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

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If you have indefinite leave to enter or remain

The deadline to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme in most cases was 30 June 2021. In some cases, you can still apply after the deadline.

If you have indefinite leave to enter (ILE) or indefinite leave to remain (ILR), you do not need settled or pre-settled status to continue living in the UK. This means you do not need to apply to the scheme, but you can choose to. You must have had ILR or ILE continuously since 31 December 2020.

What you’ll get

If you have ILE or ILR, and you successfully apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll get indefinite leave to enter or remain under the EU Settlement Scheme - also known as settled status. You will not have to prove you have 5 years’ continuous residence.

This means you can spend up to 5 years in a row outside the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man without losing your settled status (instead of 2 years with the ILE or ILR you have now).

If you’re a Swiss citizen, you and your family members can spend up to 4 years in a row outside the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man without losing your settled status. Your family members do not have to be Swiss citizens.

If you spend too much time outside the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man

If you spend more than 5 years in a row outside the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man (4 years if you’re a Swiss citizen or their family member) you’ll lose your settled status. You’ll usually need to apply for a visa to live and work in the UK.

You can reapply to the EU Settlement Scheme if you’re eligible as a family member of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.

If you moved to the UK before it joined the EU on 1 January 1973

You may have been given ILR automatically if you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and you lived in the UK before 1973. If you were, you do not need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to stay in the UK, but you can choose to apply.

If you do not have a document confirming your ILR status, you can either:

If you’re from Malta or Cyprus, you could also apply for British citizenship through the Windrush scheme.

Applications for either scheme are free of charge.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Part of Stay in the UK ('settled status'): step by step

  1. Step 1 Check if you need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme

    You may need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK.

    1. Check if you need to apply

  2. Step 2 Find out what status you’ll get

    You’ll get settled or pre-settled status depending on how long you’ve been living in the UK. This might affect when you choose to apply.

    1. Find out what you’ll get

  3. Step 3 Check what you’ll need to apply

    1. What you'll need to apply

    Check what you need to do if:

  4. Step 4 Apply

    The deadline for applying for most people was 30 June 2021.

    1. Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme

  5. Step 5 After you've applied

    1. What happens after you’ve applied