HomeSettlementEU Settlement Scheme
EU Settlement Scheme solicitors
The EU Settlement Scheme is how EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members keep their right to live in the UK after Brexit. Most of our EUSS work now involves late applications, upgrades from pre-settled to settled status and refusals.
Written by Dipendra Fakira, Supervising Immigration Caseworker · Reviewed by Georgette Thomas, Principal Solicitor · Last reviewed 12 July 2026
At a glance
Application fee
EU Settlement Scheme is fee-free
Status granted
Depends on continuous residence at application
Pre-settled length
With automatic extensions announced by the Home Office
Deadline
Original deadline was 30 June 2021 - reasonable grounds still accepted
Home Office fees and thresholds change - check gov.uk for the current figures. We confirm them in writing when we quote you.
The two statuses
The scheme grants one of two statuses. Pre-settled status goes to people who had lived in the UK for less than five years when they applied. Settled status - a form of indefinite leave to remain - goes to those with five years or more of continuous residence. There is no application fee for either.
For settled status, continuous residence generally means at least six months in the UK in any twelve-month period across the five years.
Late applications
The main deadline passed on 30 June 2021, but the scheme is not closed. You can still apply if you have reasonable grounds for applying late - a serious medical condition, lack of capacity, or simply not knowing you needed to apply can all qualify, depending on the evidence.
Some people are not late at all: family members joining an EU citizen who was living here by 31 December 2020, and children born or adopted in the UK after 1 April 2021, can still apply in the normal way. We assess which position you are in and put the reasonable-grounds case together where one is needed.
Moving from pre-settled to settled status
Pre-settled status is not the end of the process. Once you reach five years of continuous residence you can apply for settled status - and it is worth doing, because settled status is what opens the way to British citizenship and protects your position permanently.
Gaps in residence, long absences and missing evidence are the usual complications. We check the residence record before the application goes in, and we deal with refusals where the Home Office has got it wrong.
What it costs
| Service | Our fixed fee |
|---|---|
Full EUSS package Late application, settled status upgrade or family permit - evidence, forms, submission and updates until the decision | £1,296–£2,700 + VAT |
Initial consultation We tell you where you stand under the scheme | from £50 + VAT |
EU Settlement Scheme 2025 update
EU Settlement Scheme questions
Pre-settled status is limited leave, given when you had not yet lived in the UK for five years by the end of the transition period. Settled status is indefinite leave, given after five years of continuous residence. Settled status has no time limit; pre-settled status does.
Yes, once you complete five years of continuous UK residence. The Home Office has been automatically extending pre-settled status while it reviews eligibility for settled status, but you should still apply as soon as you qualify.
The main deadline was 30 June 2021, but late applications are still accepted where you have reasonable grounds for missing it - for example serious illness, being a child, or being in an abusive relationship. Get advice quickly; the bar is not high but it is not automatic.
Up to six months in any rolling twelve-month period, without breaking your continuous residence for the settled status upgrade. One longer absence of up to twelve months is allowed for an important reason, such as childbirth, serious illness, study or work.
Family members who were living with you before 31 December 2020 can usually apply, including a spouse, partner, children, grandchildren, parents and grandparents. Family relationships formed after that date go through different rules; ask us before your relative books flights.
Yes. Settled status counts as indefinite leave for the purposes of naturalisation. Most people can apply for British citizenship after twelve months on settled status, provided the other requirements are met.
Your status is digital and linked to your passport. When you travel, keep your passport up to date on the Home Office system and use the View and prove your status service before you cross the border, especially for airlines that still ask for it.
If your continuous residence has been broken, you may need to apply on a different immigration route or make a late EUSS application citing reasonable grounds. This is technical - book a consultation before you assume you have lost your right to be here.
Late application, upgrade or refusal?
Book an initial consultation, from £50 + VAT. We will tell you plainly where you stand under the scheme and what to do next.