1) The first presentation was about the protection that the EU laws provide to all EU citizens living in one of the EU member states. Claire Bradley (Managing Director, European Law Monitor) made it very clear that while the UK is still part of the EU all laws are still in place for us and any digression should be fought against and communicated to the appropriate EU bodies who will then assist.
Download Claire Bradley's presentation: "Your Free Movement Rights" (PDF)
Download Claire Bradley's hand-out: "Key links regarding EU citizens rights in the UK" (PDF).
2) The second presentation went into more detail about what steps might be necessary to gain permanent residency in the UK and possibly British citizenship. This was done by Marta Beltran (Immigration Adviser, Citizen Advice Bureau).
Download Marta Beltran's presentation (PDF)
Marta provided some more info regarding family members of EEA nationals in an email after the event:
Family members of EEA nationals may be EEA nationals or from outside Europe. If an EEA national is working or self employed, his/her family members automatically have the right to reside. None in the family needs comprehensive sickness insurance for the purpose of residing lawfully in the UK.
If the EEA national with family members is studying or self sufficient, then the Home Office will expect comprehensive sickness insurance in place for the EEA national as well as for the rest of the family members.
By family member is considered:
- Spouse, children under 21 years old, or children over 21 who are financially dependent on the parents.
The UK Border Agency (UKBA) accepts the following as proof of comprehensive sickness insurance:
- Unmarried partners are treated as family members after an EEA EFM application has successfully been made.
- European health insurance card, S1, S2 or S3 issued by an EEA country other than the UK.
In 2012, the European Commission formally started procedures against the UK for refusing applications on the basis of the lack of comprehensive sickness insurance. Still now, the UKBA continues refusing applications on these basis. More info here:
- Private medical insurance that covers the majority of treatment while in the UK.
https://www.freemovement.org.uk/comprehensive-sickness-insurance-what-is-it-and-who-needs-it/
