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<p>Guidance on which groups of EEA nationals required comprehensive sickness insurance,
as well as the types of documents accepted to meet this condition, has always been
publicly available. This can currently be found from page 38 of the guidance on ‘qualified
persons’ available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-economic-area-nationals-qualified-persons"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-economic-area-nationals-qualified-persons</a>.</p><p>The
requirements to naturalise as a British citizen remain unchanged by our exit from
the European Union or the implementation of the EU Settlement Scheme. This includes
requirements to normally have been free of immigration time restrictions for 12 months
before applying, and to have been lawfully in the UK throughout the residential qualifying
period.</p><p>There may be cases where nationality caseworkers need to satisfy themselves
the person was here lawfully. This is not a new requirement and was an assessment
we have always been making. It is also a statutory requirement and cannot be ignored.
The same applies to all applicants, EEA or not. We have recently amended the application
forms to ensure we can gather as much of this information upfront at the application
stage where possible.</p><p>Guidance on GOV.UK sets out when we might exercise discretion
where a person did not meet the lawful residence requirements. This includes where
it is because the applicant did not meet an additional/implicit condition of stay
under EEA Free Movement Regulations, rather than illegal entry or overstaying, such
as an EEA or Swiss national living or studying in the UK, rather than working, not
having CSI.</p><p>As has previously been confirmed I am not aware of any application
for UK Citizenship being declined purely on the basis of the CSI requirement under
EEA Free Movement Regulations and it should not deter anyone from making their application.
The guidance can be found at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/naturalisation-as-a-british-citizen-by-discretion-nationality-policy-guidance"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/naturalisation-as-a-british-citizen-by-discretion-nationality-policy-guidance</a>.</p><p>
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