Latest immigration rules: the EU Settlement Scheme broadens
The Home Office has released its latest half-yearly series of changes to the Immigration Rules. These include the next phase of the roll-out of the EU Settlement Scheme.
After a satisfactory initial private beta test in the North-West, the registration has now been widened to the following:
- EU staff who work in Higher Education (from 15 November)
- EU children who are looked after by the councils in Kent, Lincolnshire, Haringey, Waltham Forest and Sheffield (from 15 November)
- EU citizens who are receiving support from specific organisations across the country including women’s aid centres, charities for the homeless or those in poverty, and certain refugee groups (from 15 November)
- NHS workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from the EU, including GPs, dentists, and those employed as chiropractors, osteopaths, pharmacists, and social workers
(from 29 November)
Any resident EU citizens and their family members in the above categories, who wishes to obtain immigration status after Brexit, can apply for settled or pre-settled status by using the full online service.
Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes said:
‘The EU Settlement Scheme will make it simple and straightforward for EU citizens to get the status they need but it is important that we get this right.
‘I am pleased with how the first phase of the scheme has progressed, especially that those who have applied have found the process easy to use.’
The EU Settlement Scheme will open fully by March 2019 and the deadline for applying will be 30 June 2021.
You can read the full Home Office report here.
