FAQ

I have pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. During the COVID pandemic, I was unable to return to the UK due to travel restrictions, will I lose my pre-settled status?

With pre-settled status, the Home Office previously took the view that your status was deemed to have 'lapsed' (i.e. lost) if you had left the UK for a period of 2 consecutive years before 21 May 2024, whatever the reason for your absence.

However, the Home Office changed their position on this, clarifying their guidance on 9 April 2026. If someone with pre-settled status can show they were resident in the UK for at least 30 months in the last 60 months, then they are eligible for settled status, even if their status was previously considered to have lapsed. Furthermore, it is not necessary to justify the reasons for the absences.

To check whether you are (or will become) eligible for settled status, read the ‘continuous residence’ FAQ. and our page on how absences affect your status.