Pre-Settled Status under the EU Settlement Scheme

Pre-Settled Status under the EU Settlement Scheme gives Limited Leave to Remain in the UK to EEA and Swiss nationals and their family members. This confirms the right to live in the UK for a period of 5 years from the date the status is granted.

Pre-Settled Status Requirements for EEA and Swiss nationals:

In order to apply for Limited Live to Remain under the EU Settlement Scheme, you will need to meet some general requirements depending on whether you are an EEA or Swiss national or a family member of one.

  • You are a citizen of a qualifying country as listed here: https://www.gov.uk/eu-eea
  • You started living in the UK by 31 December 2020

Pre-Settled Status Requirements for non-EEA or Swiss Family Members:

You may be eligible to apply for Limited Leave to Remain under the EU Settlement Scheme if you are a family member of an EEA or Swiss national and you meet the following requirements:

  • You started living in the UK by 31 December 2020. You may still be eligible to apply if you come to the UK after 31 December 2020 as a close family member of an EEA or Swiss national if your relationship with them commenced prior to 31 December 2020 and you are still in the relationship on the date of application. If you are a spouse or civil partner of a Swiss national you may be eligible if you start living in the UK by 31 December 2025 and your relationship began between 31 December 2020 and 31 December 2025.
  • You are in a relationship with the EEA or Swiss national as their:
  • spouse
  • civil partner
  • unmarried partner
  • child (under 21 years old)
  • grandchild (under 21 years old)
  • great-grandchild (under 21 years old)
  • dependent child (over the age of 21)
  • dependent parent
  • dependent grandparent
  • dependent great-grandparent
  • dependent relative
  • You are related to the Spouse or Civil Partner of the EEA or Swiss national as their:
  • child (under 21 years old)
  • grandchild (under 21 years old)
  • great-grandchild (under 21 years old)
  • dependent child (over the age of 21)
  • dependent parent
  • dependent grandparent
  • dependent great-grandparent
  • dependent relative

Where you may not meet the above requirements, there are some circumstances which you may still qualify:

  • You are separated from your EEA or Swiss national family member
  • Your EEA or Swiss national family member has died
  • You are the family member of a British citizen who also has EEA or Swiss citizenship, and who lived in the UK as an EEA or Swiss national prior to acquiring British citizenship
  • You are the family member of a British citizen and you lived in an EEA country together (outside of the UK), via the ‘Surinder Singh’ route
  • You used to have an EEA or Swiss family member living in the UK
  • You are the primary carer of a British, EEA or Swiss national
  • You are the child of an EEA or Swiss national who used to live and work in the UK or the child’s primary carer

Path from Pre-Settled to Settled Status

After 5 years, you may apply for Settled Status (Indefinite Leave to Remain). Depending on your relationship or immigration history, we can assess if you may apply earlier than the completion of 5 years’ period. See our guide to Settled Status here.

Examples of Our Successful Pre-Settled Status Cases

  • A Canadian client resided in the UK as the spouse of an EEA national who did not work in the UK and did not have a National Insurance number. We customised a document list with the to prove relationship and residence, before submitting the application with the client. As a result, he was granted Limited Leave to Remain under the EU Settlement Scheme.
  • A Russian client was previously married to an EEA national and resided in the UK as his spouse. The couple separated and our client was unable to obtain all the necessary documents from her ex-partner. We advised the client with suitable alternatives and presented strong legal arguments to the Home Office. We were quickly successful in obtaining Limited Leave to Remain under the EU Settlement Scheme.

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How we work

1
consultation.

We start a discussion by understanding your history, and we will clearly outline the best option available and any recommendations to save you time and costs.

2
instruction.

Once you instruct us to be your legal representative, we will start preparing your case. We may require more information about you to help you more effectively.

3
documents.

Documentation is a crucial part of an immigration application. We will customise a document list to guide your preparation. Your dedicated lawyer will check the documents and advise of any improvements needed.

4
application.

We will complete your application to the Home Office and may also write a cover letter with strong legal arguments where relevant. We may discuss this with you to confirm the final details.

5
submission.

We will submit your application to the Home Office, Court authorities securely. We will represent you as the main point of contact with them for any further requests.

6
interview.

You may sometimes be invited to attend a Home Office interview or Court hearing. While this may sound daunting, we will help you prepare and provide guidance on what questions to expect.

7
decision.

As soon as we receive a decision from the Home Office, we will get in touch with you to share the news.

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What clients say

We did multiple assignments with QC and were very happy with the fast response and results we achieved on our applications.

manish rungta
manish rungta
Google five star client rating

Qiyin was very quick to respond to my inquiries. She was very professional, supportive and helpful. Highly recommended!

Ainul Nadhirah Hanafiah
Ainul Nadhirah Hanafiah
Google five star client rating

Qiyin listened very attentively to my concerns and reassured me. Gave me a lot of insight into how I need to plan my application in a very personal way. Would definitely highly recommend.

Sashi Ganes
Sashi Ganes
Google five star client rating

Very professional team, who helped me gain EU Settled status pre-Brexit using a new Android app. It is refreshing to see that QC-immigration team adopts fast the technology and is on top of all changes in legislation. They got my full trust.

Victoria Rusnac
Victoria Rusnac
Google five star client rating

Hafsah made my application look so simple and easy even though i was doubtful about my case before approaching QC. I can’t believe my ILR application got approved by Home office within 24 hrs of biometric appointment. Thank you Hafsah for helping me get this done.

Shubha Shet
Shubha Shet
Google five star client rating

It was a pleasure working with Qiyin and her team. They were very helpful and responsive all the time. They helped me with my Permanent Residence which was succesful and was received in less than a month. I will work with them again in the future, so I strongly recommend this Immigration office to everyone.

Nasos Balasis
Nasos Balasis
Google five star client rating

Definitely the best law firm I've ever dealt with. Hafsah Awan is an amazing lawyer, she is extremely professional, she truly cares, and gives great advise to ensure all goes smoothly. My entire process with Hafsah went really well, and we successfully got our Start-up visas to the UK, many thanks to Hafsah for her great efforts. I also loved that they are very responsive, to emails, calls, etc. Qiyin Chuah, the founder, actually helped me in the last moment during her weekend, I was very thankful for that, as not many people would even get back to you during the weekend. Overall, an amazing law firm, I'm very pleased, and I truly wish Hafsah, Qiyin, and the rest of QC Immigration team all the best, God bless you all :)

Ahmad Agha
Ahmad Agha
Google five star client rating

I had an exploratory conversation with QC Immigration. Qiyin was professional and personable throughout our conversation, explaining clearly the current criteria and regulatory considerations to keep in mind. I would have no reservations in appointing them for representation should there ever be a need, as Qiyin provided from the outset, the calm assurance of having the knowledge, experience and an individual approach that I strongly value.

May Loke
May Loke
Google five star client rating

Very good service and professional company! I contact them trough a friend because I had problem with a Family Visa in Scotland, they helped me and advised in all the process and they solved what I needed to solve so quick. Specially Qiyin and Marianna. I would always come back to them again if I needed and also recommend them. As I said, very good and Professional.

Martin Nicolas Camaño Martin
Martin Nicolas Camaño Martin
Google five star client rating

Both my fiancé and I used QC Immigration this year for our new visa and naturalisation applications, respectively, and were very happy with the service. Our main point of contact was Marianna, who was very prompt and thorough in her preparation of our applications and helpful throughout every step of the process with our concerns, etc. Highly recommend QC Immigration. Thank you again, Marianna!

Sarah Monaco
Sarah Monaco
Google five star client rating

My friend had recommended QC Immigration and I was not disappointed! Marianna was my main point of contact and she was kind, prompt and very efficient. I had a lot of questions and Marianna was very quick in replying to me. I would definitely recommend QC Immigration.

Malulie Tongprasert
Malulie Tongprasert
Google five star client rating

They were extremely professional and thorough throughout the application process. I even shared my travel plans and they worked based on my timelines, which based on experience, most companies don't prioritise. Highly recommend working with them if you want to be stress free and want your application handled with care.

Shruthi Padmanabhan
Shruthi Padmanabhan
Google five star client rating

I have been using QC Immigration to help prepare for my partner's Proposed Civil Partnership Visa application. We have been dealing with Marianna since January, and have found her to be extremely professional, knowledgeable and personable. She has always responded to my queries and concerns, (however neurotic!) and she has paid great attention to detail. It has been an invaluable service, and should our application be successful in this instance, I will not hesitate to appoint QC Immigration again to assist with the next stages. Many thanks again for your hard work and for showing us such an understanding and caring attitude! :)

Bethany Taylor-James
Bethany Taylor-James
Google five star client rating

My partner and I recently used QC Immigration when applying for a UK partner visa. They were very professional throughout and dealt with all questions and queries accordingly. Marianna was our main point of contact and was extremely diligent and reassuring throughout the process. We appreciated their attention to detail and extensive knowledge of UK immigration law and would highly recommend them to any prospective clients.

Eliot Parker
Eliot Parker
Google five star client rating

FAQ

What is the Home Office fee for Limited Leave to Remain application under the EU Settlement Scheme?

The Home Office does not currently charge a fee for Limited Leave to Remain applications under the EU Settlement Scheme. Please see the latest updates here https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families

When is the deadline to submit an application under the EU Settlement Scheme as an EEA or Swiss national?

For EEA and Swiss nationals, the deadline to submit an application under the EU Settlement Scheme is 30 June 2021. Nevertheless, it is advisable to apply by the end of 2020 to ensure that you can prove that you were in the UK by 31 December 2020.

What will I need to prove in order to apply for Limited Leave to Remain under the EU Settlement Scheme?

For EEA or Swiss nationals, you will need to prove your identity, nationality, residence in the UK. For family members of EEA or Swiss nationals, you will need to prove all relevant identities, nationalities, UK residence and qualifying relationship. Additionally, if you do not hold a Biometric Residence Card, you will also need to enrol your biometric information (i.e. fingerprints and a photograph). As a QC Immigration client, you will benefit from a tailored document list to guide your preparation and help you provide the relevant evidence needed.

Can I lose my Limited Leave to Remain under the EU Settlement Scheme?

You can lose your Limited Leave to Remain under the EU Settlement Scheme if you spend more than 2 consecutive years outside the UK.

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