EEA FAMILY VISA, UK husband, South African wife

[captain cook]

OK - so let me see if I've got the concept here: Please let me know if any of my guestimates are wrong or need more explaining - Thanks guys!

Facts:

I have a UK passport.

I have been based out of Italy & France since 2001 where I have been living & working.

I married a non-EU wife in 2004 - we have been living together since 1998.

(FYI - I have been based out of the EU, living and working on private yachts with home ports in the EU but the yachts are registered under non EU flags. thus I have not become part of the tax or benefit train but I have definitely been living there with my wife for longer than 6 months and can prove it with employment contracts and immigration admin. In my employment contracts my employer is also responsible for all my (our) living expenses, food, clothing (uniform), transport to & from the yacht as well as any repatriation costs.)

Now - Can we apply for an EEA family permit?

Which then gives my non-EU spouse 6 months to live & work in the UK as soon as it is granted?

At the same time can she also travel in the EU without the visa issues as if she was a UK person/travel doc holder?

Then before it expires, she applies for a residence permit which is valid for 5 years and employment in the UK is permissible?

Is non-visa travel in the EU also allowed during this period?

Then for UK naturalisation: as she has entered under EU permit she needs to wait the full 5 years before she can be naturalised? Does this ultimately mean a UK passport is applied for and issued after 5 years, without additional costs, after knowledge of the UK test?

And finally - if a residence permit is issued what are the limitations wrt to time spent in the UK? Does it become void if you are out of the country for a certain amount of time? - My thinking is that although we will have a home and live in the UK, we will be working offshore during that 5 year period?

(The ultimate prize is to have Shannon be able to travel as an EU document holder and be able to work in the UK - we are not chasing the purple passport as it will eventually come when we settle down and moved to a shore based career in the UK...eventually - - - - so any suggestions are welcome.)

Thank you so much for your time and dedication.

John