The Home Office has launched a pilot version of the EU Settlement Scheme which runs until 21 December 2018. It enables all employees and workers at the Collegiate University to apply early for Settled or Pre-Settled Status. EEA citizens (those from Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein) and Swiss citizens are not included in the pilot as negotiations with those countries will only conclude after an agreement is reached with the EU.
The pilot is only available to:
- Employees or workers of the Collegiate University, but not family members, who are EU citizens and hold an valid EU biometric passport (which has a digital chip)
- Employees or workers of the Collegiate University, who are non EU citizens but holding a Biometric Residence Card as the family member of an EU citizen
The pilot requires access to an Android phone (version 6 or later) with NFC (contactless facility) but the Home Office has assured us that no data is stored by the app so applicants may be able to use a friend or family member’s Android phone if they do not have one. The Home Office has stated that Apple refused to give access when they were developing the app, which is why it is not available on Apple devices. Information about the pilot, and the University’s commitment to cover Pre-Settled, Settled, and Permanent Residence fees for EU staff of the central University can be found here:
www.ox.ac.uk/news-and-events/oxford-and-brexit/settlement-fees
‘No deal’ scenario
The government has just published a policy paper confirming that even in the event of a ‘no deal Brexit’ EU citizens already in the UK will still have until December 2020 to apply for Pre-Settled or Settled Status and that EEA and Swiss citizens will also be able to stay in the UK post-exit. Further information can be found here:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/policy-paper-on-citizens-rights-in-the-event-of-a-no-deal-brexit
Dual nationality for German citizens
German citizens are permitted to obtain the citizenship of another EU country and retain their German citizenship, but any grant of British citizenship after the UK leaves the EU will potentially result in the loss of their German citizenship.
Further information about relying on Settled Status when applying to naturalise as a British citizen, and dual nationality for German citizens, can be found on SIT’s new BREXIT information page.
