to give a written statement saying that at this point you only wanted to stay in the UK temporarily.

LilyLalilu wrote:Could you get a letter form the health authorities in your country of origin confirming your EHIC cover?
Together with the loss report of the card, this should do.
Also bear in mind that if you use EHIC to replace CSI, you will need to give a written statement saying that at this point you only wanted to stay in the UK temporarily.

Thanks for your response. I will check on that, hopefully, I can get some letter from them.

However, what if I can't get the letter? I should be able to find out this pretty soon.

Do you think I should mention my self-sufficient months at all?

rolandka wrote:

LilyLalilu wrote:Could you get a letter form the health authorities in your country of origin confirming your EHIC cover?
Together with the loss report of the card, this should do.
Also bear in mind that if you use EHIC to replace CSI, you will need to give a written statement saying that at this point you only wanted to stay in the UK temporarily.

Thanks for your response. I will check on that, hopefully, I can get some letter from them.

However, what if I can't get the letter? I should be able to find out this pretty soon.

Do you think I should mention my self-sufficient months at all?

Okay, so I found out that I could get a letter from them but there is no point as the card expired in 2015. I was wrong on when the card was issued... I didn't have any valid insurance in that period. So, what other options are left for me?

Can I say that I was self-employed (looking for freelance work) but only register just now? I could my pay NI contributions and that would sort everything out. Even if there is a penalty for late registering, it still worth it I guess? However, according to this: https://www.gov.uk/set-up-sole-trader/register, I do have some time.

rolandka wrote:Can I say that I was self-employed (looking for freelance work) but only register just now? I could my pay NI contributions and that would sort everything out. Even if there is a penalty for late registering, it still worth it I guess? However, according to this: https://www.gov.uk/set-up-sole-trader/register, I do have some time.

Looking for freelance work does not make you self-employed in the context of free movement & EU treaty rights. Sounds more like a jobseeker.

Any work (employed or self-employed) must be genuine & effective rather than marginal and supplementary. You will need to pass that test.

You would need more evidence that 'paying NI' to qualify as a self-employed qualified person.
And you can not manufacture supporting evidence for any category of qualified person after the event!

In any case it may be that you acquired PR between Dec 2010 and Dec 2015 if you have good (if not unimpeachable) documentary supporting evidence. The jobseeking periods may be slightly problematic though.