British Home Secretary Sajid Javid has announced that EU Citizens will have to answer three simple questions if they want to live in the UK even after Brexit.
Requirements for EU Citizens to Stay in the UK
These are three requirements that EU citizens will have to fulfill for living in the UK.
- They will have to prove their IDs.
- They will have to give information about criminal convictions if any.
- And whether they live in the UK
UK Home Secretary also informed that government database would be used to check the answers and quickly give a decision. He further told that application process would operate online or via a smartphone app, with decisions turning around within two weeks.
On Refusal of Applications
To an individual The condition to check for criminal record might not seem as simple as it is said, it might involve complications.
Well, Mr. Javid told House of Lords committee that criminal record checks would be about serious and persistent criminality and not about the parking fines, reported BBC. He said that there would have to be a very good reason why an application would be refused.
Which EU Citizens Can Apply for Settled Status
EU citizens who have been living in the UK for five years by the end of 2020 will be able to apply for settled status. And, those who arrive by 31 December 2020, Brexit cut-off date, but have not lived in the UK for five years and can seek to apply for until they have to live. Hence, they can apply for settled status for that period.
Before UK and EU agreed to terms of Brexit transition, Theresa May had opposed the EU citizen residency rights during this period. Later, it was decided that EU citizens coming to the UK will during transition period be entitled to same rights as those who came before and were settled for five years.
But, the latest advancement announced by UK home secretary Sajid Javid is all about how EU citizens who are in the country can continue to live in the UK after Brexit.
How Will the Application Work?
Th application for adults will cost £65, and for children, it will cost £32.50. EU citizens who already have UK residency can apply freely. The applicants will have to verify their identity through the recent pictures, ID cards, and other documents through an online verification system. Those who don’t have access to computer or smartphone can do this through special contact centers and public libraries.
