How to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme – Settled & Pre-Settled Status? A guide by our EU Settlement Scheme consultant in India

EU Settlement Scheme (Settled & Pre-Settled Status) is for applicants from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein. The applicant and their family might be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK. The applicant might also be able to apply if they are a family member of an eligible person of Northern Ireland.

Update

The deadline for applicants to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (Settled & Pre-Settled Status) was 30 June 2021.

Overview of the EU Settlement Scheme (Settled & Pre-Settled Status)

If the applicant or their family member are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein, they can still apply if the applicant or a family member were living in the UK by 31st December 2020. The applicant must also either:

  • Meet one of the criteria for a later deadline to apply.
  • Or have ‘reasonable grounds’ for not applying by 30th June 2021.

The applicant can also apply if they already have pre-settled status, and then they are applying for settled status.

The applicant may be able to stay in the UK without applying – for example, if they are an Irish citizen, or they already have an Indefinite Leave to Enter or Remain status.

If the application is successful, the applicant gets either a Settled or a Pre-Settled Status.

Criteria for later deadlines and ‘reasonable grounds’ for not applying by the deadline
In some cases, the applicant can still apply after 30th June 2021.

For example, if the applicant is joining a family member who was living in the UK by 31st December 2020, then the deadline will be based on when the applicant arrives in the UK, as long as:

  • The applicant was 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 the applicant has applied.
  • The applicant can also apply if they can show ‘reasonable grounds’ (such as medical reasons, or being a victim of domestic abuse) for why they did not apply by 30 June 2021.

If the applicant already has a Pre-Settled Status

  • If the applicant applied to the EU Settlement Scheme and was given a Pre-Settled Status, the applicant needs to apply for Settled Status before their Pre-Settled Status expires.
  • Settled status will let the applicant stay in the UK for as long as they like. They can usually apply for citizenship once they’ve had Settled Status for 12 months.

If the applicant is waiting for a decision

After the applicant has applied, they will get a Certificate of Application. The certificate will explain what is it used for, while the applicant is waiting for a decision – for example, whether they can use it to prove their right to work in the UK.

Who can apply for an EU Settlement Scheme (Settled & Pre-Settled Status)?

The deadline for most people to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme was 30 June 2021.
The applicant can still apply if either:

  • The deadline for the applicant to apply is after 30th June 2021.
  • The applicant has ‘reasonable grounds’ for why they did not apply by the deadline.

Who does not need to apply for an EU Settlement Scheme (Settled & Pre-Settled Status)?

An applicant does not need to apply if they have:

  • Indefinite Leave to Enter or Remain in the UK.
  • Irish citizenship (including British and Irish ‘dual citizenship’).
  • A Frontier Worker Permit or the applicant is eligible for one, as long as they continue living outside the UK while working here.
  • If the applicant has British citizenship.

What decision will I receive on my EU Settlement Scheme (Settled & Pre-Settled Status) application?

  • Settled Status, is usually where the applicant lived in the UK for a continuous 5-year period (known as ‘continuous residence’).
  • Pre-Settled Status
  • The applicant does not have the right to decide. They will not be asked to pick an option when they are applying. The status an applicant gets usually depends on how long they have been living in the UK when they submitted the application.
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What are my rights with a Settled or Pre-Settled Status?

  • Work in the UK.
  • Use the NHS for free, (if permitted).
  • Enrol in education or study in the UK.
  • Access public funds such as benefits and pensions, (if eligible).
  • Travel in and out of the UK.

How can I switch from Pre-Settled to Settled Status?

  • An applicant can switch to settled status as soon as they have had 5 years’ continuous residence, or sooner if they are eligible before 5 years.
  • The 5 years are counted from the day the applicant started their continuous residence, not the day they were granted pre-settled status.
  • The applicant must apply for settled status before their pre-settled status expires to stay in the UK.

What are the documents needed to apply for an EU Settlement Scheme (Settled & Pre-Settled Status)?

  • Identity proofs.
  • Continuous residence in the UK and (unless applying to join a family member) that it started by 31st December 2020.
  • Eligibility to apply after 30th June 2021.
  • Relationship with the family member, and their eligibility or status under the EU Settlement Scheme, if the applicant is applying to join or remain with them in the UK. This has to be proved again while applying to switch from pre-settled status to settled status.

What is the process after I have submitted my EU Settlement Scheme (Settled & Pre-Settled Status) application?

  • If the application is successful, the applicant gets a decision letter by email or post confirming they have been given settled or pre-settled status.
  • The status received under the EU Settlement Scheme proves the applicant’s rights in the UK only.
  • The documents are returned to the applicant once the decision has been made – this usually takes between 6 to 8 weeks.

What is the cost of an EU Settlement Scheme (Settled & Pre-Settled Status) application?

It’s free to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

How can The SmartMove2UK be of help for your Settled & Pre-Settled Status application?

The SmartMove2UK is a UK immigration law firm, established in 2009. Our firm has a team of UK immigration solicitors and experts.

  • Our law firm was announced as the winner of the IAE Corporate Immigration Law (India) award, in 2016.
  • We are recognized by Who’s Who Legal (WWL) as a Corporate Immigration Firm in 2016.
  • We take pride in being members of prominent institutions like The Law Society and Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa.

Our offices are located in India – Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru.

We have been assisting clients from all over the world and our clientele is spread across 26+ countries, with 1,000 success stories.

Our UK-qualified solicitors have the expertise of over 2 decades in providing Legal Advice for all UK immigration-related assistance.

We also offer Full Representation service and Filing Appeals for Refused applications.

You can get in touch with our UK immigration lawyer to book a consultation!

A professional advice will go a long way to make your UK Settled & Pre-Settled Status application a successful one!

Fill this form and one of our Settled & Pre-Settled Status consultant based in India will contact you asap.

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