EU Settlement Scheme Family Permit: Eligibility and Application

The EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) Family Permit is a free entry clearance that allows eligible family members of EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens to travel to the UK to join their family member who holds, or is in the process of applying for, pre-settled or settled status. It is not a long-term immigration status in itself. It is an entry document that allows you to travel to the UK and then apply for pre-settled or settled status once you arrive.

The Family Permit was created to support family reunification after Brexit. Although the original EUSS deadline passed in June 2021, the Family Permit route remains open in 2026 for eligible family members whose qualifying relationship pre-dates the relevant Brexit cut-off date. Applications are free and must be made from outside the UK.

Who Is Eligible for an EUSS Family Permit?

To qualify for an EUSS Family Permit, you must be a family member of an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen (the "sponsor") who was resident in the UK by 23:00 on 31 December 2020, and who currently holds settled or pre-settled status under the EUSS, or has a pending EUSS application.

You must also satisfy the relationship requirements. Eligible family relationships include:

• Spouse or civil partner of the eligible EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen.
• Durable partner — an unmarried partner in a durable relationship with the sponsor. Evidence of the relationship and its existence before 31 December 2020 is required. See our Unmarried Partner Visa page if your relationship began after this date.
• Child or grandchild under 21, or who is dependent.
• Dependent parent or grandparent.

Each eligible family member must apply separately. Eligibility depends on the individual's specific relationship to the sponsor and the timeline of that relationship. See the GOV.UK guidance on eligible family members for the full requirements.

The process for obtaining an EUSS Family Permit and then applying for EUSS status involves two stages:

1. Apply for the Family Permit from outside the UK

You apply online, providing your personal details, your family relationship evidence, and your sponsor's EUSS application reference number or status confirmation. If your application is approved, you receive an EUSS Family Permit valid for four months (for permits granted after April 2021). This allows you to travel to the UK as many times as you wish within the four-month period.

2. Apply for pre-settled or settled status after arriving in the UK

Once in the UK, you must apply for EUSS status within three months of your arrival (unless an exception applies). This second application is also free and determines your longer-term immigration status. Once pre-settled status is granted, you follow the standard EUSS pathway to settled status and ultimately to British citizenship.

What Can You Do While on a Family Permit?

While in the UK on an EUSS Family Permit, you are permitted to live and work in the UK, access the NHS, and travel in and out of the UK within the permit's validity period. The Family Permit does not carry a right to claim most public funds. Full rights are acquired once your EUSS status is granted following your Stage 2 application.

Digital Status: No Physical Document

EUSS status, whether pre-settled or settled, is entirely digital. There is no physical visa sticker or BRP card issued. Once your status is granted following your Stage 2 application, it is held in your UKVI account and proved using a share code from gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status. Keeping your UKVI account up to date, including your current passport details, is essential for smooth verification with employers, landlords, and service providers.