Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status)
Convert pre-settled status to settled status
You may be eligible to convert pre-settled status to settled status if:
- you鈥檝e lived in the UK for 5 years in a row聽
- you meet the eligibility requirements
You can apply for settled status if you鈥檙e eligible. If you do not apply, your pre-settled status will be extended by 5 years just before it expires. You鈥檒l be sent an email telling you when this happens.
The Home Office may move you from pre-settled status to settled status automatically after your pre-settled status is extended. You鈥檒l be sent an email telling you the Home Office is considering automatically converting your status. You鈥檒l get another email telling you whether or not your status has been successfully converted.
Settled status is free of charge.
It鈥檚 easier to prove your right to live in the UK permanently if you have settled status.聽
You can usually apply for British citizenship once you鈥檝e had settled status for 12 months.聽
Check the eligibility requirements for settled status.
How the Home Office checks you鈥檙e eligible
The Home Office will use your National Insurance number to check records of your tax or certain benefits to see if you meet the continuous residence requirements.聽
If you cannot be moved automatically to settled status聽
If the Home Office does not have enough information to confirm you鈥檙e eligible, they鈥檒l contact you and tell you what to do.
If you want to apply for settled status before you鈥檙e moved automatically
You can apply for settled status as soon as you鈥檙e eligible instead of waiting to be moved automatically. This means you鈥檒l need to apply again to the EU Settlement Scheme and prove you meet the requirements.
You鈥檒l need to:
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prove your identity
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give evidence of your continuous residence
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give evidence of your relationship to a family member - if your pre-settled status was based on that relationship
You can use the same types of evidence you used to apply for pre-settled status.听听
Do not apply if you鈥檝e had an email confirming you鈥檙e being considered for conversion from pre-settled status to settled status automatically.
If your identity document or personal details have changed since you applied for pre-settled status
You must update your UKVI account.
You cannot update your identity document in the 鈥楨U Exit: ID Document Check鈥� app.
Apply for settled status
If you are automatically moved from pre-settled to settled status
You鈥檒l get a letter by email confirming your settled status.聽
You can stay in the UK as long as you like. You鈥檒l usually be able to apply for citizenship 12 months after you鈥檙e given settled status.
If you are not moved to settled status
You鈥檒l keep your pre-settled status. However, the Home Office could cancel it later if you no longer meet the requirements - for example, if you鈥檝e had a break in your continuous residence.
Check how long you can spend outside the UK without losing your continuous residence.
If you keep your pre-settled status
Find out how to appeal if you鈥檝e applied for settled status, were unsuccessful and think the decision was wrong.
You might have the right to live in the UK permanently even if you have not applied for settled status yet if you can show that:
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you have pre-settled status
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you鈥檙e from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and started living in the UK by 31 December 2020 (or you鈥檙e their family member)
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you鈥檝e spent five years in the UK and in that time you鈥檝e been working (or looking for work for up to 3 months), studying or you鈥檙e self-sufficient