Extended Family Member of EEA Nationals in the UK, Partners in Durable Relationship (4 of 4)

Extended Family Member of EEA Nationals in the UK, Partners in Durable Relationship, Category 4

 

In my previous videos I’ve explained a very important difference between direct and extended family members. I have also clarified the rules for all direct family members. I have also Extended Family Member of EEA Nationals in the UK, Partners in Durable Relationshipexplained the necessary conditions for categories 1,2 and 3 on the extended family group.  This topic is about partners in durable relationship.

 

Applicants wishing to apply as the durable (unmarried) partners of EEA nationals, must satisfy 4 requirements:

 

  1. the applicant and the EEA national sponsor have been living together in a relationship similar to marriage. And, as stated in the Home Office guidance, this relationship should last for at least 2 years,

However, there is nothing in the EEA regulations, which will give you an indication of how long the couples should live together before they can apply. This two-year rule was incompatible with the EEA regulations. Therefore the Home Office added an obligation for all decision makers to:

 

o ‘consider the individual circumstances of the application’

o they’ve also admitted the fact that it can be less than two years. This is especially where the parties have a child together

o they allowed the decision makers to use their discretion if there is enough evidence, for example, if they provided a birth certificate showing shared parentage with evidence of living together, etc.

 

  1. the applicant and the EEA national sponsor should intend to live together permanently

 

  1. the applicant and the EEA national sponsor are not blood relatives

 

  1. any previous marriage or similar relationship by either party has permanently broken down

 

Extended Family Member of EEA Nationals in the UK, Partners ina Durable Relationship

Extended Family Member of EEA Nationals in the UK, Partners ina Durable Relationship

In conclusion I wanted to mention one more very important point. When couples are married and then they officially divorce, under certain circumstances, it is still possible for a former spouse to retain his/her her right of residence in the UK. Quite sadly, the situation is different for extended family members. Those couple who were in a durable relationship with their EEA national partner but whose relationship broke down before they fulfil the five-year requirement cannot retain their of residence in the UK. This is something you should bear in mind when making a decision as to whether or not you should legalise your relationship with an EEA national partner.

Extended Family Member of EEA Nationals in the UK, Partners ina Durable Relationship