Important: This note is provided for information only and should not be taken as legal advice or relied upon as such. The information and commentary does not, and is not intended to, amount to legal advice to any person on a specific case or matter. You should seek specific legal advice on your personal circumstances if required and please note that the University is unable to provide personal immigration advice.
The EU settlement scheme
The scheme closed on 30 June 2021, however, late applications may be allowed in certain circumstances. Please check the government web pages for further information.
The settlement scheme allowed EU and EEA citizens and their family members living in the UK before 31 December 2020, to continue to live here as before, with the same entitlement to work, study and access public services and benefits.
After you have applied, you can view your status or prove it to someone else online. You will not usually get a physical document. You must keep details up to date on your account.
There are links for further information from the Home Office website.
In line with the withdrawal agreement, the EU settlement scheme was set out in the statement of intent.
Pre-settled status
For those EU/EEA citizens and their family members who were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 and had not been continuously resident (see glossary for the UK government definition of continuous resident) in the UK for five years were eligible for pre-settled status, enabling them to stay until they have reached the five-year threshold. After 5 years continuous residency they must apply for settled status.
Settled status
For those EU/EEA citizens and their family members who were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 and had been continuously resident (see glossary for the UK government definition of continuous resident) in the UK for five years were eligible for settled status, enabling them to stay indefinitely.
The process is the same.
For more information please read the information on the government web pages. We have provided links on the right hand side.
There are three core criteria to applying for pre-settled/settled status
Identity
Eligibility
Suitability (criminality)
If you initially applied and were granted pre-settled status then you must switch this to settled status after you have 5 years continuous residency.
You can apply to switch to settled status as soon as you’re eligible. The 5 years is counted from the day you started your continuous residence, not the day you were granted pre-settled status.
You may not be eligible for settled status if during the 5 years you spent more than 6 months outside the UK in a 12-month period. If you are concerned about this please see the infomation on the government web site for further information.
The process is the same as the one you went through to apply for pre-settled status.
You’ll need proof of identity and evidence of your continuous residence. If your pre-settled status was based on your relationship to a family member, you will also need evidence of that relationship.
You can use the same types of evidence you used to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme the first time. You can find the link to apply here.
It is important that you keep your details up to date and travel on the document that you used to apply to the scheme.
You should update your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account if you’ve changed your:
- mobile phone number
- email address
- name
- identity document, such as your passport or national identity card
- UK address
If you need to update any of these details there please do so here. There is also an informative video of how to update your details.
The settled status immigration route is indefinite leave to remain in the UK, you do not have to apply for British citizenship.
However, if you would like to then you’ll usually be able to apply for citizenship if you’re over 18 and have had one of the following for 12 months:
- indefinite leave to remain in the UK
- ‘settled status’ (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain under the EU Settlement Scheme’)
- indefinite leave to enter the UK (permission to move to the UK permanently from abroad)
You will not need to wait 12 months to apply if you’re married to a British citizen.
For more information please read the government web pages on applying for British citizenship.
Dual citizenship
Whilst dual citizenship is allowed in the UK, some EU countries do not accept dual nationality. In all cases, you should check the specific rules that apply in your own country before applying for dual nationality.