Permanent representatives of the European Union have agreed in changes in the rules of granting the status of a long -term resident, simplifying the procedure for obtaining this status. Third countries' citizens must now live legally and continuously in the EU Member State for at least five years to obtain a long-term resident status.
The change is that now this five-year term can be taken into account for up to two years of residence in another EU Member State. However, such accommodation should also be legal, for example, if the applicant is the owner of the EU blue card.
In order to obtain the status of a long-term EU resident, the applicant must meet a number of conditions, such as stable and regular income, health insurance and other requirements that determine the Member States.
The status of a long -term resident of the European Union allows its owners to move and reside in other EU countries, giving them rights similar to citizens, in the fields of employment, education and other fields.
The Eurostat statistics for 2020 shows that the total number of third countries who live in the European Union was 23 million or 5.1% of the total population of the EU. Of these, more than 10 million had a long -term or permanent resident.
In addition, last week the Council of the European Union approved the procedure that would allow travelers from outside the Schengen area to be served online.
