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EU Settlement Scheme: information for status holders and applicants

Updated 2 August 2024

This guide is for citizens from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and their family members, living in the UK, who have secured status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), or are waiting to hear the outcome of an application made before the deadline on 30 June 2021.

For those citizens resident in the UK by 31 December 2020, the deadline for applications to be made to the EUSS was 30 June 2021.

If you are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, or a family member of someone who is, who was resident in the UK by 31 December 2020, and you did not make an application to the EUSS by the deadline of 30 June 2021 and do not hold Indefinite Leave to Enter or Indefinite Leave to Remain or a valid UK visa, then your rights, including the right to live, work, study, and access benefits and services in the UK are not protected. You can still make an application where you can show that there are reasonable grounds for your delay in applying. There is guidance available for late applications on GOV.UK.

Since 1 July 2021, citizens from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and their family members have had to evidence their right to be in the UK through a valid UK immigration status. You may be able to obtain this status through the EUSS or under the points-based immigration system.

Citizens from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein can expect to be asked to show their digital immigration status to prove their right to work, or their right to rent to landlords in England. Other departments, such as HMRC, DWP and the NHS, will have automatic access to check a person’s eligibility for free healthcare, benefits and access to public funds.

How to access and update your digital immigration status

You can view your EUSS status online, via the view and prove your immigration status service. Individuals with pre-settled or settled status under the EUSS should ensure that they update their online account with all valid travel documents (such as passports or national identity cards) that they hold and intend to use for travel, to avoid any unnecessary delays at the border.

Please refer to the following guide on GOV.UK for further information about using your digital status: ‘Your immigration status: an introduction for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens’.

Pending applications

Anyone who made an application to the EUSS by the 30 June 2021 deadline will have their rights protected, pending the outcome of their application. Applicants are issued with a certificate of application, which can be relied on to evidence their rights.

A certificate of application is accessible to view online, via the view and prove your immigration status service.

Travelling in and out of the UK

If you do not have status under the EUSS, you are advised not to travel in and out of the UK pending the outcome of your application, including any appeal.

Please refer to the following guide on GOV.UK for information on what you’ll need to enter the UK with EUSS status or a pending application: Entering the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme and EU Settlement Scheme family permit - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Switching from pre-settled status to settled status

If you hold pre-settled status, you can apply to switch to settled status as soon as you’re eligible. This is usually after you’ve lived in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for 5 years in a row (known as ‘continuous residence’). You do not need to have held pre-settled status for 5 years before you can apply to switch to settled status. See more information on switching from pre-settled status to settled status.

Joining family members

If you’re a family member of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who was resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 and who has pre-settled or settled status, you can apply to the EUSS to join them in the UK at any time, where the family relationship was formed by 31 December 2020 (except where a child was born or adopted after it) and continues to exist.

You may be able to apply to the EUSS from outside the UK or you may need to apply for an EUSS family permit to come to the UK and then apply to the EUSS once here.

For further information please see the guidance published on GOV.UK.

For questions about your application, you can call the Resolution Centre on 0300 123 7379 from inside the UK or +44 (0)20 3080 0010 from outside the UK (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8.30pm and Saturday to Sunday, 9.30am to 4.30pm).