By Professor Catherine Barnard, Deputy Director, UK in a Changing Europe, and Fiona Costello, Research Associate at Cambridge University.
All EU nationals living in the UK (adults and children), need to make an application under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) before 30 June 2021 – so in just over a week’s time - to secure their continued right to live and work in the UK.
As well as EU nationals, Norwegian, Icelandic, Liechtenstein, Swiss nationals and any non-EU national family members (NEFM) living in the UK also need to make an application before June 30th to secure their rights.
The EUSS is a ‘constitutive’ scheme, which means people have to apply and those applications have to be approved for status to be granted. Even people who have lived in the UK for very long periods or already hold permanent residency in the UK (an application called EEA PR) need to apply under the EUSS.
Applications must be done online and ID and documents verified via the EU Exit: ID document check app available on smart phones, or at document scanning centres at various locations throughout the UK, or by posting ID documents for verification. In some instances, you may also request a paper application. The application is free.
Applicants are asked to prove their identity and history of residency in the UK in order to access their status, and the Home Office also checks for any previous criminality.
Depending on length of residency in the UK, applicants will be granted either Settled Status (SS) (equivalent to indefinite leave to remain in the UK) for those who can show more than 5 years residency in the UK, or Pre Settled Status (PS) for those with less than 5 years residency in the UK and that they were resident in the UK before 31 December 2020. Those with PS must then re-apply in the future to receive SS.
With only just over a week left before the deadline it is urgent that all those who need to make applications do so. While there will be scope to accept late applications, the Government have stressed the importance of in-time applications. Those applying now will receive a ‘certificate of application’ which can be used to prove that an application is pending, even after the deadline has passed.
*
There is help available across the country and the EU Resolution Centre can provide advice over the phone to those submitting applications. For those more vulnerable who might be worried they do not have the paperwork they will need to apply to the scheme - contact your local Home Office funded agency who can provide support or call the resolution centre (0300 123 7379).
They will be able to help you gather the evidence you need to submit an application. More vulnerable groups could include those who are victims of domestic abuse, people who are currently homeless, victims of exploitation, those who cannot speak English, and those who cannot use/don’t have access to a computer or smartphone.
Applications from those aged under 18 and those aged over 65 have been low to the scheme. It is important to check that any younger or older members of your family have also made or been supported to make applications in their own right. This applies even to children who were born in the UK - it is important to check whether they need to apply to the scheme.
If you are not sure whether you need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme - find out now here: www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families. For more EUSS updates - follow @eumigrantworker on Twitter.
For more information about EU Settled Status scheme read the report by academic initiative UK in a Changing Europe.