Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status) (2024)

The deadline for most people to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme 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’re applying now, and not by the deadline or in the time since the deadline passed

If you already have pre-settled status, you can usually apply for settled status once you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years in a row.

Who has a later deadline to apply

You have a different deadline if you’re eligible to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme for one of the following reasons.

If you did not apply by the deadline

You can still apply if you’re eligible and can show ‘reasonable grounds’ for why you could not apply by the deadline or in the time since the deadline passed.

Who is eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme

You must meet one of the eligibility criteria for the scheme, which for most people is either:

• you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and you started living in the UK by 31 December 2020
• you’re the family member of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who started living in the UK by 31 December 2020 and has settled or pre-settled status

You may also be eligible 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’ve died or the family relationship has broken down)
• you’re 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’re 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’re the family member of a person who is exempt from immigration control
• you’re the family member of a ‘frontier worker’

You and your child may also be eligible if, by 31 December 2020, you were the primary carer of a:

• 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

Reasonable grounds for the delay in applying

If you did not apply by the deadline for your circ*mstances, you may still be able to apply to the scheme.

You can still apply if you’re eligible and can show reasonable grounds for why you’re applying now, and not before the deadline or in the time since the deadline passed.

You must give evidence of your reasonable grounds, which both:

• explains the reason or reasons you could not apply
• covers the whole period since the deadline passed, as well as why you could not apply by the deadline

Reasonable grounds may include, if:

• your parent, guardian or local authority did not apply for you when you were a child and you have only recently been made aware of the need to apply
• you have a serious medical condition which prevented you from applying
• you lack the physical or mental capacity to apply
• you have significant, ongoing care or support needs
• you’ve been in an abusive or controlling relationship, or experienced domestic violence
• you came to the UK on a work or study visa and became eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme while you were here
• another compelling practical or compassionate reason

When you apply, you need to provide evidence to support each reason you give for the delay in applying.

If you’re the family member or primary carer of a British citizen

For most people, you can no longer apply if you’re:

• a family member of a ‘qualifying British citizen’ - this is known as a ‘Surinder Singh’ application
• a primary carer of a British citizen - this is known as a ‘Zambrano’ application

There are some cases where you can still apply.

If you’re 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’ll have been told if you’re exempt from immigration control, for example because you’re:

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

You can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme 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’ll 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.

Who does not need to apply

You do not need to apply if you have:

• indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK
• Irish citizenship (including British and Irish ‘dual citizenship’)
• a Frontier Worker permit, or you’re eligible for one, as long as you continue living outside the UK while working here

You cannot apply if you have British citizenship.