Application For Pre-Settled Status Under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

• Page Contents
• Overview
• Who Has Later Deadline To Apply?
• Reasonable Grounds For Applying Late
• If You Are Exempt Or Stop Being
  Exempt From Immigration Control
• When You Need To Apply?
• Who Can Apply For Pre-Settled Status?
• How Can We Help?
• Our Fixed Fees

You can apply for pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Shceme (EUSS) if you are from from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and you started living in the UK before 31 December 2020. You can also apply for pre-settled status if you are the family member of a person who is from from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and who started living in the UK before 31 December 2020. Pre-settled status is granted for a period of 5 years and upon completion of 5 years residence in the UK, the applicant can apply for settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).

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

• the deadline for you to apply is after 30 June 2021
• you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for why you did not apply by the deadline

Our specialist team of immigration solicitors and lawyers in London can provide expert immigration advice and legal representations on fixed fee basis concerning your application for pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). Ask a question to our specialist team of immigration solicitors for free immigration advice online or book an appointment online for detailed immigration advice with our specialist immigration solicitors for your application under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).

Who Has a Later Deadline To Apply For Pre-Settled Status

For some people, the deadline of 30 June 2021 does not apply. This is true if you are one of the following:

• the family member of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who was living here by 31 December 2020, and you join them in the UK on or after 1 April 2021
• applying for your child, who was born or adopted in the UK on or after 1 April 2021
• the family member of an eligible person of Northern Ireland, but they could not move back to the UK by 31 December 2020 without you - you must be from outside the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
• exempt from immigration control, or you stopped being exempt from immigration control after 30 June 2021
• in the UK with limited leave to enter or remain in the UK (for example, if you are here on a work or study visa) which expires after 30 June 2021
• a family member of a British citizen who you lived with in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein - you must have lived with them in that country by 30 December 2020, and returned to the UK with them

‘Reasonable Grounds’ For Why You Did Not Apply By The Deadline

If you did not apply by 30 June 2021, or by the deadline for your circumstances if it’s later, you may still be able to apply for pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). You will need to have ‘reasonable grounds’ for why you did not apply by the deadline. There are many different reasons that can be included as reasonable grounds for not applying by the deadline. There is not a complete list - if you have a reason not listed here, you can still apply and your reason will be considered.

Some reasonable grounds are, for example, if:

• you are a child, or applying for your child, and you did not know you needed to apply
• your parent, guardian or local authority did not apply for you when you were a child
• you have, or had, a medical condition which prevented you from applying
• you lacked the physical or mental capacity to apply
• you have care or support needs, or those caring for you were unaware of the deadline
• you have been the victim of modern slavery
• you have been in an abusive or controlling relationship
• you did not have internet access, or access to relevant documents
• you came to the UK on a work or study visa and became eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) while you were in the UK, but did not know you could apply
• you already have indefinite leave to enter or remain, and you did not know you could apply to the scheme
• you had permanent residence status or a residence document that stopped being valid after 30 June 2021, and you did not know you needed to apply to the scheme
• you had difficulty accessing support to apply because of coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions
• another compelling practical or compassionate reason prevented you applying

When you apply, you need to provide evidence to support the reason or reasons you give for missing the deadline.

If You Are Exempt From Immigration Control, Or Stop Being Exempt

You do not need to do anything to continue living in the UK while you’re exempt from immigration control. You will have been told if you’re exempt from immigration control, for example because you are:

• a foreign diplomat posted in the UK
• a member of NATO

You can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) at any time, as long as you or a family member started living in the UK by 31 December 2020. Your privileges and immunities may change if you get settled status. If you stop being exempt, you need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme within 90 days of when you stop being exempt. You will need to prove that you are or were exempt from immigration control as part of your application.

Your family members may be eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme whether they are exempt from immigration control or not. They can apply at any time, even if you have not yet applied.

When You Need To Apply

• If you are applying as a family member to join someone in the UK, you have 90 days to apply from when you arrive in the UK. This only applies if you join them in the UK on or after 1 April 2021. If you joined them before that date, your deadline to apply was 30 June 2021.
• If you’re applying for your child who was born or adopted in the UK on or after 1 April 2021, you have 90 days from when they were born or adopted. If they were born or adopted in the UK before that date, your deadline to apply was 30 June 2021.
• If you are the family member of an eligible person of Northern Ireland, and they could not move back to the UK without you by 31 December 2020, you have 90 days to apply from when you arrive in the UK.
• If you are exempt from immigration control, you do not have to apply to the scheme. If you choose to do so, you can apply at any time. If you stop being exempt, you will have 90 days to apply.
• If you have limited leave to enter or remain in the UK which expires after 30 June 2021, you must apply before your leave expires.
• If you are applying as a family member of a British citizen who you lived with in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you must apply by 29 March 2022.

Who Can Apply For Pre-Settled Status?

You must meet one of the eligibility criteria for the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), which for most people is either:

• you are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and you started living in the UK by 31 December 2020; or
• you are the family member of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who started living in the UK by 31 December 2020

You may also be eligible to apply for pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) if:

• you used to have a family member from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who started living in the UK by 31 December 2020 (but you’ve separated, they have died or the family relationship has broken down)
• you are the family member of a British citizen who you lived with in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein - you must have lived with them in that country by 31 December 2020 and returned to the UK with them before you apply
• you are the family member of a British citizen who also is a citizen of an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, and they lived in the UK as a citizen of one of these countries before getting British citizenship
• you have a family member who is an eligible person of Northern Ireland
• you are the child of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who used to live and work in the UK - you must be in education in the UK
• you are the family member of a person who is exempt from immigration control
• you are the family member of a ‘frontier worker’

You and your child can also apply if by 31 December 2020 you were the primary carer of a:

• British citizen (and you did not have another type of permission to stay in the UK)
• child of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who used to live and work in the UK - the child must be in education in the UK
• self-sufficient child from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

How Can We Help?

Our specialist team of immigration solicitors and lawyers in London can provide expert immigration advice and legally represent you in your application for pre-settled status under the EU Settled Scheme (EUSS) and carry out all the work on your pre-settled status application until a decision is received from the Home Office UKVI. The immigration casework to be carried out by our immigration solicitors on your pre-settled status application will entail the following:

• Our immigration solicitors will assess your eligibility for pre-settled status under the EU Settled Scheme (EUSS) by considering all your personal circumstances;
• Our immigration solicitors will advise you on the weaknesses and strengths of your pre-settled status under the EU Settled Scheme (EUSS);
• Our immigration solicitors will advising you on the relevant documents to be submitted in support of your pre-settled status under the EU Settled Scheme (EUSS);
• Our immigration solicitors will assess your documents to ensure that the documentary evidence is as per requirements of the Home Office UKVI immigration Rules;
• Our immigration solicitors will complete and submit the online application form to apply for pre-settled status under the EU Settled Scheme (EUSS) by gathering all the relevant information from you;
• Our immigration solicitors will upload online all the relevant supporting documents to be considered in support of your application for pre-settled status;
• Our immigration solicitors will liaise with the Home Office UKVI for a timely decision on your pre-settled status application.

Our Fixed Fees For Applications Under The EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)