To apply for settled status, use the official EU Settlement Scheme application service. The application is free. Before starting, check which situation applies to you: a first application, a move from pre-settled status, or an automatic conversion already being considered by the Home Office.
This guide covers those routes and the documents and steps involved. Official guidance checked on .
Can you still apply in 2026?
The scheme mainly covers eligible EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who began living in the UK by 31 December 2020, and qualifying family members. The main application deadline was 30 June 2021. Having lived in the UK for five years does not, by itself, make someone eligible for EUSS.
- You already have pre-settled status: check the residence rules and automatic conversion section below.
- You have never applied and missed your deadline: you need reasonable grounds for applying late, supported by evidence covering the whole period of delay.
- You are a joining family member or have another later deadline: check the rules for that route rather than assuming the 2021 deadline applies to you.
Use the official eligibility guidance for the relevant route and exceptions. Settled status is a form of indefinite leave to remain; EUSS has its own rules, distinct from other settlement routes.
Moving from pre-settled to settled status
The qualifying residence period still needs to have begun at least five years ago. For a pre-settled status holder, the newer residence test can allow 30 months in the UK during the most recent 60 months, subject to the other eligibility conditions. It does not mean everyone can settle after living here for only two and a half years.
There is also the continuous residence route, normally based on being in the UK for at least six months in each 12-month period, with permitted exceptions. Check the switching guidance against your travel history. The Home Office’s caseworker guidance explains the five-year qualifying-period requirement for the 30-in-60 test.
Should you apply or wait for automatic conversion?
Automatic conversion began in 2025. On 9 April 2026, the Home Office changed its checks to use the newer residence test with HMRC tax and DWP benefit records.
- You received an email saying you are being considered automatically: do not make a separate application while that consideration is underway. Follow any request for information.
- You are eligible but have not received that email: you can apply for settled status yourself.
- Your records do not support automatic conversion: that is not, by itself, a refusal. You may need to apply and provide residence evidence.
Some groups cannot currently be converted automatically, including under-18s, non-EEA family members, joining family members and people with derivative rights. Check the complete conditions in the Home Office automatic settlement guidance.
Documents to prepare
The official document list covers identity, UK residence, family relationship where relevant, and evidence of a later deadline or reasonable grounds for delay. Start with:
- Identity: an accepted passport, national identity card or other document for your nationality and route, plus a digital photo. Check the official validity requirements before relying on an expired card.
- Residence: your National Insurance number, if you have one, can help automated checks against tax and benefit records. Not having one does not automatically prevent an application.
- Evidence for gaps: documents showing your name and the dates they cover. A bank statement showing UK transactions, employment records, council tax bills or education records may help, depending on the period being checked.
Read the residence evidence guidance before uploading. A dated document may cover only a short period; it does not necessarily prove a whole year. Provide evidence for the gaps the service identifies rather than an unexplained pile of files.
Apply step by step
- Check your existing status and account details. If you already have pre-settled status, make sure your identity document and contact details are up to date before applying to switch.
- Open the GOV.UK application service. Check whether you can use the online route. Some routes require a paper form requested from the EU Settlement Resolution Centre; do not send an unsolicited application by email.
- Prove your identity. The EUSS app is called EU Exit: ID Document Check. Follow the service’s instructions if you need to use someone else’s phone, send a document by post or provide fingerprints instead. The app is one part of the application, not the entire submission.
- Complete the online application. Enter the requested residence and eligibility details, including your National Insurance number if available. Check which periods the automated residence check has confirmed.
- Upload requested evidence and submit. Include the relevant family or late-application evidence if it applies. Keep the submission confirmation and reference, and monitor the email address you gave.
If you cannot use the standard service or need a paper form, the application guidance gives contact details for the EU Settlement Resolution Centre.
How long does a settled status decision take?
Home Office processing guidance says a decision may take about one month when no further information is needed. Cases needing more evidence can take three months; more complex cases, including some paper applications, can take six months. These are conditional estimates, not deadlines for every application.
The starting point depends on how identity was proved: online submission with the app, receipt of your identity document if posted, or receipt of fingerprints where required. Check your inbox and spam folder, and respond to requests.
Once the application is confirmed as valid, you receive a certificate of application. It is not a grant of settled status. Read the guidance for pending applications before relying on documents for work or travel.
After a successful decision
Sign in and check that your eVisa shows the correct status. The decision letter or email is not the usual proof for an employer or landlord: use the online service and the appropriate share code. Our eVisa guide explains access, passport updates and share codes.
Settled status has no fixed end date, but it can be lost after a sufficiently long absence: normally five consecutive years outside the UK, or four for Swiss citizens and their family members. Check the status and absence rules before a long move abroad.
Frequently asked questions
Will my pre-settled status simply expire?
The Home Office extends pre-settled status by five years before it expires, but an extension does not waive the eligibility or residence rules. Status can be cancelled in relevant circumstances or lost after a long absence. Check your account and respond to Home Office messages.
Can I get settled status without a National Insurance number?
Yes, if you meet the eligibility rules and can prove the required residence with acceptable evidence. A National Insurance number helps automated checks; it is not the only way to show residence.
Is checking my settled status the same as applying?
No. Viewing your eVisa or generating a share code shows the status you already hold. Applying to EUSS, or having an automatic conversion completed, is how a new settled-status decision is made.
