EU Settlement Scheme and Exiting the European Union - Brexit

The deadline has now passed but late applications are being accepted.

By the end of June 2022, over 6.7 million applications have been made to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) by EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members, who were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020, of which 647,150 were received after the 30 June 2021 deadline.

More than 6.5 million applications have been concluded.

By 30 April 2022, 3.3 million (51% of concluded applications) were granted settled status and 2.6 million (41%) were granted pre-settled status, totalling over 5.9 million grants of status.

Of the remaining applications, 133,000 (2%) received were withdrawn or void, 124,560 (2%) were invalid and 306,300 (5%) were refused.

Key points to remember about the EU Settlement Scheme

Switching from pre-settled to settled status: Individuals with pre-settled status can apply to switch to settled status as soon as they are eligible. This is usually after they have lived in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for five years in a row (known as 'continuous residence'). Note that it is the length of their continuous residence, and not the time elapsed since the grant of pre-settled status, which makes someone eligible for settled status. To ensure they maintain their status in the UK, they need to apply for settled status or an extension of pre-settled status before their pre-settled status expires. To find out more visit www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families/switch-from-presettled-status-to-settled-status.
International travel and EUSS status:Non-EEA citizens who hold EUSS status and would ordinarily need a visa to travel to the UK should carry their valid biometric residence card (BRC) when travelling internationally and present it to the carrier, and at the border to prevent delays. A list of nationalities requiring a visa prior to travel to the UK as a visitor, or for any other purpose for less than six months is available at www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-visitor-visa-national-list.
Child citizenship: Children born in the UK on or after 1 July 2021 to individuals with EUSS status, may still be British automatically even if their parent did not have settled status at the time of the child's birth. This may be the case where:
- The parent had applied for settled status by 30 June 2021 but was granted this after the birth; OR
- The parent applied for settled status after 30 June 2021, had reasonable grounds for submitting a late application, and would have been granted settled status had they applied by 30 June 2021
More information about this and other circumstances in which a child is a British citizen automatically, can be found at www.gov.uk/check-british-citizenship
Any child who is not a British citizen and is born to individuals with EUSS status in the UK will need to obtain status under the EU Settlement Scheme, within three months of their birth, or later, where there are reasonable grounds for the delay in making the application. Applications should be made here: www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families/applying-for-settled-status.
Applying on behalf of children:An application must be made for every eligible child within a family. Parents should check if they need to make a late application on behalf of their children, even if they have already applied to the EUSS and have been granted status themselves. More information can be found at www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families/apply-settled-status-for-child.
Joining family members:There is no cut-off date for applications from eligible joining family members, who can join EU, EEA and Swiss citizens with EUSS status based on residence in the UK by 31 December 2020 at any point, provided they apply to the EUSS within three months of their arrival in the UK. Further information for joining family members is available at www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families/join-EU-EEA-Swiss-family-member
Late applications:The deadline for most people to apply to the EUSS was 30 June 2021, but applicants may still be able to apply if their deadline to do so was after 30 June 2021 or these are 'reasonable grounds' for the delay in making an application. It is free to apply to the EUSS at www.gov.uk/eusettlementscheme
Support available: Support is still available to those who need help to make a late application to the scheme. Please help us reach these people by sharing the link to services www.gov.uk/help-eu-settlement-scheme. Details of further Home Office telephone and Assisted Digital support can be found at www.gov.uk/eusettlementscheme.
Temporary protected rights:Eligible EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members who make a valid late EUSS application will have their rights in the UK temporarily protected until they receive the outcome of their EUSS application and of any administrative review or appeal. More information can be found at www.gov.uk/government/news/temporary-protection-for-more-applicants-to-the-settlement-scheme
Evidencing status in the UK: Status holders will have created a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account when they applied to the EUSS. They will use their UKVI account credentials to sign into the online 'view and prove' service available at www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status where they can access their immigration status (eVisa) and use it to evidence their rights. Further information about how individuals evidence their immigration status is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/view-and-prove-your-immigration-status-evisa.

Help with your application

A range of support is still available to those who need help to apply after the deadline. If you or anyone you know needs help with an application, please either go to www.gov.uk/help-eu-settlement-scheme or contact the Settlement Resolution Centre on 0300 123 7379 or from outside the UK +44 (0) 203 080 0010. Alternatively, you can ask a question in writing by email.

Two other organisations that will assist EU citizens applying to the EU Settlement Scheme are Citizens Advice Scotland and the EU Citizens' Rights Project.

UK and Scottish Governments and South Ayrshire Council have produced the following useful guidance about the UK leaving the EU that will help people and businesses:

There are also a number of other useful links with Brexit information, advice and guidance.