EU citizens to be given warning to apply for post-Brexit UK settled status

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Immigration Minister Kevin Foster ruled out extending deadline for applications
The Government's post-Brexit EU Settlement Scheme is due to close on June 30
Mr Foster said that EU citizens have had 'plenty of time' to apply to stay in the UK
But people will be given longer if they have a reasonable excuse for applying late

By Jack Maidment, Deputy Political Editor For Mailonline

Published: 09:54 EDT, 23 June 2021 | Updated: 10:00 EDT, 23 June 2021

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EU citizens living in the UK who have not yet applied to the Government for the post-Brexit right to remain in the country are to be given a 28-day warning to do so.

The EU Settlement Scheme opened for applications back in March 2019 and the formal deadline is June 30 - now just one week away.

EU citizens and their families have been asked by the Home Office to apply to the scheme in order to continue living and working in the UK now the Brexit transition period and freedom of movement have ended.

Ministers are adamant that the end of the month deadline for normal applications will not be extended.

However, people who can demonstrate they have 'reasonable grounds' for missing the deadline will still be allowed to apply and they will be granted an indefinite amount of time to complete their application.

Immigration enforcement officials are due to start issuing the notices to people advising them to seek settled status.

The 'reasonable grounds' for missing the deadline will include where a parent, guardian or council has failed to apply on behalf of a child or where a person has a serious medical condition preventing them from applying in time.

Campaigners had called for the normal deadline to be pushed back because of disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

But Immigration Minister Kevin Foster has ruled out an extension, insisting that people have had 'plenty of time to apply'.

Ministers have ruled out extending the deadline for EU citizens to apply for the post-Brexit right to stay in the UK

Immigration Minister Kevin Foster said people have had 'plenty of time to apply' to the Home Office-run scheme

Mr Foster said pushing the date back would lead to more uncertainty and was not a 'solution'.

Speaking to reporters a week before the cut-off for applications, Mr Foster said: 'The EUSS has been open publicly since March 2019. We believe this has given people plenty of time to apply.

'The sheer fact there have been over 5.6 million applications by the end of last month is testament to this.

'I want to be clear – we will not be extending the deadline. Put simply, extending the deadline is not a solution in itself to reaching those people who have not yet applied and we would just be in a position further down the line where we would be asked to extend again, creating even more uncertainty.'

His comments came after Downing Street said it was trying to identify tens of thousands of Europeans living in the UK who are yet to apply for the post-Brexit residency scheme.

This followed concerns that many EU citizens – as well as nationals of Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland – could have their benefits cut off if they miss the deadline.

Number 10 insisted only a 'small minority' are yet to come forward but initial official estimates on the number of anticipated applications have already been exceeded.

Ultimately it is not known how many people who are eligible to apply are living in the UK, or how many could remain in the country undocumented.

Around 400,000 applications are still waiting to be processed and the Home Office is receiving between 10,000 and 12,000 applications a day.

Mr Foster said he was 'concerned' over claims that outstanding cases were facing a legal limbo or facing a cliff edge – dismissing them as 'just untrue'.

The Government has pledged that anyone who applies by the deadline will have their existing rights protected, subject to the decision and any appeal.

Those who have made a valid submission will have access to a certificate of application while they await their decision, Mr Foster said.

It typically takes around five working days for complete applications to be processed, but it can take longer than a month if more information is needed.

The Home Office has not committed to completing all applications by June 30 and is allowing people to make a late application if they meet 'reasonable grounds' for missing the deadline.

European Union Migrant Crisis Brexit