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EU citizens living in Scotland

EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

Last updated
1 Apr 2023

EU citizens living in Scotland (and the rest of the UK) must have a valid immigration status. Depending on your circumstances you may be eligible to apply for immigration status under either the:

  • EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • points-based immigration system

Find out more about the EUSS and the UK Government's point-based immigration system.

Irish citizens do not need leave to enter or stay in the UK. This is due to the Common Travel Area arrangement.

Late applications to EUSS

The deadline to apply to the EUSS was 30 June 2021. You can still apply to the EUSS on GOV.UK if you:

  • were living in the UK by the 31 December 2020 and
  • have a good reason for applying late

Reasons for applying late

Whether or not the UK Government will consider your application depends on your reason for applying late. 

For example, possible reasons could be if you: 

  • were under 18 years old
  • had a serious medical condition
  • had care or support needs and were unaware of the need to apply

This reason must have applied at the time of the deadline 30 June 2021.

You can check the guidance on late applications on GOV.UK.

Applying as a family member

You can apply as the family member of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein if all of these apply:

  • they started living in the UK by 31 December 2020
  • they have settled or pre-settled status, have applied and are waiting for a decision or are eligible for settled or pre-settled status
  • you’re joining your family in the UK on or after 1 April 2021

Check how to apply to EUSS as a family member on GOV.UK.

Check how to apply to EUSS as a family member of someone from Northern Ireland on GOV.UK.

If your application was successful

If your application was successful, you’ll have either:

  • settled status
  • pre-settled status

Check what status and rights you'll get on GOV.UK.

If your application was refused

If the UK Government refuse your application they’ll explain their decision in a letter.

The letter will also say if you can appeal the decision. This is called an ‘administrative review’.

Check how to ask for an administrative review.

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