EU Settlement Scheme: Moving to UK after Brexit in 2023

​EU nationals who wish to work, live, or study in the UK in 2023 following Brexit must apply for a visa. However, those with EU pre-settled or settled status can continue to live, work and study in the UK freely. Also, even after Brexit, EU, EEA, or Swiss Citizen nationals who wish to come to the UK for a short temporary stay to study, for business, or to visit, do not require a visa for a stay of up to 6 months.

The EU Settlement Scheme was put in place to enable EU nationals who had been living in the UK before the end of 2020 to secure permanent residence in the UK. As such, the scheme is only open to EU nationals who were living in the UK before 31stDecember 2020.

Those moving to the UK from the EU under the EUSS are granted either pre-settled or settled status. Settled status is granted to applicants who have already been living in the UK for 5 years when they apply and hence qualify for permanent residence. Pre-settled status is granted to those who have not been living in the UK for 5 years and gives them another 5 years’ permission to stay in the UK to meet the qualifying time for permanent residence.

Most applicants were required to apply to the EUSS by 30thJune 2021. However, it is still possible to do so if you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for why you did not meet the deadline. This might include if you were seriously ill or injured, a person with responsibility for your care did not apply for you, or if you are a victim of domestic violence.

The EU Settlement Scheme is also still open to non-EU family members who joined an EU family member on or after 1st April 2021 in the UK. However, the EU family member must have been living in the UK by 31stDecember 2020.