The Surinder Singh Immigration Route: How Does it Work?

The Surinder Singh route is a simple process. It works for European Economic Area (EEA) nationals who want to get their family members into their country of origin. This means that you can apply for an EEA family permit if you lived with your family member in an EEA country other than UK and your family member is a British Citizen. In order to get an EEA family permit based on the Surinder Singh route, your family member who is a British Citizen with whom you have lived in another EEA country must be one of the following in relation to you:

1. Your spouse (husband or wife) or civil partner
2. Your parent or grandparent (or their spouse or civil partner); you must be dependent on them and below 21 years of age
3. Your hild or grandchild (or their spouse or civil partner) and you must be dependent on them

Your family member can be one who was adopted under an adoption order which is recognised by UK law.

Surinder Singh Route Eligibility Criteria

If you wish to come to the UK, firstly you must prove that you both meet the eligibility criteria of the EEA country where you are both currently living. Secondly, you must both prove that you meet the eligibility criteria of the country while living together in that EEA country if you wish to join your British family members in UK. You must have your genuine home in that EEA country and you both must prove that:

1. This home was your main residence
2. You both lived together in this home
3. You are both integrated there

Your British family member with whom you lived in that EEA country must either have right to permanent residence in that EEA country or must be one of the following in that EEA country:

1. Working there
2. Self-employed there
3. Self-sufficient there
4. Studying there

If your British family member came back to the UK and has been in UK for more than 3 months, he or she must be doing one of the following in the UK:

1. Working
2. Looking for work
3. Self-employed
4. Self-sufficient
5. Studying

When you apply using the Surinder Singh route, you must provide the relevant, required documentation. These documents are:

1. Your valid passport
2. 2 passport-size colour photographs
3. Evidence that shows your relation with your British family member (e.g. a marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate or birth certificate)
4. The valid passport (or a certified copy in the absence of the original) of your British family member
5. Provide a list that shows when you’ve been in the UK - You should include the dates you arrived in the UK and left the UK.
6. If you have made any other UK visa or immigration applications then provide a list of these also. You should include whether you applied for the visafrom inside or outside the UK, and details of each visa or permission to stay if you were successful.
7. Provide a list that shows any removals, deportations or other immigration penalties you’ve had in the UK.

Contact us to find out more applying for a UK visa using the Surinder Singh route....