EU Settlement Scheme opens fully after pilot phases

Policy effect

From 07:00 on March 30, 2019, the EU Settlement Scheme opened fully for eligible resident EU citizens and their family members following its pilot phases. It also opened to eligible resident citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland and their family members. Applicants could seek settled or pre-settled status under Appendix EU.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: From 07:00 on March 30, 2019, the EU Settlement Scheme opened fully for eligible resident EU citizens and their family members following its pilot phases.; It also opened to eligible resident citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland and their family members.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

… ies; • Make reforms to the Tier 1 (Investor) category to protect better against financial crime and ensure investments are of greater benefit to the UK economy; • Increase the initial period of leave for those who qualify for Stateless leave, and make clear that to qualify for stateless leave someone must show that they cannot acquire a nationality or a right to permanent residence in another country to which they may be entitled; and • Provide for the full opening of the EU Settlement Scheme for resident EU citizens and their family members to obtain UK immigration status, alongside two negat … hanges in Immigration Rules, to go ahead, as planned, with the full opening of the EU Settlement Scheme for resident EU citizens and their family members from 30 March 2019. Through these changes in Immigration Rules, the scheme will also be open from that date, as planned, to resident citizens of the other European Economic Area (EEA) countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and of Switzerland, and their family members. 1 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/756374/14_N ovember_Draft_Agreement_on_the_Withdrawal_of_the_United_King … financial assistance to relocate staff and their families to a safer part of the country or, in the most serious cases, relocation to the UK. 7.63 The Immigration Rules until now required family members who qualified for relocation to the UK to travel at the same time as the LES, which was made clear to LES before they relocated here. There are some family members who chose to remain in Afghanistan and did not travel at the same time. Where family members wish to join LES who have already relocated, they have not qualified under the relocation scheme and instead needed to apply under the famil … to travel to the UK after the LES has already relocated. Changes relating to the EU Settlement Scheme 7.65 This Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules makes provision for the full opening of the EU Settlement Scheme. The Immigration Rules for the scheme contained in the new Appendix EU substituted by this Statement of Changes include the following changes to the scope of the scheme and the application process: Scope of the scheme • Resident citizens of the other EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and of Switzerland, and their family members, will also be able to apply for UK … pplying as the Partner or Child of a Relevant Points Based System Migrant who” in each place it occurs. E12. In paragraph (p)(i), after “the relevant Points Based System Migrant”, insert “in (o)”. E13. In paragraph (p)(ii), for “his” substitute “their”. Changes to Appendix EU EU1. Before Appendix EU, delete “phased implementation – see Statement of Changes HC 1849”. EU2. For Appendix EU, substitute: “Appendix EU: EU, other EEA and Swiss citizens and family members Purpose EU1. This Appendix sets out the basis on which an EEA citizen and their family members, and the family members of a qualify … migration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 (as they have effect at the date of application or as they had effect immediately before they were revoked) EEA citizen a person who is a national of: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Page 45 of 294 Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden or Switzerland, and who (unless they are a relevant naturalised British citizen) is not … ecified date, under sub-paragraph (a)(ii) of the entry for ‘family member of a relevant EEA citizen’ in this table) the person held a relevant document as the durable partner of the relevant EEA citizen; and (c) it is, or (as the case may be) was, not a durable partnership of convenience; and (d) neither party has, or (as the case may be) had, another durable partner, a spouse or a civil partner with (in any of those circumstances) immigration status in the UK or the Islands based on that person’s relationship with that party EEA citizen a person who is a national of: Austria, Belgium, Bulgari … a, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden or Switzerland, and who (unless they are a relevant naturalised British citizen) is not also a British citizen EEA Regulations the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 (as they have effect at the date of application or as they had effect immediately before they were revoked) evidence of birth (a) (in the case of … 2016 (HC 667), 16 March 2017 (HC 1078), 20 July 2017 (HC 290), 7 December 2017 (HC 309), 15 March 2018 (HC 895), 15 June 2018 (HC 1154), 20 July 2018 (Cm 9675), 11 October 2018 (HC 1534), 11 December 2018 (HC 1779) and 20 December 2018 (HC 1849). Implementation EU Settlement Scheme and related changes The change to Part 1 set out in paragraph 1.1 of this statement shall take effect at 0700 on 30 March 2019. The change to Part 1 set out in paragraph 1.2 of this statement shall take effect at 0700 on 30 March 2019 in relation to applications made under Appendix AR (EU) on or after that time. How …

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Other United Kingdom changes operative in 2019

• 2019-01-08Increase of Concessionary Immigration Health Surcharge for Students and Youth Mobility Migrants to £300
• 2019-01-08Increase of General Immigration Health Surcharge to £400
• 2019-03-11Automatic Grant of Leave via ePassport Gates for Designated Non-Visa Nationals
• 2019-03-30Extended Absence Threshold for Lapsing of Indefinite Leave Under Appendix EU
• 2019-04-06Initial stateless leave increases from 30 months to five years
• 2019-08-15Inclusion of Minor Children of Durable Partners as Extended Family Members
• 2019-08-15Recognition of Children Under Non-Adoptive Legal Guardianship as Extended Family Members
• 2019-10-01Section 67 leave can be granted on arrival without a prior refused asylum claim