Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to provide pre-settled status for EU citizens who can demonstrate their intention to settle in the UK before 31 December but were prevented from doing so by restrictions imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including (1) those who are currently resident in Australia and New Zealand, and (2) those who can demonstrate a previous tie with the UK including (a) a National Insurance number, and (b) an earlier period of residence.

The end of the transition period at 11 pm on 31 December 2020 remains the point by which EU citizens need to have been resident in the UK to be eligible for pre- settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). There are no plans to extend this deadline for those who wished to travel to the UK for the first time in order to apply to the EUSS, but did not do so.

EU citizens and their family members who were resident in the UK before 31 December and are outside the UK on that date are eligible to apply to the EUSS, including from overseas, by the deadline of 30 June 2021.

Published guidance for EUSS applicants on the impact of COVID-19 is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-eu-settlement-scheme-guidance-for-applicants