Huge backlog as EU citizens rush to secure British residency

Alan Travis and Heather Stewart

The Guardians

 

Home Office under pressure as Labour calls on PM to guarantee residency for more than 3 million people

 

EU citizens worried about their right to remain in Britain have inundated the Home Office with applications to secure their UK residency, leading to an official backlog that has trebled since the summer of 2015.

 

The figures emerged on a day that Labour demanded Theresa May guaranteed the rights of the more than 3 million EU citizens to remain in the UK before Brexit negotiations begin, with MP Keir Starmer saying there was “a mounting sense of very real injustice” over the issue.

 

The number of outstanding applications from European citizens to secure their residency status in Britain went from 37,618 in June 2015 to almost 100,000 “currently in progress” in early July 2016, including those seeking permanent residence cards and documents for non-EU family members of European citizens.

 

Full story: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/nov/30/eu-citizens-in-uk-home-office-residency-applications-right-to-remain-before-brexit-talks

 

-- The Guardian 2016-12-01

Wonder how many of that 3 million have been riding the welfare gravy train?

The big issue is are the other 27 EU countries going to give the right to live and work for UK passport holders in their countries. They seem reluctant to say but appear to think that we should. (Or is it just some of our politicians who feel we should give assurances even if no one else does. ) Having said that I accept it is unsettling for all those in this situation but with fair play all round there should not be a problem.

So that will be another 3 million eligible voters. I wonder which way they will vote in the event of another vote regarding membership of the EU,

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The figures emerged on a day that Labour demanded Theresa May guaranteed the rights of the more than 3 million EU citizens to remain in the UK

Would they then have dual citizenship, one with UK and one with an EU member country?

2 hours ago, giddyup said:

Wonder how many of that 3 million have been riding the welfare gravy train?

Probably very very few.  I suspect they are mostly under 40 and working in agriculture, hospitality/tourism or distribution.  Trying to save money and/or send money 'back home'.

23 minutes ago, nontabury said:

So that will be another 3 million eligible voters. I wonder which way they will vote in the event of another vote regarding membership of the EU,

The kind of uninformed BS that lead to the Brexit result.  They will not be eligible to vote.

Theresa May suggested a quick tit for tat agreement between the EU and UK on residency but Frau M won't discuss it until after article 50 has been submitted.

I'd give all those applying in the UK the same answer.

 

35 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Would they then have dual citizenship, one with UK and one with an EU member country?

 

There is no "residency". They are seemingly are applying for indefinite leave to remain not British Citizenship. As an EU national they didn't need that before.

 

The issue is that the EU and EC will not discuss the rights of British nationals to still live and work in the EU. They see that as cherry picking and want only to negotiate on anything after article 50 is triggered. Much is reported about the labor party worrying about all these EU nationals and their rights (and I'm not against them) but don't seem to give a toss about British citizens living in the EU (typical labor focus).

9 minutes ago, jesimps said:

Theresa May suggested a quick tit for tat agreement between the EU and UK on residency but Frau M won't discuss it until after article 50 has been submitted.

I'd give all those applying in the UK the same answer.

 

Yes that is correct about Merkel and if I were her I would have done the same.  It has been said (by me and others here) that we will still be in the EU for the next two years plus and you have to expect many other EU migrants to come to the UK.  If May pushes for an agreement that all EU workers here will be allowed to stay in return for the same arrangement for the expats abroad then you can expect a massive influx up to the point where we are out.

 

Just more evidence that the government  haven't got a clue of how to proceed with this shambles.

3M people waiting for UK citizenship? seems crazy to me when those favouring remaining are predicting economic meltdown if we do (hopefully) cast aside the EU parasites.

Maybe they secretly know where their bread is buttered best 

3 hours ago, giddyup said:

Wonder how many of that 3 million have been riding the welfare gravy train?

 

Anyone applying for residency (indefinite leave to remain) will be refused if they are receiving benefits.  You really need to think before posting such rubbish

5 hours ago, giddyup said:

Wonder how many of that 3 million have been riding the welfare gravy train?

 

Very few; otherwise they would not be able to remain in the UK let alone apply for PR as one of the requirements is that they are not an unreasonable burden upon the state!

 

3 hours ago, nontabury said:

So that will be another 3 million eligible voters. I wonder which way they will vote in the event of another vote regarding membership of the EU,

 

EU nationals living in the UK, whether they have PR or not, cannot vote in general elections nor referenda.

 

2 hours ago, petermik said:

3M people waiting for UK citizenship? seems crazy to me when those favouring remaining are predicting economic meltdown if we do (hopefully) cast aside the EU parasites.

Maybe they secretly know where their bread is buttered best 

 

They are not applying for British citizenship, they are applying for permanent residence. One of the requirements being that they must have been living and exercising an economic treaty right in the UK for at least 5 years.

 

Once they have held PR for at least 12 months they can then, if they wish to do so and meet all the other requirements, apply for British citizenship.

 

2 hours ago, dunroaming said:

 

Anyone applying for residency (indefinite leave to remain) will be refused if they are receiving benefits.  You really need to think before posting such rubbish

 

PR under the EEA regulations is not the same as ILR, which is issued under the UK immigration rules.

 

Those who entered the UK under the immigration rules are prohibited from claiming any public funds, except those they have paid NICs for, until they have ILR.

 

EEA nationals can claim some public funds, even if they do not yet have PR; but cannot, as I said above, become an unreasonable burden upon the state.

Of course, EU nationals exercising a treaty right in the UK do not have to obtain a residence card and those who have legally lived in the UK for at least 5 years already have PR.

 

The same for British citizens living in other EU member states.

 

Which is the main reason why it has always been difficult to get the exact numbers.

 

Though obtaining a residence card has always been recommended as it is concrete proof of the holder's status; which is why, I guess, so many have decided to get one following the referendum.

 

I suspect that British citizens living in other EU states are doing the same thing.

 

 

1 hour ago, 7by7 said:

 

Very few; otherwise they would not be able to remain in the UK let alone apply for PR as one of the requirements is that they are not an unreasonable burden upon the state!

 

 

EU nationals living in the UK, whether they have PR or not, cannot vote in general elections nor referenda.

 

 

They are not applying for British citizenship, they are applying for permanent residence. One of the requirements being that they must have been living and exercising an economic treaty right in the UK for at least 5 years.

 

Once they have held PR for at least 12 months they can then, if they wish to do so and meet all the other requirements, apply for British citizenship.

 

 

PR under the EEA regulations is not the same as ILR, which is issued under the UK immigration rules.

 

Those who entered the UK under the immigration rules are prohibited from claiming any public funds, except those they have paid NICs for, until they have ILR.

 

EEA nationals can claim some public funds, even if they do not yet have PR; but cannot, as I said above, become an unreasonable burden upon the state.

 

Thank you for clarifying that

David Davis has indicated that they may have to consider accepting the free movement of people if they get the trade deal.  It has also been mooted today that the UK may still have to pay into the EU after Brexit.  Progress at last!

 

Source is the BBC news which is on now.  The quotes have come straight from the MP's mouths so this isn't BBC trying to stir the pot.  In reality of course nothing is being announced as such, they are just pre-empting the negotiations

5 hours ago, Expatwannabee said:

The big issue is are the other 27 EU countries going to give the right to live and work for UK passport holders in their countries. They seem reluctant to say but appear to think that we should. (Or is it just some of our politicians who feel we should give assurances even if no one else does. ) Having said that I accept it is unsettling for all those in this situation but with fair play all round there should not be a problem.

 

PM May needs to get off her backside and trigger Article 50. Once that happens, the question of residency rights for both UK citizens residing in EU countries and vice-versa can be negotiated.

13 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

David Davis has indicated that they may have to consider accepting the free movement of people if they get the trade deal.  It has also been mooted today that the UK may still have to pay into the EU after Brexit.  Progress at last!

 

Source is the BBC news which is on now.  The quotes have come straight from the MP's mouths so this isn't BBC trying to stir the pot.  In reality of course nothing is being announced as such, they are just pre-empting the negotiations

 

That won't go down well with the electorate who voted Leave. They want to curb immigration.

 

If the UK is going to allow free movement and pay into the EU budget, it might as well stay in the EU.

3 hours ago, petermik said:

3M people waiting for UK citizenship? seems crazy to me when those favouring remaining are predicting economic meltdown if we do (hopefully) cast aside the EU parasites.

Maybe they secretly know where their bread is buttered best 

 

Why do you refer to them as parasites? If they're working and contributing to the economy, paying taxes etc., they can hardly be considerd to be parasitic. 

They claim child benefit for their brats, even when they are not in the UK but back home with granny. UK citizens cannot do that in their countries in the EU.

When ignorance is bliss it is best to just smile and move on.  You can only inform those who want to be informed. 

32 minutes ago, Xircal said:

 

That won't go down well with the electorate who voted Leave. They want to curb immigration.

 

If the UK is going to allow free movement and pay into the EU budget, it might as well stay in the EU.

 

Exactly, except of course that we won't have a seat at the table anymore, so no say at all.

9 hours ago, giddyup said:

Wonder how many of that 3 million have been riding the welfare gravy train?

 

Far fewer than you imagine

8 hours ago, Expatwannabee said:

The big issue is are the other 27 EU countries going to give the right to live and work for UK passport holders in their countries. They seem reluctant to say but appear to think that we should. (Or is it just some of our politicians who feel we should give assurances even if no one else does. ) Having said that I accept it is unsettling for all those in this situation but with fair play all round there should not be a problem.

 

What's wrong with us taking the moral high ground? We seem to make an art form of getting people's backs up....

6 hours ago, jesimps said:

Theresa May suggested a quick tit for tat agreement between the EU and UK on residency but Frau M won't discuss it until after article 50 has been submitted.

I'd give all those applying in the UK the same answer.

 

 

Yep! Piss everyone off before negotiations start. Quite the diplomat aren't you...

6 hours ago, petermik said:

3M people waiting for UK citizenship? seems crazy to me when those favouring remaining are predicting economic meltdown if we do (hopefully) cast aside the EU parasites.

Maybe they secretly know where their bread is buttered best 

 

Uninformed twaddle!

7y7 made quite clear that EU nationals cannot be an unreasonable burden upon the state and that other (non EU aliens) face even more restrictions. Such information really should be widely known to anyone who tries to form an opinion on the benefits and drawbacks of EU membership. Guess the "them EU people come here to leech on our wellfare system, and Brussels is to blame" simply sells even if it has little base in reality.

 

2 hours ago, thai3 said:

They claim child benefit for their brats, even when they are not in the UK but back home with granny. UK citizens cannot do that in their countries in the EU.

So you know the social wellfare system of all the other member states? I'd love to be told how generous other member state are or aren't compared to the UK and who's to blame. You might find it interesting to know that in the Netherlands it is (was?) possible for people to claim child benefit for kids that live abroad. Somebody close to me with a Thai (unmarried) partner has a daughters (hers, not his) received Dutch child benefit for the child, which lives in Thailand and which the Dutch authorities are fully aware of. Ofcourse it suprised them that they could claim benefits for a Thai child living in Thailand, without any legal ties to the Dutch national except that his Thai girlfriend is the mother of the child.  There were plans to end this though, which may or may not have happend since the Rutte II cabinet took office 4 years ago.  I too find such things a bit silly but it I wonder if any British national living in NL with a child back in the UK would refuse Dutch child benefits. But who's to blame for such silly wellfare programs? The national authorities. Get Westminster to end any type of wellfare that you find silly, insane, unfair or unreasonable. Brussels won't stop them from ending such programs unless it is the most basic of wellfare programs (contributed to via taxes, fees etc.). The Freedom of Movement regulation quite clearly states that no EU national can become an unreasonable burden to the host state. 

 

40 minutes ago, Donutz said:

7y7 made quite clear that EU nationals cannot be an unreasonable burden upon the state and that other (non EU aliens) face even more restrictions. Such information really should be widely known to anyone who tries to form an opinion on the benefits and drawbacks of EU membership. Guess the "them EU people come here to leech on our wellfare system, and Brussels is to blame" simply sells even if it has little base in reality.

 

So you know the social wellfare system of all the other member states? I'd love to be told how generous other member state are or aren't compared to the UK and who's to blame. You might find it interesting to know that in the Netherlands it is (was?) possible for people to claim child benefit for kids that live abroad. Somebody close to me with a Thai (unmarried) partner has a daughters (hers, not his) received Dutch child benefit for the child, which lives in Thailand and which the Dutch authorities are fully aware of. Ofcourse it suprised them that they could claim benefits for a Thai child living in Thailand, without any legal ties to the Dutch national except that his Thai girlfriend is the mother of the child.  There were plans to end this though, which may or may not have happend since the Rutte II cabinet took office 4 years ago.  I too find such things a bit silly but it I wonder if any British national living in NL with a child back in the UK would refuse Dutch child benefits. But who's to blame for such silly wellfare programs? The national authorities. Get Westminster to end any type of wellfare that you find silly, insane, unfair or unreasonable. Brussels won't stop them from ending such programs unless it is the most basic of wellfare programs (contributed to via taxes, fees etc.). The Freedom of Movement regulation quite clearly states that no EU national can become an unreasonable burden to the host state. 

 

 

Are you insinuating that some Brexiteers may not be in full possession of all the facts? That's an unreasonable slur! ?

Why would they be rushing to move to the UK when, according to remainers, the country is full of racists and race hate crime?

23 minutes ago, Khun Han said:

Why would they be rushing to move to the UK when, according to remainers, the country is full of racists and race hate crime?

 

Aren't you tired of being incorrect yet? We're talking about right to remain. This is because of TM's nasty tactic of using these people as pawns.

 

I note that you do not express any horror or even alarm at the rise of all this nastiness.

 

I'll tell you what, I don't want any of it. It's shameful and intolerable.