Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

UK to deport EU citizens who miss registration

UK to deport EU citizens who miss registration

Home Office minister says those who don't apply for settled status after Brexit by December 2020 must leave.

The UK will deport EU citizens after Brexit if they don't apply for the right to remain in time, Home Office minister Brandon Lewis says.

He told a German newspaper they would have to leave even if they met all the criteria for a residency permit.

Campaign group the3million, which represents EU citizens in the UK, said this was "no way to treat people".

The Home Office said 1.8 million people had applied to the scheme and others have until "at least" December 2020.

It said those with "reasonable grounds" for missing the date would be granted an extension to apply for the right to live and work in the UK.

Currently, EU nationals - and their families - living in the UK by 31 October have until the end of 2020 to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme in the event of a no-deal Brexit, or the end of June 2021 if there is a deal.

No-deal Brexit: Three-year stay for EU nationals


'I'm angry to be treated as second-class citizen'


EU citizens use Windrush scheme to stay in UK


The Home Office says it does not have a figure for the number of EU citizens currently living in the UK, but estimates by the Migration Observatory put it at 3.3 million, excluding Irish citizens who have the right to settled status already.


'Hostile environment'


Mr Lewis told Die Welt (in German): "If EU citizens until this point of time have not registered and have no adequate reason for it, then the valid immigration rules will be applied."

When pressed on whether that would include those who met the legal requirements for residence but did not apply in the next 14 months, he replied: "Theoretically yes.


"We will apply the rules."

Maike Bohn, spokeswoman for the3million, said the organisation had pressed the government "for years" to acknowledge what would happen to those who have not acquired the status in 2021.

"Today, after much wait, it is confirmed that hundreds and thousands of people will be punished with the threat of removal from their home. This is no way to treat people, let alone what was promised," she said.

"Those people who miss the tight deadline will face the full force of the hostile environment."


'Windrush-style scandal'


She said this was the "grim reality" of the government's position, "no matter how many times they repeat the phrase 'EU citizens and their families are our friends, neighbours and colleagues and we want them to stay'".

Those applying for settled status must prove their identity, show they live in the UK and declare any criminal convictions.

Once granted settled status, they can use the NHS, study and access public funds and benefits, as well as travel in and out of the country.

The total number of settlement applications finalised by the end of September was 1.5 million, according to figures released this week by the Home Office.

Of these, 61% were granted settled status and 38% were given pre-settled status, which can be applied to be updated once someone has lived in the country continuously for five years. The conclusion in 0.5% of cases was classed as having "other outcomes".

Lib Deb shadow home secretary Christine Jardine said she was "absolutely appalled" by Brandon Lewis's deportation threat and she predicted "thousands" of people would be left undocumented by the "arbitrary" deadline.

She warned it could create another Windrush-style scandal - when individuals who arrived from Commonwealth countries between 1948 and 1971 were wrongly told they were in the UK illegally, despite living in the country for decades.

"Brandon Lewis has finally confirmed what we've known all along: Boris Johnson has no intention of keeping his promise to automatically guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK," said Ms Jardine.


"That is totally unacceptable."

A statement from the Home Office said: "We have received two million applications and are looking for reasons to grant status, not refuse, and EU citizens have until at least December 2020 to apply.

"We've always been clear that where they have reasonable grounds for missing the deadline, they'll be given a further opportunity to apply."
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×