Receiving your EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) Family Permit is a wonderful and crucial first step towards building your life in the UK with your family. This document is your key to entering the country and beginning your journey. However, it is vital to understand that the Family Permit is a temporary visa with a strict expiry date. Your journey is not yet complete; you must take further, timely action once you arrive in the UK to secure your long-term right to stay.
This guide provides a clear, step-by-step overview of what to do after your Family Permit is granted, from arriving at the UK border to applying for your long-term status under the main EU Settlement Scheme. Our team of specialist immigration advisors provides end-to-end support, ensuring your transition from a temporary permit to a long-term status is seamless, successful, and stress-free.
Your Rights in the UK with a Family Permit
Your EUSS Family Permit grants you significant rights for its duration. While the permit is valid, you can:
- Travel to and from the UK: You can enter and leave the UK multiple times.
- Work: You have the right to take up employment in the UK.
- Study: You are permitted to enrol in a course of study.
Arriving at the UK Border: A Smooth Entry
When you travel to the UK, you must present your valid passport containing your EUSS Family Permit vignette (sticker) to Border Force officers.
- Using ePassport Gates: If you are a national of an eligible country (such as the EU/EEA, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, or the USA), you may be able to use the automated ePassport gates for a quicker entry.
- Seeing a Border Force Officer: If you are not from one of these countries, you will need to see a Border Force officer at a manned desk. They will check your passport and your Family Permit to grant you entry to the UK.
The Most Important Step: Applying to the EU Settlement Scheme
This is the most critical action you must take after you arrive. The EUSS Family Permit is a short-term entry visa, typically valid for 6 months. It is not a long-term residence document.
To secure your future in the UK, you must apply to the main EU Settlement Scheme to get either pre-settled or settled status.
The Critical Deadline: When You Must Apply
The standard deadline for making your application to the EU Settlement Scheme is within 3 months of your arrival in the UK.
- Do Not Miss This Deadline: Missing this deadline can have serious consequences for your right to live, work, and rent in the UK after your Family Permit expires. It is absolutely crucial to apply on time.
- Applying Late with ‘Reasonable Grounds’: It may be possible to make a late application if you have strong, evidence-based ‘reasonable grounds’ for missing the deadline (for example, a serious illness or another compelling reason). However, relying on this is risky, and a timely application is always the best and safest course of action.
From Family Permit to Pre-Settled or Settled Status
Your application to the main EU Settlement Scheme will be assessed based on your relationship with your EU/EEA family member. If successful, you will be granted either:
- Pre-Settled Status: This is typically granted if your EU family member has pre-settled status or has been in the UK for less than five years. It gives you the right to stay in the UK for a further five years and is your pathway to settled status.
- Settled Status (Indefinite Leave to Remain): This is typically granted if your EU family member has settled status or has been in the UK for five years or more. Settled status gives you the permanent right to live in the UK.
How Our Experts Ensure Your Long-Term Security in the UK
Our service does not end when your Family Permit is granted. We provide a complete, end-to-end journey to secure your permanent future in the UK.
- We provide a clear timeline and reminders for your crucial in-country EUSS application, ensuring you never miss the deadline.
- We manage your application to the main EU Settlement Scheme, leveraging the information from your successful Family Permit application to build a seamless and robust case.
- We handle all communication with the Home Office on your behalf.
- We provide strategic advice on your path from pre-settled to settled status, ensuring you understand the requirements for your final settlement application.
You’ve successfully made it to the UK. Now, secure your future here. Contact our specialist EU Settlement Scheme team as soon as you arrive to begin the final and most important stage of your immigration journey.
About the Author:
Farzad Ghods is an international lawyer specialising in UK immigration law. He is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Immigration Advisors Authority (IAA) in the United Kingdom, and is also a member of the Iran Bar Association. He brings over fourteen years of professional legal experience to his practice.