Further changes to the EU Settlement Scheme

In August last year, we reported that the Home Office was introducing automatic extensions of two years for holders of pre-settled status who have not obtained settlement before the expiry of their initial grant. This was a welcome change, as it greatly decreased the risk of accidentally overstaying by removing the need to make a further application in most cases.

The Home Office has now announced that the duration of these extensions will increase from two to five years, and it is expected that this will start to be implemented imminently. 

Additionally, the period of continuous absence which will cause pre-settled status to lapse has increased from two years to five years, bringing it into line with the equivalent rule in regard to settled status.

It should be noted that these changes do not prevent curtailment of pre-settled status should it later be determined that the person did not in fact qualify for the automatic extension due to no longer meeting the requirements; and nor do they make it easier for people with excessive absences to settle. They do however, provide greater security for holders of pre-settled status and should vastly reduce the cases where there is potential for status to be lost.

If you require any advice or assistance with an application to the EU Settlement Scheme, please do not hesitate to contact us and one of the experienced solicitors in our immigration team will be happy to assist you.