Refund policy on Appendix EU/Settled Status applications published
The cost of applying for a visa to live or work in the UK can be almost prohibitively expensive for many – as any UK Immigration lawyer will tell you – and there does not appear to be any indication that Immigration and visa fees are likely to reduce in the coming months especially with Brexit approaching. While the cost of applying for settled status for EU citizens is at the lower end of the scale, the UK Government has updated the fees regime with details of its approach to refunds.
The latest fees came into force in April 2018, and, as noted by EEA Immigration solicitors, recent regulations on fees, the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations and Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) (EU Exit) (No2) Regulations have expanded the existing rules to cover the new Brexit settled status application – now known as ‘Appendix EU’ for EU nationals wishing to remain in the UK, and associated conditions, and the Appendix EU fee scheme.
Appendix EU fee non-refundable
The key point to note from the latest regulations which come into force in early October is the determination that there will be no refunds in the case of an invalid Appendix EU application by an EU national. The fee of £65.00 per adult and £32.50 per child is waived for those with a permanent residence document, those with Indefinite Leave to Remain, and for children in care. However, because the costs of administering the Appendix EU scheme are greater than the cost of the application to the EU citizen, the UK Government has decided it will not refund in the case of an invalid application.
Valid Settled Status application
Any EU citizen living in the UK and wishing to remain following Brexit can do so by applying for settled status. The scheme is not yet fully operational but is anticipated to be so following localised trials. In order to submit a valid application, the EU citizen must demonstrate that they fulfil a number of eligibility criteria, as follows:
- They must have applied online or used the assistive digital service
- They must pay the appropriate fee
- They must include proof of nationality and identity
- They must ‘enrol their facial image’
An invalid application will be rejected without a refund of the fee; a valid application that is refused for some reason will be open to administrative review, on payment of a fee of £80…
If you have any concerns about your Immigration status as an EU citizen in the UK following Brexit, OTS Solicitors will be happy to help. Call us in confidence on 0203 959 9123 to discuss your situation and find out how we can support you.