Northern Ireland

New figures show almost 100,000 people in NI applied to EU settlement scheme

Almost 100,000 people in Northern Ireland have applied to the EU settlement scheme
Almost 100,000 people in Northern Ireland have applied to the EU settlement scheme Almost 100,000 people in Northern Ireland have applied to the EU settlement scheme

ALMOST 100,000 people in Northern Ireland have applied to the EU settlement scheme, new figures reveal.

Following Brexit, EU citizens and their families as well as people from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland had been asked to apply to the scheme by the June 30 deadline.

It was designed to give those who entered the UK under the EU's freedom of movement principle the right to remain.

Irish citizens do not need to apply.

Statistics released yesterday show a decision had been reached on almost 90,000 applications to remain in post-Brexit UK by the deadline.

Polish (25,670) and Lithuanian (12,740) nationals accounted for the largest number of applications, followed by Romanian (10,300) nationals.

Almost 95 per cent of those applicants were granted settled - those who can prove they have been in the UK continuously for five years or more - or pre-settled status.

The pre-settled status is for people who live in the UK for shorter periods of time, which can be upgraded to settled status once the applicant has reached the five-year milestone.

The figures also show that there was around 7,500 applications submitted in June, compared to about 2,000 each month earlier in the year.

People who hold Irish citizenship - including dual British and Irish citizenship - do not need to apply to the scheme. There are separate arrangements for people from the Republic, under the terms of the Common Travel Area.