An EEA national can currently apply for a permanent residence document if that individual lived in the UK for 5 years.
You don’t need a permanent residence card to confirm your residence status in the UK unless:
- you’re an extended family member of someone from the European Economic Area or Switzerland and are yourself not an EEA or Swiss national
- you want to apply for British citizenship
- you want to sponsor your partner’s visa application under the Immigration Rules
Your residence card won’t be valid after the UK leaves the EU. A new scheme will be available for EU citizens and their family members to apply to stay in the UK after it leaves the EU.