Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the level of awareness of the requirement for EU students to have comprehensive sickness insurance during their five years' lawful continuous residence in the UK in order to qualify for permanent residence.

The EU Free Movement Directive (2004/38/EC) requires that EU nationals hold comprehensive sickness insurance if they wish to study in another EU Member State. This applies across all EU Member States and is reflected in the UK’s Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and the Home Office’s published guidance.