To be worried about immigration changes

[AlertEagle]

Hello everyone, this is my first thread on this forum. I’ve been really worried about what the future holds for me as an immigrant in the UK. I’ve searched many websites to find an answer but couldn’t find an exact one.

I would like to give you a context of my situation.

I came here as an eu worker and stayed (im not skilled) I work full time, pay taxes etc.
I met a british man had a child together, he left for someone else when I was pregnant and I raised our child alone. During mat leave my savings finished so had no choice but to rely on uc. As part of settled status I was allowed to claim. I’m back to work full time however still claim uc but a very small amount compared to what it was when I was on mat leave.

Now what worries me and I havent been able to find any answers to it is that settled status is increasing to 10 years to be able to apply for citizenship. Is it for eu settled status holders as well or just for visa holders? I can’t seem to find out.

The other thing that worries me is that the Torries and specifically Kemi Badenoch want to stop all ILR and settled status holders from being eligible to apply for citizenship if they ever claimed uc or some other form of government support. It worries me because it was layed out in my letter that I can claim but now it seems like they are changing the rules and it seems unfair because if they said we shouldnt claim then of course I wouldnt and now Im punished for it.

can anyone shed some light on how this will affect eu settled status holders as I cant find any info and Im worried.

Also I naturalised my child through my settled status to become British and that was successful.

I don't think anyone knows at the moment. It's still a White Paper.

Ok thank you for your reply. It’s a lot of info about visa holders but none for the eu citizens who stayed with pre/settled status. There‘s a lot of us who work in unskilled jobs so I wonder how the new rules will affect us.

Why wasn't your child a British citizen via her father? I'd make sure that your child now only holds her British passport and via being her only involved parent, you will get to stay because deporting your child, or her going to foster etc would be in no-one's interest.

No help but just best of luck op x

A lot is still under review or awaiting consultation.

I'd worry about what Kemi thinks about it when/if Kemi ever becomes PM - likely never!

Hello,

We were never married. When my child was born the father didn’t want to sign the birth certificate and said he no longer wants to be involved. I put my name on the birth certificate and I applied to naturalise my child and paid the fee. I was pre-settled status holder when my child was born so my child couldn’t automatically become British, I have settled status now so if my child was born after I got settled status I wouldn’t have had to naturalise them because their citizenship would be automatic.

Thank you xx

My child’s got dual nationality.

You don’t need to worry. Your status is covered by the Brexit treaty and you have a child who is a British citizen of British descent. If anything, tighter migration laws will improve things for you in terms of future warning potential etc.

Yes, I just wanted to know if anyone knows how this will affect eu workers under the free movement agreement as there is no mentioning how or if we are going to be affected by the new rules.

Thank you for your reply, I worry because the Brexit treaty was never covered by law. Our rights aren’t protected by any laws which means things can change for us very quickly.

Treaties are a type of law, just not an act of Parliament. All laws can be subject to change anyway, so in that sense the law never provides the level of certainty that the law of physics provide. At least an international treaty has wider geopolitical implications and pressures. You’ve been here long enough to be a citizen, so if you can afford to you could formalise it. The reality is that the whole of the western world (probably your home country included) is facing unprecedented pressure because of high levels of immigration. The 20th century dream of open borders is ending and it’s worth taking steps to safeguard your status, even though my rational brain says you don’t need to.

If you have settled status that is protected by the withdrawal treaty and you can live here as long as you like. It may take longer to claim citizenship but I can't see you being sent home or anything.

Thank you for you explanation. It makes a lot of sense. I’m hesitant to apply for citizenship because of the rumours surrounding uc claimants and citizenship. Although there is no mentioning anywhere yet that if you claim your application will be rejected. It’s a lot of money to lose but I think I should try.

@AlertEagle what are the rumours? I’m in a similar situation and I’m rushing to get my passport. I have settled status and I’m married to a British man, I’ve been here for over a decade, but I just don’t trust anyone at this point.

Kemi Badenoch/Torries wants foreigners to wait 10 years after ilr/settled status before getting citizenship and to forbid anyone who has ever claimed government assistance to receive citizenship. I have no idea why the torries didn’t implement this when they were in power. Also many other new rules but no idea about the outcome yet.

If you are married to a British citizen you can apply vie the 3 year rule and not the 5 year if you are applying alone.

There are legal protections for EU citizens in the UK. EU citizens rights in the UK post-Brexit are part of the Withdrawal Agreement, voted by parliament, signed and ratified by EU, EU members, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brexit_withdrawal_agreement

If you were allowed to receive these benefits when you did, it is not disqualifying for citizenship.

@AlertEagle

@inkognitha I understand - I just think the era of respecting due process is probably over, and there’s nothing stopping the UK to follow a version of what’s happening in the US. It’s all very unsettling - and I say this as a left wing person who could not believe labour would ever engage in removal of rights. I get they’re trying to protect the country from reform but I hope they find other ways.

You also neglect the following points:

EU immigration in the UK is not as big a problem as asylum and the Boriswave, even Farage dates a French lady and used to be married to a German ffs.

No mention of EU migration in the white paper from what I have seen, none of the measures announced will target pre-settled/settled EU migrants (if I understand well).

Our current PM is a lawyer, who has spent his career respecting the rule of law, like him or not. I don't see him suddenly starting to tear into the legal fabric of things and not respect due process like Trump does.

If the UK was to default on such an agreement, this would create an international sh*tstorm nobody wants, especially as the UK is trying to negotiate better relations with the EU.

Etc.

@inkognitha i agree on theory and I still like Keir Starmer by the way, this has nothing to do with being against the guy. I also don’t believe the British version of ICE are going to come knocking at my door - but I do think some changes are coming that we don’t think reasonable atm. I travel a lot and the sh*t I’m getting by border police I didn’t get before is unreal. I’m getting the passport ASAP.

I understand the feeling, but it really seems you are manufacturing your outrage a bit by desperately trying to find a reason/situation where you are oppressed and victimised because of these changes. You are not.

How long have you had the SS?

Citizenship isn't covered by EU law, e.g., Spain generally does not allow dual citizenship and only allows those who naturalise there to keep their original citizenship if it's Latin American or with another historical tie to Spain like the descendants of Sephardic Jews, with no general exception for EU nationals. Likewise Germany doesn't let those who can't prove their own ability to sustain themselves without relying on state help to naturalise, without exception for EU nationals, either, and those are new changes which only came in last year. Not a lawyer but I strongly doubt that any future changes to British nationality policy could be challenged based on your ability under the WA to (a) claim benefits and (b) reside in the UK. It's all moot anyway because the Tories aren't in government and none of the policies proposed in the White Paper would affect you.

Isn't settled status forever as long as you're not out the UK for more than five(?) years? It's like permanent residence, or the UK's withdrawal agreement with the eu.