Great news for EU Permanent Residence Card holders – you can now apply for the EU Settlement Scheme even if you missed the deadline.
On January 16th 2024, the Home Office updated its guidance, stating that if you believed you didn’t need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme because you held a document confirming your permanent residence as an EU national in the UK, it’s considered a valid reason for a late application.
Previously, the Home Office did not accept late applications if EU nationals had applied for permanent residence cards instead. These cards were no longer valid after the June 2021 deadline for the EU Settlement Scheme.
Now, if you hold a valid permanent residence card and were unaware of the EU Settlement Scheme rules, you have reasonable grounds for a late application.
This is excellent news for EU nationals and their families who have permanent residence in the UK but didn’t apply for the EU Settlement Scheme, believing they were already regularised due to their permanent residence status.
We recommend that permanent residence holders seeking to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme provide evidence of their reasonable belief, such as email exchanges with employers confirming their right to work in the UK using their permanent residence.
For those considering an application, please get in touch with us as soon as possible, and we will assist you in securing your immigration status in the UK.
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