Under recent announcements, the Home Office has confirmed that if you’re a European Union (EU) citizen living in the UK, you and your family can apply for ‘settled status’ if you want to continue living here after June 2021.
You will not need to apply if you’re an Irish citizen or have indefinite leave to remain, but your family members from outside the UK and Ireland will.
The scheme will open fully by March 2019 and people who are eligible before this, can continue to apply for Permanent Residency and Naturalisation as usual. The deadline for applying will be 30 June 2021. You may be able to apply after this date if you’re joining a family member in the UK.
Rights for citizens of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland are still being negotiated. Thus, nationals of these countries are likely to have different conditions imposed on them.
Getting settled status means you can continue to live and work in the UK for as long as you like. It will mean you’re eligible for:
- public services, such as healthcare and schools
- public funds and pensions
- British citizenship, if you meet the requirements.
Note that full details of the scheme are still subject to approval by Parliament.
Eligibility
To be eligible for settled status, you’ll need to:
- be an EU citizen, or a family member of an EU citizen
- have been living in the UK continuously for 5 years (‘continuous residence’)
- have started living in the UK by 31 December 2020
If you’ve lived in the UK for less than 5 years, you’ll generally be eligible for ‘pre-settled status’ instead.
If you’re a non-EU citizen, you will need to show your relationship to an EU citizen living here.
Full details of the scheme are still subject to approval by Parliament.
‘Continuous residence’
Continuous residence means you’ve been in the UK for at least 6 months in each of those 5 years, except for:
- one period of up to 12 months for an important reason (for example, to work or study)
- compulsory military service
If you will not have 5 years’ continuous residence when you apply
You’ll generally get ‘pre-settled status’ instead.
Pre-settled status means you can stay in the UK for a further 5 years. You can live and work here, and will have access to public funds and services on the same basis as you do now.
Once you have 5 years’ continuous residence you can apply for settled status.
Settled status for your child
You’ll need to apply on behalf of your child so they can get settled status, unless they’re a British citizen.
If you’re eligible to apply, any children you have aged under 21 will also be eligible, even if they arrive in the UK after 31 December 2020.
If you have a child after getting settled status, your child will automatically be a British citizen if they’re born in the UK. You will not need to apply for settled status on their behalf.
If you’re overseas and a family member of an EU citizen living in the UK
If you’re not living in the UK by 31 December 2020, you’ll be able to apply to join your family member here after that date if both:
- your family member is eligible to apply and your relationship existed by 31 December 2020
- you’re a close family member, for example a spouse, civil partner, a dependent child or grandchild, or a dependent parent or grandparent
Applying for settled status
As mentioned above, the scheme will open fully by March 2019.
The deadline for applying will be 30 June 2021. You may be able to apply after this date if you’re joining a family member in the UK.
Full details of the scheme are still subject to approval by Parliament.
We can continue to assist you by taking away the stress of the application process. Contact us on info@elm-rose.com or on 07828386662 for expert advice and assistance.