What is the Retained rights of Residence Family Permit?

You may be able to apply for an EEA family permit if you previously had a right to reside in the UK either:

• as the family member of an EU, EEA, Swiss citizen
• from living in the EU, EEA or Switzerland with a British national

This is called a ‘retained right of residence’. You may have it if:

• your eligible family member died
• you’re their child, they died or left the UK, and you are in education in the UK
• you’ve had a child with them, they died or left the UK, and the child is in education in the UK
• they divorced you or a member of your family
• the relationship has broken down because of domestic abuse or violence

You must also meet other requirements to be eligible for a retained right of residence family permit.