FAQ
Find information answering your frequently asked questions about the EU Settlement Scheme, applying for and proving your status, travelling in and out of the UK, British citizenship and your rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.
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What does it mean to have permanent residence rights under the Withdrawal Agreement?
Following a December 2022 High Court judgment (see our FAQ…Who can I add to my settled status? Can members of my family join me in the UK?
If you are an EEA or Swiss citizen who holds pre-settled status or settled status and who moved to the UK before 31 December 2020, you can be joined by your…My biometric residence permit (BRP) / biometric residence card (BRC) expires on 31 Dec 2024 - when and how do I renew it?
The reason your biometric residence permit [BRP] or biometric residence card [BRC] expires on 31 Dec 2024 is that the Government is moving to an all-digital system. Even though your card expires then…I was stopped at the UK Border Force, how can I be sure it won’t happen again?
Sometimes people can have a ‘flag’ against their Home Office profile, which means they get stopped and questioned by a Border Force official when trying to enter the UK. We do not know what…Who exactly is a family member, a close family member, an extended family member? What does dependent mean?
The government website on the EU Settlement Scheme frequently refers to ‘family members’ (e.g here…I am a joining family member who was granted pre-settled status a few weeks/months before I came to the UK. My status will expire before I complete five years of residence and become eligible for settled status. How can I ensure I do not lose status?
In December 2022, there was a High Court judgment which resulted in the Home Office announcing some changes to the EU Settlement Scheme in July 2023. These changes ensure that pre-settled status…Am I eligible to apply for (pre-)settled status now that the 30 June 2021 deadline has passed?
You can apply for (pre-)settled status if you are in one of the following categories:- You are an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, or the family member of an EU/EEA or…
I saw that the IMA won a court case against the Home Office which says the EU Settlement Scheme is unlawful. What are the consequences of this case?
On 17 July 2023, the Government announced changes to the EU Settlement Scheme to reflect the High Court judgment. You can read the Home Office statement here:…Should I apply for settled status in light of the IMA case against the Home Office which says the EU Settlement Scheme is unlawful?
Yes, we strongly encourage anyone with pre-settled status to make an application for settled status as soon as they are eligible to do so, and can evidence their five years residence in the UK. If…I saw that the IMA won a court case against the Home Office which says the EU Settlement Scheme is unlawful. Does this mean that people with pre-settled status don’t need to do anything when their pre-settled status expires?
The Home Office announced in July 2023 that they will shortly start extending people’s pre-settled status by two years, without any action required by the status holder. We have created a Q&A…I saw that the IMA won a court case against the Home Office which says the EU Settlement Scheme is unlawful. Does this mean that I’ll automatically get settled status without needing to do anything?
Not necessarily. The Home Office have announced that at some point in 2024, they will start offering automated upgrades to some pre-settled status holders. We have created a Q&A document, with a…I saw that the IMA won a court case against the Home Office which says the EU Settlement Scheme is unlawful. I’ve been absent from the UK for too long - does this now mean I can still get settled status after all?
No. The judgment is about those pre-settled status holders who lose rights only because they do not make a second application to the EU Settlement Scheme before their pre-settled status expires.…I saw that the IMA won a court case against the Home Office which says the EU Settlement Scheme is unlawful. I was refused (pre-)settled status - does this court case mean I can now re-apply and get it?
In some circumstances this may be possible, for example if you have pre-settled status and were refused because you applied too soon to upgrade to settled status, before you had sufficient continuous…I saw that the IMA won a court case against the Home Office which says the EU Settlement Scheme is unlawful. Does that mean my (pre-)settled status is no longer valid?
Do not worry – your (pre-)settled status is still valid and the court case has not changed this. Pre-settled and settled status granted by the Home Office remain valid, and nothing about the…How can I access Government Gateway services if I don’t hold a UK passport or driving licence?
We wrote to HMRC last year asking why non-UK passports were no longer acceptable as verification for access to tax and other records. The withdrawal of…I am a non-EU citizen and was granted pre-settled status on the basis of my relationship with an EU family member. My family member has left the UK / passed away, will I still be able to apply for settled status?
(In this FAQ, we use EU citizens to mean EU, EEA or Swiss citizens, and non-EU to mean family members who are not EU, EEA or Swiss citizens.) If your EU family member has died, you can still apply…I am a non-EU citizen and was granted pre-settled status on the basis of my relationship with my EU partner. The relationship has broken down, will I still be able to apply for settled status?
(In this FAQ, we use EU citizens to mean EU, EEA or Swiss citizens, and non-EU to mean family members who are not EU, EEA or Swiss citizens.) If you were previously married or in a civil…I live in the UK and am trying to travel home. The airline is refusing to allow me to board my flight. What can I do?
In the immediate term:- Firstly, make sure that the passport or national identity card you are presenting to the carrier is…
I have an immigration status which is not connected to the EU Settlement Scheme. How do I create a share code?
This depends on whether you have a UKVI account. People with status under the EU Settlement Scheme do, but so will many others. Throughout 2024 the UK Government encouraged people with…I am a dual British-EU citizen. I don’t need an ETA. How does this work in practice?
**** BREAKING NEWS - START **** On 10 March 2026, Home Office guidance on dual citizenship announced a major policy change…questions about your rights? Learn more