As an EEA or Swiss national, you have the right to live and work in the UK (known as the ‘right of residence’) if:
-You are working in the UK (and have registered or obtained permission from UKBA if this is required); or
-You can support yourself and your family in the UK without becoming an unreasonable burden on public funds
Entering the United Kingdom
—————————
When you enter the UK, you will need to show your passport or national identity card. You should use the separate channel marked ‘EEA/EU’ where it is available. Immigration officers will check your passport or national identity card to make sure that it is valid and belongs to you.
Your Family
———–
If you have a right to live the in the UK, your family may join you in the UK.
If you are a student, only your spouse, civil partner or dependent children are entitled to a right of residence.
Other relatives (including extended family members such as brothers, sisters and cousins) do not have an automatic right to live in the UK. To be considered, the extended family member must be able to demonstrate that they are dependent on you.
Family Members who are not EEA or Swiss Nationals
————————————————-
If your family members are not EEA or Swiss nationals and they are coming to live with you permanently or on a long-term basis, they will need to apply for an EEA family permit before coming to the UK. The EEA family permit is similar to a visa and is issued by visa services. Your family members should apply for an EEA family permit at their nearest British diplomatic post.
Employment
———-
You and your family members can:
-Accept offers of work;
-Work (whether as an employee or in self-employment);
-Set up a business;
-Manage a company; or
-Set up a local branch of a company.
If you are a Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Slovakian or Slovenian national, you will need to register under the Worker Registration Scheme when you take work in the UK.
If you are a national of Bulgaria or Romania, you may not work until UKBA has given you permission.
Registration certificates, residence cards and family member residence stamps:
A registration certificate is a document, issued to EEA nationals, that confirms the holder’s right of residence under European law. You do not need a registration certificate to enter, live or work in the UK.
Residence cards are issued to EEA nationals’ family members who are not EEA nationals themselves. The card confirms the holder’s right of residence under European law.
If the EEA national is from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia or Slovenia, their non-EEA family members cannot apply for a residence card until the EEA national has completed 12 months’ continuous employment in the UK. Until that time, each non-EEA national family member can apply for a family member residence stamp to confirm their right of residence under European law.
Permanent Residence
——————-
After you have lived in the UK for a continuous period of five years, you can apply for confirmation of permanent residence.
Posted Workers
————–
If you are a Swiss national or Swiss company that conducts business in the UK, you may send employees to work for you in the UK for up to 90 days without needing to apply for a work permit. Those employees must have been working for you in Switzerland or in an EEA member state for a reasonable period of time. If your employees are not EEA or Swiss nationals, they will need to apply for posted workers authorisation.
Public Funds
————
You do not have to work while you are living in the UK. But if you do not work, you must be able to support yourself and your family in the UK without becoming an unreasonable burden on public funds.
