EEA(PR) - Medical insurance during studies

[hraban]

Hello,

I am trying to get my PR. I am from Estonia, and in September 2008 I came to the UK to begin my studies. I graduated 25/01/2013 and got my first job on 04/03/2013.
I have recently requested E104 form from Estonian Health Service. They give EHIC card on year-to-year basis, so every year I had to send them a paper from the university confirming I am still studying. They then extended the insurance for another year. I believe I failed to send them the university letter during the last year of my studies. As it turns out, my insurance expired on 30/11/2012.
So,
Insurance expired 30/11/2012
Graduated 25/01/2013
Started paying NI 04/03/2013

It is only 2 months gap between the expiry of my insurance and my graduation. I was also quick to find a job.

Will this be a problem when applying for a PR? Is it worth submitting a paper with some explanation about EHIC year-to-year basis?

Thanks a lot

[noajthan]

Hello,

I am trying to get my PR. I am from Estonia, and in September 2008 I came to the UK to begin my studies. I graduated 25/01/2013 and got my first job on 04/03/2013.
I have recently requested E104 form from Estonian Health Service. They give EHIC card on year-to-year basis, so every year I had to send them a paper from the university confirming I am still studying. They then extended the insurance for another year. I believe I failed to send them the university letter during the last year of my studies. As it turns out, my insurance expired on 30/11/2012.
So,
Insurance expired 30/11/2012
Graduated 25/01/2013
Started paying NI 04/03/2013

It is only 2 months gap between the expiry of my insurance and my graduation. I was also quick to find a job.

Will this be a problem when applying for a PR? Is it worth submitting a paper with some explanation about EHIC year-to-year basis?

Thanks a lot

HO does tend to play hardball so it may be a problem if there is such a gap.
Yes, get as much evidence as you can in terms of covering letters & etc.

Also, it may be a longshot but did you have a UK-issued RC (issued to you as a student) & issued by (or before) June 2011?
If so, there is a transitional arrangement that means there would be no need to show proof of CSI.
Something to dig into.
Ref: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ ... issued.pdf

In the meantime do explore all other avenues to get as much documentary supporting evidence as possible.
It cuts down on any/all HO possible 'wriggle room'.

[hraban]

Thank you for the reply. I am sorry, but what is RC?

I did work part-time on various jobs until around February 2012. I obviously was not earning a lot though. This means I did pay NI contributions, but a year before my insurance expired. I am not sure how to get any proof of my employment there or NI contributions paid, but maybe HMRC will be able to give me this info. Something like this might do https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/shortforms/form/NIStatement

Will this be of any help?

[noajthan]

Thank you for the reply. I am sorry, but what is RC?

I did work part-time on various jobs until around February 2012. I obviously was not earning a lot though. This means I did pay NI contributions, but a year before my insurance expired. I am not sure how to get any proof of my employment there or NI contributions paid, but maybe HMRC will be able to give me this info. Something like this might do https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/shortforms/form/NIStatement

Will this be of any help?

RC = Residence Certificate.
If you had one as a student then possibly no need for CSI.

Whether you can make a case that you were a worker during student years depends if the work was 'genuine and effective'.

[hraban]

Unfortunately I do not have a registration certificate.
Can I still apply as a student but stating that my part-time waiter job back in those days means I paid NI contributions. And even though I stopped working a year before the insurance expired, those contributions could cover those 2 months gap?
If I am not able to get PR now because of this insurance gap, then I will be able to apply only in 2018. It is a long long time, and by that time I would be a UK resident for 10 years already

[noajthan]

Unfortunately I do not have a registration certificate.
Can I still apply as a student but stating that my part-time waiter job back in those days means I paid NI contributions. And even though I stopped working a year before the insurance expired, those contributions could cover those 2 months gap?
If I am not able to get PR now because of this insurance gap, then I will be able to apply only in 2018. It is a long long time, and by that time I would be a UK resident for 10 years already

It may be possible to use status as a worker. It depends if work is seen as genuine/effective rather than marginal/supplementary.

Marginal means the work involves so little time and money that it is unrelated to the lifestyle of the worker. It is supplementary because the worker is clearly spending most of their time on something else, not work.

For example, a student who gets a job behind the Student Union bar for two hours a week is actually a student, their work is marginal and
supplementary to their actual role as a student.

Ref HO guidance on qualified persons:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... _clean.pdf
- see page 11/12

There is no penalty for applying & failing. You are risking less than £100.
Otherwise yes, you could acquire PR automatically as a worker after 5 years of work (from 2013).

Suggest have a go at filling the form & making best case that you can.
See how that shapes up. Then decide on next steps.

[noajthan]

@pattie91, to avoid confusion & jumbled responses, I have moved your question to its own thread in the more appropriate British Citizenship forum:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 02679.html