Two weeks until go live
The full opening of the EU Settlement Scheme will go ahead on 30 March 2019. Applications will be free, as announced by the Prime Minister on 21 January 2019.
Refunds
People who have paid an application fee during the test phases will receive a refund after 30 March 2019.
If you are due a refund you do not need to do anything. The Home Office will automatically refund the fee to the card that was used to pay it. An email will be sent to the contact address provided in the application, confirming when the refund has been processed.
150,000 applications so far
Ahead of the full opening of the Scheme, the Home Office have been testing the application process and making some final changes. By the end of February 2019, the Home Office had received more than 150,000 applications during the test phases. In the latest public test phase, 75% of applicants whose case had been decided received their decision within three days and 80% of those who provided feedback found the online application easy to complete.
To apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, applicants will only need to prove their identity, demonstrate their UK residence, and declare any criminal convictions. EU citizens have until 31 December 2020 to apply.
EU citizens applying to the Scheme from 30 March 2019, will be able to send their passport or other identity documents by post if they do not wish to or cannot use the EU Exit ID Document Check App.
From 9 April 2019, EU citizens and certain family members will be able to apply to the Scheme from outside the UK, free of charge and based on their previous residence in the UK, without needing to travel here to make an online application.
Resident citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland and their family members will also be able to apply to the Scheme.
We will continue to keep you updated. If you require any assistance with a UK visa application, please contact our offices for a free assessment on (+44) 01793 836010 or email us at enquiries@permits2work.com