Preparing for UKRC (arrival back from EU)

Congratulations on getting this far! If you’ve managed to get the Family Permit the UK residence card will seem too easy. Apart from all the evidence submitted for FP, the only extra things you need are documents for proof of address.

Below is a suggested timeline of documents to get in order in preparation for the UKRC application.

1. National Insurance Number for Non-EU. This typically takes up to 4 weeks as they will be sent an extra document to fill in. The bonus is the Non-EU won’t have to go to an “interview” at a job centre to get it. Call 0345 600 0643 and answer all of the questions, examples of which can be found here (Spanish and English).. Once the document has been sent, fill it in and send off a copy of passport bio page and FP. The card should arrive within 4 weeks. As they don’t want the original, you can get on with other documents.
2. Bank account. Non-EUs will find it difficult to open an account with most banks. Whilst HSBC is famous for opening accounts with ID and proof of address, this only applies to Europeans. The bank we found the least problems with was The Co-Operative. They have a special type of bank account for people who have problems proving their ID/address. With a passport and a proof of address (Council tax bill, rental contract, NINO letter) they will be able to open a “basic” account which can be upgraded without a problem later on to a normal account. The advisor will give you a paper form, ask for your passport (which they verify on the computer) and a memorable name for Internet banking. Done! The welcome letter should arrive within 2 weeks. You don’t have to have a joint bank account if you don’t want to for UKRC.
3. As you still have your original passport, you can now go to your local health centre to register with a doctor. Again, they will have forms to fill in: an NHS one and a local one for their centre. They may ask for you to do some basic tests (i.e. blood pressure) there and then. They will copy the Non-EU passport and proof of address. Done! They say an NHS letter with your NHS number will arrive in a couple of weeks, however I wouldn’t guarantee it. In 2 weeks an NHS number will be assigned to the Non-EU, however the letter might not arrive. Don’t worry if it doesn’t as the number on the system entitles them to free healthcare. This is the same for the dentist if you are lucky enough to find an NHS one taking new patients!
4. Utility bills will be difficult for Non-EUs to get as they won’t be in the system and therefore have no credit rating. A mobile phone contract will be very difficult to get, as will putting their name on a telephone bill. However, adding their name to electricity, water and council tax bills is straightforward and these will be accepted as a proof of address for UKRC.
5. If you are renting, you will have a rental agreement/contract as a proof of address. If not, you will need a letter from the person you are staying with to show where you are living, how much you pay (if at all) and how long you can/will stay there for the UKRC application.
6. For EU national, additional documents to prove your address could be being accepted onto the electoral roll, mobile phone contract or other utility bill, existing savings/bank account.
7. Another extra thing the EU has to do is provide two forms of ID. As they have to be original, and your original passport has to be sent anyway, I sent an official copy of my birth certificate as I didn’t mind it being lost (you never know!). I wouldn’t recommend sending your driver’s license as you will need it during the 6 months the application takes, and a license is a valid back-up in the event of you needing your passport, which you won’t have.

In order to get the Non-EU a driver’s license (provisional) they are required to be a resident, having lived in the UK 180 days (6 months) so I would advise doing this after you have received the UKRC. You can apply online for it, but if they reject your provisional license application you have lost the money for nothing. Another consideration is that they need original ID (passport or UKRC when you have it), which could delay your UKRC application if it isn’t sent back within the month that they state. Applying online is cheaper than via the paper form. When you apply online they will send a separate/extra form as the Non-EU won’t have a UK passport to verify their ID. Fill it in and send it back with the photo and UKRC and it will be back within a month (as stated on form). My husband applied for his after receiving his UKRC and only had to send this as a form of ID (not passport) as it counted for both, and didn’t need his photograph signed (as with a normal application) because the UKRC overrides this necessity. He received his UKRC back within a week and the license itself a week after that.

All in all, within a month of being back in the UK you should be ready to submit your UKRC application. More information to follow on that process.