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.

Criteria for later deadlines and ‘reasonable grounds’ for not applying by the deadline

In some cases, you can still apply after 30 June 2021.For example, if you’re joining a family member who was living in the UK by 31 December 2020, your deadline will be based on when you arrive in the UK, as long as:

• you were their family member by 31 December 2020 (this does not apply to children born or adopted after this date)
• the family relationship still exists when you apply

You can also apply if you can show ‘reasonable grounds’ (such as medical reasons, or being the victim of domestic abuse) for why you did not apply by 30 June 2021.

If you already have pre-settled status

If you applied to the EU Settlement Scheme and were given pre-settled status, you need to apply for settled status before your pre-settled status expires.Settled status will let you stay in the UK for as long as you like. You can usually apply for citizenship once you’ve had settled status for 12 months.After you’ve applied, you’ll get a certificate of application. The certificate will explain what you can use it for while you’re waiting for a decision – for example, whether you can use it to prove your right to work in the UK. Hurlingham Law will explain the case every step of the way. Contact us for a free case assessment.