header-logo header-logo

31 May 2007 / Chrisoulla Pawlowska
Issue: 7275 / Categories: Features , Immigration & asylum
printer mail-detail

Partners moving freely

Chrisoulla Pawlowska considers the rights of free movement and residence for the partner of an EU citizen

Directive 2004/38/EC (the Directive)—the EU’s updating and consolidating legislation on the rights of free movement for EU citizens and their families—became law in May 2006.

Art 5 of the preamble and Art 3 of the Directive make citizenship of the EU the starting point for any right of movement to another member state.
That right is generally unconditional for the first three months (Art 6) but if a migrant EU citizen wishes to extend his stay beyond three months, he must become “economically viable” within one of the four categories listed in Art 7. These include becoming self-employed, a worker, a qualifying student or person of sufficient resources or being a family member of an EU citizen who qualifies within one of these groups. He may apply for permanent residence after residing legally in the host state for a continuous period of five years (Art 16).

REGISTERED PARTNERSHIPS

Article 2(2)(b) of the Directive widens the potential range

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

DAC Beachcroft—Clare Dewar

DAC Beachcroft—Clare Dewar

DAC Beachcroft strengthens Scottish real estate capabilitywith partner appointment

Womble Bond Dickinson—Brendan Ryan

Womble Bond Dickinson—Brendan Ryan

Womble Bond Dickinson appoints Brendan Ryan as partner in Public Law Projects team

Parklane Plowden Chambers—five appointments

Parklane Plowden Chambers—five appointments

Parklane Plowden Chambers welcomes five new barristers

NEWS
A time-restricted bank tax, a ‘roadmap to fiscal devolution’, extension to parental leave, entrepreneur’s relief and a giveaway on energy bills for households are the headlines in Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey’s 2026 Autumn Budget
A Court of Appeal judge has lamented the ‘very concerning’ state of the law on employee inventor compensation after a chemist’s case took five-and-a-half years to reach court, eventually being listed for a 37-day trial next year
The Law Society has emphasised that responsibility remains human, in a practice note on artificial intelligence (AI)
Respect orders, which enable police, councils, housing associations, transport networks and other authorities to take enforcement action against anti-social behaviour, have come into force across England and Wales
The Land Registry has launched two consultations aimed at making its information more publicly accessible, ‘Restructuring HM Land Registry fees’, and ‘Future of access to HM Land Registry information’
back-to-top-scroll