The Importance Of EU Nationals Applying For Settled Status In The UK Post Brexit
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen of the EU, and you want to live and work in Britain, it’s important that you apply for settled status right away. Now that Brexit is official and the UK has separated from the EU, the laws about living and working here have changed significantly. The new EU Settlement Scheme makes it easy for EU nationals to abide by the new laws. What Is The EU Settlement Scheme? The EU Settlement Scheme is a plan which allows EU, EEA or Swiss citizens who are living in the UK to request permission to continue living, and working, in the country.
There are some strict guidelines to applying for settlement status under the EU Settlement Scheme. And, according to the Gov.uk website, aside from a few special cases, anyone who is not a citizen of the UK, but wishes to remain in the country, must apply.
This includes:
• EU, EEA or Swiss citizens.
• Those who are not an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, but whose family member is.
• Citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway
That means that, even if you were born in the UK but are not a British citizen, you have a UK ‘permanent residence document’, you are a family member of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen who does not need to apply, or you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen with a British citizen family member, you still need to apply for settlement status.
Why Is It Important? Once you apply to the EU Settlement Scheme and your application is successful, you will be given either settled status or pre-settled status, and you can continue living and working in the UK after 30 June 2021. Settled status or pre-settled status? What’s the difference and why is it important? The difference between settled status and pre-settled status lies in how long you’ve been living in the UK.
If you have lived in the UK for a continuous five-year period, you will receive settled status. If you have lived in the UK less than 5 years, you will receive pre-settled status. Either way, the benefits are the same.
Whether you receive settled or pre-settled status, according to Gov.uk, your rights include: • You’ll be able to work in the UK. • You’ll be able to travel in and out of the UK. • You’ll be able to use the NHS for free. • You’ll be able to enroll in education. • You’ll be able to access public funds such as benefits and pensions.