Residence documents for people with a derivative right of residence

This page explains why a person who has a derivative right of residence in the UK under EU law may want to apply for confirmation that they have the right to live in the UK.

If you believe that you have a derivative right of residence in the UK, you can apply for a derivative residence card. This is a document which confirms your derivative right of residence in the UK under European law.

Do you need to apply?

You do not need to obtain documents confirming your derivative right of residence in the UK. However, you may be inconvenienced if you do not obtain this confirmation, as:

• you may have difficulty proving that you are lawfully resident in the UK;
• if you leave the UK, you will usually need to obtain an EEA family permit before returning here; and
• you may find it difficult to obtain or change employment.

To find out how to apply for a derivative residence card, see the How to apply for a derivative residence card section.

What is a derivative residence card?

If we approve your application for a derivative residence card , we will normally endorse your passport with the details of your right to reside in the UK. We will do this by placing a sticker or 'vignette' in your passport.

If (for any reason) we do not have your passport when we approve your application, or if your passport expires while we have it, we will give you an immigration status document. You should produce this document and your passport when you are asked for evidence of your status. Do not laminate your immigration status document, as this will invalidate it.