The EU Delegation and EU embassies’ visit the Home Office’s EU Settlement Scheme centre in Liverpool

On 29 November, the EU Delegation and EU embassies and consulates visited the Home Office’s Liverpool centre which since 2018 has received the 6.9 million applications under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). EU citizens and their family members who had arrived to the UK before 31 December 2020 must apply to the EUSS to be able to continue to live in the UK and be protected by the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement.

During the visit the Home Office demonstrated its operational capabilities and provided policy updates related to the EUSS. Since 2018 the EU (the European Commission Representation until 2020 and the EU Delegation ever since) and EU embassies has had over 50 such meetings with the Home Office to discuss the EUSS’ policy, operations, statistics and communications, also raising issues encountered by EU citizens and support organisations. The UK government regularly publishes its progress on processing EUSS applications. The latest update indicates that up to 30 September 2022 the Home Office has concluded close to 6.7 million decisions and  issued 3.3 million permanent (settled) and nearly 2.7 million temporary (pre-settled) statuses.  Those with pre-settled are later required to re-apply and get settled status to be able to stay in the UK. The EU Delegation runs a dedicated programme to help EU citizens and support organisation requiring assistance with the EUSS.