How to Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (Settled Status)
The deadline for most EU citizens was 30 June 2021, but you can still apply late if you have a good reason. You apply in an app. You prove who you are. You prove where you have lived. You get settled status if you have lived here for 5+ years. Or you get pre-settled status if you have lived here for less time.
At a glance
- Cost:
- Free
- Total time:
- Usually days; complex cases can take longer
- Steps:
- 6 steps
- Where to apply:
- gov.uk
Last reviewed October 2026 against official sources. Re-checked every 6 months · next review due April 2027.
The Steps
Follow these in order
Each card shows the phase, expected time, and any cost. Data checked against official UK sources(October 2026).
0 of 6 steps
- Before You Go 20 min
Check whether you can still apply
You can apply late if you have "reasonable grounds". Good reasons include these. You did not know about the scheme. You were in care. Illness or COVID stopped you. Or you are joining a family member. Family members of EU citizens can also apply. This includes non-EU spouses. The Home OfficeUK Home Office — The government department responsible for visas, immigration, and citizenship in the UK.Click for official info ↗ shares a list of good reasons. The list does not cover every case.
Click to mark as done
- Fill / Prepare 30 min
Start the application online
The application is free. Start on gov.uk. Then use the "EU Exit: ID Document Check" app. Scan the chip in your passport or ID card. Take a selfie. Answer questions about where you have lived. Are you a non-EU family member? Then use your eVisaUK eVisa — The digital record of UK immigration status, accessed through a UKVI account. Replaces BRPs.Click for official info ↗ and UKVI account and your passport details instead.
Click to mark as done
- Fill / Prepare 30 min
Prove where you have lived in the UK
For settled status, the usual route is 5 years of living in the UK with no long breaks. Since 16 July 2025 there is also a second route: at least 30 months of UK residence in total in the most recent 60 months. The system usually checks HMRC and DWP records on its own. A National Insurance number makes this faster. Are the records missing? Upload documents instead. For example, P60s, payslips, bank statements, or utility bills.
Click to mark as done
- Wait Days to weeks
Wait for the decision
Simple cases are often decided within days. Hard cases take longer. You get the decision by email. Your status is digital. You can see it in your UKVI account. You can share it with a "share code". Employers and landlords use the code to check your status.
Click to mark as done
- Follow Up 30 min when eligible
Pre-settled? Upgrade to settled status
Pre-settled status is for people with under 5 years of living in the UK. It lasts 5 years. It is extended on its own until you qualify for settled status. Your status may change to settled status on its own once you reach 5 years. Check your UKVI account. Has it not changed? Apply for settled status as soon as you can.
Click to mark as done
- Receive 5 min
Use your status with share codes
Use a share code to prove your rights. You get the code from your UKVI account. This is the view-and-prove service. Employers, landlords, and the NHS can check it. There is no card like a BRP. Your digital record is your legal proof.
Click to mark as done
Be Careful
Don't make these mistakes
Assuming you are too late to apply. The deadline for most EU citizens was 30 June 2021, but you can still apply late if you have reasonable grounds, such as not knowing about the scheme, being in care, or illness. If you apply late, you must show proof of your good reason covering the whole time since the deadline passed.
Giving up when the auto-check finds nothing. The system usually checks HMRCHM Revenue & Customs — The UK tax authority. It collects income tax, issues National Insurance numbers, and runs Self Assessment.Click for official info ↗ and DWPDepartment for Work and Pensions — The UK department for benefits and pensions, including Universal Credit and State Pension.Click for official info ↗ records on its own, and a National Insurance numberNINO — Your UK tax and social security number. You need it to work, pay tax, and claim benefits.Click for official info ↗ makes this faster. If the records are missing, upload documents instead, such as P60s, payslips, bank statements, or utility bills.
Breaking your residence with a long absence. You must live in the UK with no long breaks. You can be away for under 6 months in any 12 months, or 12 months for one important reason such as childbirth, study, or a work posting. One break of over 12 months breaks the 5-year rule and the clock starts again.
Expecting a card to prove your status. There is no card like a BRPBiometric Residence Permit — The card proving your UK immigration status, permission length, and right to work. Being replaced by eVisas.Click for official info ↗. Your status is digital. Use a share codeUK immigration share code — A 9-character code that proves your UK immigration status to an employer or landlord. Generated online, valid 90 days.Click for official info ↗ from your UKVI account to prove your rights to employers, landlords, and the NHSNational Health Service — The UK's publicly funded healthcare system. Most services are free at the point of use; access depends on immigration status and the immigration health surcharge.Click for official info ↗.
Sitting on pre-settled status. Pre-settled status is extended on its own, and it may change to settled status on its own once you reach 5 years. Check your UKVI account. If it has not changed, apply for settled status as soon as you can.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as "reasonable grounds" for applying late?
The list is broad. It includes not knowing about the scheme. It includes serious illness. It includes being a child whose parent did not apply for them. It also includes domestic abuse and modern slavery. The Home Office looks at each case on its own. If you apply late, you must show proof of your good reason. The proof must cover the whole time since the deadline passed. So apply. Do not just assume you are too late.
Can I count time outside the UK?
You must live in the UK with no long breaks. You can be away for under 6 months in any 12 months. You can be away for 12 months for one important reason. Examples are childbirth, study, or a work posting. One break of over 12 months breaks the 5-year rule and the clock starts again, but the 30-months-in-60 route above can still qualify you despite longer absences.
Does settled status expire?
Settled status only ends after 5 years in a row outside the UK. Pre-settled status lasts 5 years. It is extended on its own. It may change to settled status on its own once you have 5 years of living in the UK. Check your UKVI account. If it has not changed, apply yourself.
Keep Reading