Can You Still Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme?

Answer 8 questions to see whether you qualify for settled or pre-settled status, need a late application under reasonable grounds, or can upgrade your existing status.

Wesbridge Associates is an IAA-regulated UK immigration law firm. Our advisers support individuals, families and UK sponsors with skilled worker visas, sponsor licences, family routes, settlement (ILR), British citizenship, appeals and compliance — combining experienced legal advice with AI-powered self-service tools.

The Wesbridge Associates EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) eligibility checker is a free tool for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members who need to check whether they qualify for settled or pre-settled status in the UK. The checker mirrors the questions a caseworker asks: when you started living in the UK, your absences, your relationship to a qualifying EEA sponsor, and whether you already hold status. It is aimed at late applicants, family members joining an existing status holder, and people whose pre-settled status is due to be upgraded.

How the checker works

You answer a short sequence of questions covering nationality, the date you started continuous residence in the UK, absences over each 12-month period, your relationship to any EEA sponsor, and any current UK immigration status. The tool then maps your answers to Appendix EU of the Immigration Rules and shows whether you appear to qualify for settled status (five years' continuous residence), pre-settled status (less than five years), or need a Family Permit to join a sponsor from outside the UK.

Who is eligible

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020, their non-EEA family members (spouses, civil partners, durable partners, children, dependent parents and grandparents), and Zambrano-style carers of British citizen children. Late applications are still accepted where you can show reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline — for example, serious illness, being a child whose parent did not apply, or a recently formed family relationship.

What the results mean

A 'likely eligible for settled status' result means you appear to meet the five-year continuous residence test with absences under the permitted limits (usually no single absence over six months, with limited exceptions). A 'likely eligible for pre-settled status' result means you can apply now and upgrade later once you reach five years. A 'late application likely required' result flags that you need to argue reasonable grounds and should take advice before submitting. The checker is a guide, not a decision — the Home Office decides each case on its own facts.

Upgrading pre-settled to settled status

Pre-settled status is being automatically extended by the Home Office, but you must still apply to upgrade to settled status once you complete five years of continuous residence. The upgrade is free. Do not let pre-settled status be your long-term plan: only settled status gives you permanent rights and counts toward British citizenship.

Frequently asked questions

Is the checker a Home Office tool?

No. It is an independent guide built by Wesbridge Associates against the published rules in Appendix EU. Only a formal EUSS application to the Home Office produces a legally binding decision.

Can I still apply if I missed the 30 June 2021 deadline?

Yes, if you have reasonable grounds. Common accepted grounds include being a child, having a serious medical condition, being in an abusive relationship, or being unaware you needed to apply because you held another status. Take advice before filing a late application.

Do I need to redo the checker if my absences change?

Yes. Absences over 180 days in any rolling 12-month period usually break continuous residence, with limited COVID and exceptional-reason exceptions. Rerun the tool whenever your travel pattern changes materially.

Does the checker save my answers?

No personal data is stored beyond your session. If you want a written assessment on the record, book a consultation and we will review your evidence in detail.

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