Proof of living in the UK - EEA, not employed, not claiming benefits

[KECG2024]

Hi everyone,

Apologies if this has been covered already but I can't seem to find answers that match my situation.

I am an EEA citizen and have been on a career break since April 2022 and have not been claiming benefits so I have no employment evidence (P60's or payslips) or letters from the DWP since that date to support the fact that I have resided in the UK.

What other documents can I use to prove I have in fact been here all this time? I understand that bills (including council) are a no-go so I'm at a loss.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

[contorted_svy]

Have you seen your GP regularly? eg once a month or so?

[KECG2024]

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately not, I go maybe once a year.

[contorted_svy]

Letters from DVLA? From the NHS (eg hospital appointments)?

[KECG2024]

I’ll have some letters from the NHS from January 2024 as I’m currently pregnant but nothing before that.
What type if letter from the DVLA would work? I don’t have a licence yet but took my theory test in September 2022.

[KECG2024]

I've been doing some volunteer work for a soup Spam charity about once a month. Would a letter from them be sufficient or is it not often enough?

[contorted_svy]

Volunteering letters are not usually accepted. You could do a SAR and submit that as evidence that you didn't travel?

[KECG2024]

That could be an idea (although I have traveled over the 5 years but am below the 450 days and have all the receipts).
Do you know how I go about doing that?
Thanks!

[contorted_svy]

Here is the relevant section of the guidance https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... #page%3D16 page 16

Absences
You must check the available evidence to see whether an applicant meets the
residence requirements.
The following can be used as evidence of residence:
• passports or travel documents which have been stamped to show arrival in the
UK and entry and departure from other countries: these should be checked
against the list of absences that applicants are asked to provide on the
application form
• Home Office records
• if the applicant does not have passports to cover the qualifying period, other
evidence such as employers’ letters or tax and National Insurance letters:
o in such cases you should assess whether there is sufficient evidence to
show that that applicant has been resident in the UK during the qualifying
period, giving them the benefit of any doubt where claimed absences are
within the limits we would normally allow and there are no grounds to doubt
the accuracy of the claim
You must not normally accept doctors' letters on their own as proof of residence.
However, if nothing else is available and the doctors can confirm that they have seen
the applicant on a regular basis during the period concerned these may be accepted.
If there are gaps in a person’s evidence of residence and it is clear from the
information available that they could not have travelled, you must accept this.
Examples of this might include a refugee who has no means of travel or where
immigration records confirm continuous residence.
You must only count whole days' absences from the UK. You must not count the
dates of departure and arrival as absences. For example, a person who left the UK
on 22 September and returned on 23 September will not be classed as having been
absent from the UK.
An applicant only needs to have been physically present in the UK for the purpose of
the act. They do not have to have been ordinarily resident or domiciled here.

If you get a SAR with UKVI through this link https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... mmigration making sure you request all data of entry and exit from the country that will prove you lived here and that your trips totalled under 450 days in the last 5 years.

[KECG2024]

That's brilliant, thank you so much!

[contorted_svy]

You're welcome. Do come back to update on your application and ask further questions if needed.

[KECG2024]

Will do!