The EU Settlement Scheme is intended to allow citizens from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein and their families to secure the right to live in the UK following the UK’s exit from the EU.
While the deadline for most applications was 30 June 2021, you can still apply if you or a family member were living in the UK by 31 December 2020 and you have reasonable grounds for missing the deadline or you meet one of the criteria for making a late application.
Those with pre-settled status can also apply for settled status under the scheme.
At Saxon Solicitors, we deal exclusively with immigration and asylum matters, meaning we have in-depth expertise in this challenging area of law.
If you are eligible to apply to stay in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme, we can advise you and deal with your application on your behalf. We will ensure that all of the necessary documents are included by way of evidence in support, giving you the best possible chance of success.
Our team have an excellent success rate in securing settled and pre-settled status for our clients and we will be happy to discuss your situation and advise you of your options.
Applying to the EU Settlement Scheme
If you have missed the deadline of 30 June 2021, you can still apply in some circumstances, including:
- If you are the family member of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who was living in the UK by 31 December 2020 and you joined them in the UK on or after 1 April 2021: or
- If you are applying for your child who was born or adopted in the UK on or after 1 April 2021.
If you would like to find out whether you are eligible, ring to speak to one of our immigration lawyers who will be happy to go through the criteria with you.
Reasonable grounds for missing the EU Settlement Scheme application deadline
If you have missed the 30 June 2021 deadline but you have reasonable grounds for doing so, you can still apply. There are a wide range of reasonable grounds, including:
- You did not realise you needed to apply for a child
- Your parent did not apply for you when you were a child
- A medical condition prevented you from applying
- You have been in an abusive or controlling relationship
- Covid-19 restrictions prevented you from accessing support to apply
Many other reasons could be considered valid by the immigration authorities, so if you believe that you have grounds for making a late application, talk to one of our immigration solicitors and we will let you know your options.
Switching from pre-settled status to settled status
If you have lived in the UK continuously for five years, you are likely to be able to switch from pre-settled status to settled status. The five-year period starts from when you started continuously living in the UK. You generally cannot have been away from the UK for more than six months during the five years.
It is important to apply to switch to settled status before your pre-settled status expires. If you were away from the UK for more than six months, you may be able to obtain pre-settled status again if the time you were outside of the UK was prior to 31 December 2020 and you were back in the UK by that date.
Documents needed to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme
It is vital to include all of the necessary documents with your application, otherwise it is likely to be rejected. This includes:
- Proof of your identity
- Evidence of your continuous residence in the UK
- Documents explaining why you are eligible to apply after the deadline of 30 June 2021
- Evidence of your relationship to a family member if you are relying on this in your application
- Evidence of your family member’s status
We can go through your documents for you and ensure that you have sufficient paperwork to support your application, giving it the best chance of success.
Contact our expert EU Settlement Scheme solicitors
At Saxon Solicitors we specialise in immigration, meaning we have a high level of expertise and understanding of the complex UK immigration system. If you wish to apply for EU settlement, we can discuss your situation with you and confirm whether you are likely to be eligible. We can put together the strongest possible application on your behalf and support you in dealing with any enquiries or interviews that may be requested.
To speak to our expert UK immigration solicitors in Manchester, ring us on 0161 795 9955 or fill in our contact form below and we will call you back.
We deal with immigration applications for clients in Manchester, Blackburn and Bradford as well as further afield.