UNITED KINGDOM: Home Secretary Issues Open Letter to EU Citizens in the UK

December 20, 2017


The Home Secretary Amber Rudd has written an open letter in which she stresses that safeguarding the rights of EU citizens in the UK topped the priority list in the government’s Brexit negotiations.

In the letter, published on the Home Office website, Ms Rudd states that the agreement reached between the UK and the EU ensures that the current rights of EU citizens and their families will remain broadly the same, with access to healthcare, benefits and pensions protected, post-Brexit. Existing close family members of EU citizens living outside the UK will retain the right to join them in future.

The existing rights of Irish citizens, associated with the Common Travel Area arrangements, will also be protected.

Ms Rudd said that EU citizens do not need to take any action yet.

Our Advice

More details of the settled status for EU citizens will be released in the new year, and it is anticipated that applications, expected to be made using a brand new digital system, will open in late 2018.

As well as consulting with their Newland Chase immigration specialist, clients should keep up to date with the latest developments on Brexit via the news and blogs sections on the Newland Chase website.

For advice and information on immigration to the UK in general, please email us at [email protected].