EU Settlement Scheme

EU Settlement Scheme

If you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein, you and your family might be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK. You might also be able to apply if you’re the family member of an eligible person of Northern Ireland.

The deadline for most people to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme was 30 June 2021.

If you or your family are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein, you can still apply if you or a family member were living in the UK by 31 December 2020. You must also either:

Meet one of the criteria for a later deadline to apply
Have ‘reasonable grounds’ for not applying by 30 June 2021

You can also apply if you already have pre-settled status, and you’re applying for settled status.

You may be able to stay in the UK without applying – for example, if you’re an Irish citizen, or you already have indefinite leave to enter or remain.

If your application is successful, you’ll get either settled or pre-settled status.

Requirements for Settled Status

In order to qualify for Settled Status you will need to satisfy UK Visas & Immigration that:

- You are a relevant EEA citizen; or
- You are a family member of a relevant EEA citizen; or
- You are a family member who has retained the right of residence by virtue of a relationship with a relevant EEA citizen; or
- You are a person with a derivative right to reside; or
- You are a person with a Zambrano right to reside; and
- You started living in the UK by 31 December 2020 (or you are a joining family member who arrived after 31 December 2020 and subsequently completed a continuous qualifying period of residence of at least 5 years); and
- You have completed a continuous qualifying period of residence of at least 5 years.

The exact requirements you will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.

Deadline for Applying to the EU Settlement Scheme

The deadline for making an application to the EU Settlement Scheme for EEA nationals and their family members who were resident in the UK prior to 31 December 2020 was 30 June 2021 (the end of the ‘Grace Period’). Those who were not yet eligible for Settled Status by that date were able to apply for Pre-Settled Status, and subsequently would be eligible to apply for Settled Status after a continuous qualifying period of residence of 5 years.

If an application was not made for either Settled or Pre-Settled Status by this date, then you may still be able to apply if there are reasonable grounds for making a late application.

Swiss nationals will be able to bring a spouse or civil partner to the UK until 31 December 2025 if the relationship began between 31 December 2020 and 31 December 2025 and the relationship is continuing.

Family members of a British citizen who lived outside the UK in an EEA country with the British citizen needed to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme by 29 March 2022. However, there is scope for late applications to be made here too.

If you have limited leave to enter or remain in the UK which expires after 30 June 2021 you must apply before this leave expires.

How we can help

Our immigration professionals regularly assist EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens and their family members to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Whether you require expert advice on the requirements of the EU Settlement Scheme, an independent assessment of your prospects of qualifying for the EU Settlement Scheme, or professional assistance with preparing an EU Settlement Scheme application or appeal, our team can help.

We pride ourselves on being approachable and proactive in understanding and meeting our clients’ needs. We are a highly driven team, dedicated to providing clear and reliable immigration advice to EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens and their family members as part of a professional and friendly service.

EU Settlement Scheme