Table of Contents
The EU settlement scheme sets up for people belonging to European nations and the residents of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein to legally continue their stay in the UK.
What should you know about the scheme?
1. The deadlines: June 30, 2021 (for the majority public)
If one of the family members is residing in the UK by December 31, 2020, you may be eligible to apply later on and have a separate deadline. This requires a strong reason for not applying by the mentioned date.
You are eligible to apply for the ‘settled’ status if you already have a ‘pre-settled’ one.
2. People fitting in the criteria for applying later:
You may be able to apply later on if you prove that you had a valid reason due to which you were unable to apply by the regular deadline (in case of a medical emergency)
If any family member lives in the UK before December 31, 2020, then the last date of an application is decided according to your arrival in the nation. Here are the following terms:
- You were being considered a family member by December 31, 2020. It does not apply to the children born or adopted after the mentioned date.
- The family connection is there while you proceed towards the application.
3. In case of having a pre-settled status:
If the pre-settled status is valid and doesn’t expire, you can go for the application to acquire a settled status if the pre-settled status is valid and doesn’t expire. Settles status would enable you to prolong your stay in the UK as long as you want.
4. Fees to be paid: You don’t have to pay anything to apply for the scheme
Documents needed to apply
ID proof
The following proofs of identity accept nationals of the EU, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
- Passport (should be valid).
- A valid National ID proof (ID card).
- Digital photograph of the face.
If you are not a resident of the nations mentioned above, one of the following would be required to register for the scheme:
- Passport (valid).
- Biometric residence card/permit that comes within the expiry date.
- Digital photograph of the face.
If the biometric residence proof (card/permit) is not present, you’ll be providing your fingerprints ( not applicable for children five years and under).
If the documents have expired and there is no time for their renewal on June 30, 2021, you can still apply with the expired passport or expired national ID card (for EU, EEA, or Swiss residents). In addition, the documents whose renewal got postponed due to COVID-19 can also be used.
Proof of continuous residence
The proof of continuous residence decides whether you’ll get settled or a pre-settles status based on the period of your stay in the UK.
For arrival by December 31, 2020
A National Insurance number is provided to check your stay automatically based on tax filing and benefits related to it. If that clearly shows that you have been in the UK for five continuous years, you may not need other documents to validate your stay.
For arrival after December 31, 2020
Extra documents would be required to prove your stay in the territory. For instance, bank statements and payslips are provided to confirm the above.
i) Evidence confirming eligibility to apply after the mentioned deadline
- In case of a medical emergency, a letter signed by the doctor is required.
- In case of abuse or domestic violence, court orders and summons are mandatory to be provided.
- In the case of a child, when parents are unaware that the application is to be filed, a letter from their side or local authority has to be provided.
- To explain the unfortunate circumstances, you need a letter from the charity, or the homeless shelter must be attached.
ii) Documents to apply while joining a family member
The evidence has to be provided of the following:
- You have to prove your relationship with the family member belonging to the EU, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. A marriage certificate, birth certificate, or partnership certificate would be valid. A national card issued from the UK government based on the relation is also valid.
- You need to submit the settled or pre-settled status of your family member.
More evidence would be required if:
The family relation has been broken due to any case (divorce or death).- You belong to the family of a British resident with whom you have lived in the EU, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
- Your family member is an eligible person in Northern Ireland.
- A British citizen is your family member who also holds the citizenship of EU, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein living in the UK as citizens of these countries before getting British citizenship.
- You belong to the family of frontier workers.
While joining a family member in the UK, the mentioned deadlines may not apply if your arrival in the UK is on or after April 1, 2021. That will take you to submit the following:
- You need a stamped inbound travel ticket after you arrive. You can’t use an e-ticket as it doesn’t carry any proof of your arrival.
- If you make your transaction inside the territory after you have arrived, online transactions are not valid.
- A letter is provided from a specific government body or department, public firm, or charitable organization to confirm a physical meeting.
iii) Documents submitted for criminal convictions
The Home office will be confirming the case of severe or repeated criminal activities if you are 18 or above to ensure that you are not a threat to the territory’s security.
You have to declare all the convictions in your criminal record, either in the UK or overseas.
A minor crime conviction would not affect your eligibility status.
5. If imprisonment has occurred
If the release is made on or before December 31, 2020, you must apply for the scheme under the following conditions:
- In case of the right to permanent residence or a continuous stay of 5 years, before you have been jailed, you may fit in the criteria to apply.
- If none of the above conditions is fulfilled, you may get pre-settled status.
