You’re eligible if both of the following apply:

• you’ve lived with your EEA family member in the UK for a continuous 5 year period
• your EEA family member has been a ‘qualified person’ throughout the 5 years or has a permanent right of residence

You can also get permanent residence if you’ve lived in the UK for a continuous period of 5 years:

• as the extended family member of an EEA national and you’ve held a valid EEA family permit and a residence card throughout
• first as the family member of an EEA national and then with a retained right of residence
• as the family member of a British citizen, if you entered the UK under the EU law after living in another EEA country (‘Surinder Singh’ route)

You can get permanent residence before 5 years if either:

• you were living with your EEA national family member, who was working or self-employed in the UK, immediately before their death
• your EEA national family member was working or self-employed in the UK but has ‘ceased activity’ (stopped work or self-employment because of retirement or permanent incapacity, or because they’re now working or self-employed in another EEA state but are still resident and return to the UK at least once a week)

How to apply

The qualified person can include you if they apply online for permanent residence.

If they cannot apply online, download and fill in the permanent residence card application form.

Post it to the Home Office, using the address on the form. Include the fee (£65 fee per person) and supporting documents listed on the form.