The deadline for most people to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme was 30 June 2021.

You can still apply if either:

• the deadline for you to apply is after 30 June 2021
• you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for why you did not apply by the deadline

Who has a later deadline to apply

For some people, the deadline of 30 June 2021 does not apply. This is true if you’re one of the following:

• the family member of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who was living here by 31 December 2020, and you join them in the UK on or after 1 April 2021
• applying for your child, who was born or adopted in the UK on or after 1 April 2021
• the family member of an eligible person of Northern Ireland, but they could not move back to the UK by 31 December 2020 without you – you must be from outside the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
• exempt from immigration control, or you stopped being exempt from immigration control after 30 June 2021
• here with limited leave to enter or remain in the UK (for example, if you’re here on a work or study visa) which expires after 30 June 2021
• a family member of a British citizen who you lived with in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein – you must have lived with them in that country by 31 December 2020, and returned to the UK with them

When you need to apply

If you’re applying as a family member to join someone in the UK, you have 90 days to apply from when you arrive in the UK. This only applies if you join them in the UK on or after 1 April 2021. If you joined them before that date, your deadline to apply was 30 June 2021.

If you’re applying for your child who was born or adopted in the UK on or after 1 April 2021, you have 90 days from when they were born or adopted. If they were born or adopted in the UK before that date, your deadline to apply was 30 June 2021.

If you’re the family member of an eligible person of Northern Ireland, and they could not move back to the UK without you by 31 December 2020, you have 90 days to apply from when you arrive in the UK.

If you’re exempt from immigration control, you do not have to apply to the scheme. If you choose to do so, you can apply at any time. If you stop being exempt, you will have 90 days to apply.

If you have limited leave to enter or remain in the UK which expires after 30 June 2021, you must apply before your leave expires.

If you’re applying as a family member of a British citizen who you lived with in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, your deadline to apply was 29 March 2022.

If you did not apply by the deadline

You can still apply if you’re eligible for the scheme and can show ‘reasonable grounds’ for why you did not apply by the deadline that applies to you.

Who is eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme

You must meet one of the eligibility criteria for the scheme, which for most people is either:

• you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and you started living in the UK by 31 December 2020
• you’re the family member of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who started living in the UK by 31 December 2020

You may also be eligible if:

• you used to have a family member from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who started living in the UK by 31 December 2020 (but you’ve separated, they’ve died or the family relationship has broken down)
• you’re the family member of a British citizen who you lived with in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein – you must have lived with them in that country by 31 December 2020 and returned to the UK with them before you apply
• you’re the family member of a British citizen who also is a citizen of an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, and they lived in the UK as a citizen of one of these countries before getting British citizenship
• you have a family member who is an eligible person of Northern Ireland
• you’re the child of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who used to live and work in the UK – you must be in education in the UK
• you’re the family member of a person who is exempt from immigration control
• you’re the family member of a ‘frontier worker’

You and your child can also apply if by 31 December 2020 you were the primary carer of a:

• British citizen (and you did not have another type of permission to stay in the UK)
• child of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who used to live and work in the UK – the child must be in education in the UK
• self-sufficient child from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

‘Reasonable grounds’ for why you did not apply by the deadline

If you did not apply by 30 June 2021, or by the deadline for your circumstances if it’s later, you may still be able to apply to the scheme. You will need to have ‘reasonable grounds’ for why you did not apply by the deadline.

There are many different reasons that can be included as reasonable grounds for not applying by the deadline.

There is not a complete list – if you have a reason not listed here, you can still apply and your reason will be considered.

Some reasonable grounds are, for example, if:

• you’re a child, or applying for your child, and you did not know you needed to apply
• your parent, guardian or local authority did not apply for you when you were a child
• you have, or had, a medical condition which prevented you from applying
• you lacked the physical or mental capacity to apply
• you have care or support needs, or those caring for you were unaware of the deadline
• you’ve been the victim of modern slavery
• you’ve been in an abusive or controlling relationship
• you did not have internet access, or access to relevant documents
• you came to the UK on a work or study visa and became eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme while you were here, but did not know you could apply
• you already have indefinite leave to enter or remain, and you did not know you could apply to the scheme
• you had permanent residence status or a residence document that stopped being valid after 30 June 2021, and you did not know you needed to apply to the scheme
• you had difficulty accessing support to apply because of coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions
• another compelling practical or compassionate reason prevented you applying

When you apply, you need to provide evidence to support the reason or reasons you give for missing the deadline.

If you’re exempt from immigration control, or stop being exempt

You do not need to do anything to continue living in the UK while you’re exempt from immigration control.

You’ll have been told if you’re exempt from immigration control, for example because you’re:

• a foreign diplomat posted in the UK
• a member of NATO

You can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme at any time, as long as you or a family member started living in the UK by 31 December 2020. Your privileges and immunities may change if you get settled status.

If you stop being exempt, you need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme within 90 days of when you stop being exempt.

You’ll need to prove that you are or were exempt from immigration control as part of your application.

Your family members may be eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme whether they are exempt from immigration control or not. They can apply at any time, even if you have not yet applied.

Who does not need to apply

You do not need to apply if you have:

• indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK
• Irish citizenship (including British and Irish ‘dual citizenship’)
• a Frontier Worker permit, or you’re eligible for one, as long as you continue living outside the UK while working here

You cannot apply if you have British citizenship.