5 Year Spousal (married to Irish) Visa Expiring in April, Next Steps?

Hello All!

I'm an American living in Northern Ireland with my Irish husband. I received a 5 year spousal visa in 2018, now expiring in April.

I'm hoping to apply for British citizenship at the 6 year mark of continuous residence in the UK in 2024, but what do I need to apply for to cover the next year (April 2023-April 2024)? I've lived in the UK continuously over that past 5 years and worked here for the past 4 years - what would I need to show to prove I'm eligible for this next visa?

Many thanks in advance! Laura

Hello All!

I'm an American living in Northern Ireland with my Irish husband. I received a 5 year spousal visa in 2018, now expiring in April.

I'm hoping to apply for British citizenship at the 6 year mark of continuous residence in the UK in 2024, but what do I need to apply for to cover the next year (April 2023-April 2024)? I've lived in the UK continuously over that past 5 years and worked here for the past 4 years - what would I need to show to prove I'm eligible for this next visa?

Many thanks in advance! Laura

Welcome to the forum.   

Do you have the armed forces spouse visa?

Thank you for the welcome!

No, it's just a normal spousal visa, based on my husband being an EEA national working in the UK.

Welcome to the forum .

No, it's just a normal spousal visa, based on my husband being an EEA national working in the UK.

Actually you don't have a spousal visa at all, you have a 5-year EEA Residence Permit.

Spousal visas are part of the UK immigration laws and are only issued to family members of UK citizens.  As your husband is an EEA national, you came to the UK under the EEA immigration rules instead, not the UK immigration rules.

However, due to Brexit... in 2021, EEA Residence Cards were replaced with the EU Settlement Scheme/Settled Status, and if you held a 5-year EEA Residence Card, in order to remain in the UK, you had to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme by the deadline of 30th June 2021.

If you or your family are from the EU, you might still be able to apply to switch into the EU Settlement Scheme after the deadline, if you can meet the criteria to do so.

See here for more information and to find out if you are still able to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme:
https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families

Wow, that's very useful! I'll look into the EU Settlement Scheme now.

Many thanks! Laura

With Brexit, the EU's permits became invalid in the UK at the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020. The UK then extended the time to apply to the  UK's EUSS (EU Settlement Scheme) to be able to live in the UK,  to the date ksand said, 30 June 2021.

Unfortunately, you will need "reasonable grounds" for your very late application to the UK's EUSS.  This link might be useful

EU Settlement Scheme: information for late applicants
Updated 16 July 2021
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-information-for-late-applicants/eu-settlement-scheme-information-for-late-applicants