Time is running out to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme

If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen and you live in the UK, your time is running out to apply for the EU settlement scheme (EUSS).

The scheme, which is part of the UK’s new post-Brexit immigration system, offers citizens of the 27 EU member states, as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, the right to keep living and working in the UK as they did when the country was part of the EU.

You do not need to apply if you are an Irish citizen, or you already have Indefinite Leave to Remain status.

To be eligible, you must have been living in the UK before December 31^st 2020. Applications are free but must be done before the deadline of 30^th June 2021. Each family member must complete an application. Parents or guardians can do this on behalf of children and anyone under the age of 21.

With a successful application, you will be able to continue living and working in the UK after the deadline. If you do not apply before the deadline, you will be living in this country illegally.

Once you have applied, you will be given one of two settlement statuses; ‘pre-settled’ or ‘settled’. You will not be able to choose which status you apply for; this will depend on how long you have been living in the UK at the time of your application. Your rights will be different depending on which status you get and when you started living in the UK.

Many people are facing serious obstacles when applying to the EUSS, therefore, we recommend hiring a solicitor to help you with this process. Your solicitor will also be able to advise you on what to do should your application be denied.

Applicants are facing some issues when applying through the government’s online form, or via the app. One of these issues is that you must have a passport when applying through these channels. Many people do not, however, our solicitors can apply for you without the need for a passport.

Another issue applicants are facing is internet access to enable them to apply. A surprisingly large number of people yet to apply, do not have smartphones or WiFi, often this is for financial reasons. Those who do have smartphones sometimes use them only for calls or texts. Their jobs (construction or cleaning, for example) often do not require internet access.

A further issue, that is leaving applicants in a limbo state, is the Home Office’s backlog of more than 300,000 applications. Many applicants are fearing that they risk a loss of rights similar to that experienced by the Windrush generation if the backlog is not cleared.
The Windrush Generation refers to people arriving in the UK between 1948 and 1971 from Caribbean countries. The name refers to the ship MV Empire Windrush, which docked in Tilbury on 22 June 1948, bringing workers from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and other islands, to help fill post-war UK labour shortages. During the Windrush scandal, the UK government deported or threatened to deport the children of Commonwealth citizens who, despite living and working in the UK for decades, were told they were there illegally because of a lack of official paperwork.

It is claimed, that as of 31^st March 2021, there have been 5.2 million applications to the EU Settlement Scheme: 53% of these have received decisions granting EU settled status (SS) and 44% EU pre-settled status (PSS). It is also claimed that the number of applications the EUSS is set to receive is unknown.

This is why it is vital to act swiftly when applying to the EUSS, our solicitors can help you with this. Get in touch now by visiting EU Settlement Scheme or call us on 023 8023 4433.

Disclaimer: Information on this webpage is not intended for legal purposes or advice. If you require legal advice or services you should seek a professional legal practitioner.