EEA & Swiss Nationals
In general, EEA and Swiss nationals can travel freely to the UK. You can reside here for up to three months, or longer if you are a 'qualified person'. The category of qualified people includes people looking for work, workers, self-employed and self-sufficient people, and students.
Basically, you will have the right of residence in the United Kingdom if you are an EEA or Swiss national; and you are working in the United Kingdom; or you are able to support yourself and family in the United Kingdom without the help of public funds
If you have a right to live the in the United Kingdom, your family may join you. You family is defined as:
- your spouse or civil partner;
- children or grandchildren or you, your spouse or your civil partner, who are under 21 years of age or who are dependent upon you;
- the parents or grandparents of you, your spouse or your civil partner.
If you are a student only your spouse, civil partner or dependent children are entitled to a right of residence.
Other relatives, for example extended family members such as brothers, sisters and cousins do not have an automatic right to live in the United Kingdom. To be considered, the extended family member must be able to demonstrate that they are dependent on you. If you and your partner are not married or in a civil partnership you must be able to show that you are in a durable relationship with each other.
If your family members are not EEA or Swiss nationals and 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 United Kingdom. The EEA family permit is similar to a visa.
Once in the United Kingdom, family members who come to the United Kingdom with an EEA national but who are not themselves a national of an EEA country can apply for a residence card.
