British Naturalisation for Polish Citizen

[ella_123]

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. I am Polish citizen and I have decided to apply for British citizenship this year.

I have been in the UK since January 2006, studying (Master degree from University) and working. For a year part time while doing my degree and than full time in the same company since Jan 2008. I don't have WRS card and can't obtain it since this scheme was scrapped last year.

I have got all documents ready to be send off together with the Life in the UK test certificate. Does anyone know if I need to apply for Permanent Residency Status and wait another 12 months before submitting the application?

European Economic Area nationals and Swiss nationals

If you are a national of a country in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, or you are the family member of such a person, you will automatically have permanent residence status if you have exercised EEA free-movement rights in the UK for a continuous five-year period ending on or after 30 April 2006. You do not need to apply for leave to remain. You should have held permanent residence status for 12 months before you apply for naturalisation.

[bobobo]

it generally helps if you have a PR card, however you can apply for naturalisation on the 6th anniversary of you being in this country (exercising your rights) in your case this would be Jan 2012. As long as you can prove you are eligible in terms of exercising treaty rights and ample days in the UK you should be fine

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. I am Polish citizen and I have decided to apply for British citizenship this year.

I have been in the UK since January 2006, studying (Master degree from University) and working. For a year part time while doing my degree and than full time in the same company since Jan 2008. I don't have WRS card and can't obtain it since this scheme was scrapped last year.

I have got all documents ready to be send off together with the Life in the UK test certificate. Does anyone know if I need to apply for Permanent Residency Status and wait another 12 months before submitting the application?

European Economic Area nationals and Swiss nationals

If you are a national of a country in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, or you are the family member of such a person, you will automatically have permanent residence status if you have exercised EEA free-movement rights in the UK for a continuous five-year period ending on or after 30 April 2006. You do not need to apply for leave to remain. You should have held permanent residence status for 12 months before you apply for naturalisation.

[Jambo]

Not having WRS (when you were required to have one) can cause you problems. Why didn't you have one at the time?

[ella_123]

I think WRS was never required. I didn't plan to apply for naturalisation at the time that's why I haven't applied for WRS and now it is scrapped so there is no way to get this document.

Not having WRS (when you were required to have one) can cause you problems. Why didn't you have one at the time?

[boloney]

I think WRS was never required. I didn't plan to apply for naturalisation at the time that's why I haven't applied for WRS and now it is scrapped so there is no way to get this document.

Not having WRS (when you were required to have one) can cause you problems. Why didn't you have one at the time?

without wrs your app more likely will be refused. The same will be with PR app, but you can try, aplly first using eea3 form and you will see what they say. If they refuse you pr then you will have to start again from may 2011

[ella_123]

Why even my eea3 application would be refused without wrs? It was never required and now there is no way to apply for it because it was scrapped in april 2011.
Would you suggest to apply for PR first and wait another 12months before applying for naturalisation?

I think WRS was never required. I didn't plan to apply for naturalisation at the time that's why I haven't applied for WRS and now it is scrapped so there is no way to get this document.

Not having WRS (when you were required to have one) can cause you problems. Why didn't you have one at the time?

without wrs your app more likely will be refused. The same will be with PR app, but you can try, aplly first using eea3 form and you will see what they say. If they refuse you pr then you will have to start again from may 2011

[Gyfrinachgar]

Why even my eea3 application would be refused without wrs?

Because in the eyes of the HO, you did not play by the rules between 2004 (in your case 2006) and 2011. Coming from an "A8 country", registration under the WRS was theoretically required within a month of joining a new employer. Yes, I think it is good advice to try a PR first, as it will not cost you anything and will give you an indication of your chances later. If your EEA3 fails (which is a considerable possibility), there is absolutely no point in investing 851 quid on a futile AN attempt.

[ella_123]

Ok, thanks very much for advice, I will apply for PR first and see how it goes

Why even my eea3 application would be refused without wrs?

Because in the eyes of the HO, you did not play by the rules between 2004 to 2011. Coming from an "A8 country", registration under the WRS was theoretically required within a month of joining a new employer. Yes, I think it is good advice to try a PR first, as it will not cost you anything and will give you an indication of your chances later. If your EEA3 fails, there is absolutely no point in investing 851 quids on a futile AN attempt.

[Jambo]

See similar case - Applying for UK naturalisation without WRS certificate.

[Gyfrinachgar]

Ok, thanks very much for advice, I will apply for PR first and see how it goes

Good luck! Please update this post with the result later, regardless of the outcome. I think for future reference it would be both interesting and helpful to know if A8 applicants without WRS were successful with EEA3 and AN respectively.

[ella_123]

I have posted my EEA3 application today.
I will update the post as soon as I will hear from Border Agency.
Thanks for all your advice.

Ok, thanks very much for advice, I will apply for PR first and see how it goes

Good luck! Please update this post with the result later, regardless of the outcome. I think for future reference it would be both interesting and helpful to know if A8 applicants without WRS were successful with EEA3 and AN respectively.

[ella_123]

I have just received my documents back.
My application has been rejected due to lack of WRS registration.
From what I have gathered I will have to wait until April 2016, which will be 5 years after the scheme was abolished.

I have posted my EEA3 application today.
I will update the post as soon as I will hear from Border Agency.
Thanks for all your advice.

Ok, thanks very much for advice, I will apply for PR first and see how it goes

Good luck! Please update this post with the result later, regardless of the outcome. I think for future reference it would be both interesting and helpful to know if A8 applicants without WRS were successful with EEA3 and AN respectively.

[Gyfrinachgar]

Thanks for update!

My application has been rejected due to lack of WRS registration.

As expected, unfortunately. Good thing that you didn't go for the citizenship application, or you would have just lost a lot of money.

From what I have gathered I will have to wait until April 2016, which will be 5 years after the scheme was abolished.

Yes, that is correct, you can apply for PR on the 1st of May 2016 (the WRS scheme was closed on the last of April). Then you have to wait one more year and in May 2017 you can finally go after the citizenship.
In the meantime, keep an eye on your absences from the UK. It is a good idea to log them in MS Office/LibreOffice - EU citizens too often have problems documenting their absences 5 years later due to lack of stamps.

[marioheir]

Hi
Was reading your post as I got similar problem.
Didn't register with WRS so only now can apply for EEA PR card but got question?
What shall I put in section 9.14 of this application which is it ask you for WRS number ?
Shall I leave it blank or just write it didn't have one? please
Thanks

[ohara]

Hi
Was reading your post as I got similar problem.
Didn't register with WRS so only now can apply for EEA PR card but got question?
What shall I put in section 9.14 of this application which is it ask you for WRS number ?
Shall I leave it blank or just write it didn't have one? please
Thanks

This thread is over 3 years old!

If you didn't register with WRS and your qualifying period for PR includes a period where you should have WRS, you cannot apply. Create your own thread with a timeline of your economic activity in the UK.