EUSS FAMILY PERMIT

An EU Settlement Scheme Family Permit is a form of entry clearance which allows an eligible family member to travel to the UK to join or accompany a qualifying sponsor.

The route is mainly used by non-British family members of EEA or Swiss citizens who were living in the UK by 31 December 2020 and who hold, or are treated as eligible for, status under the EU Settlement Scheme. It may also be available in more specific cases involving eligible persons of Northern Ireland, relevant naturalised British citizens, certain dual British/EEA or Swiss citizens, frontier workers and persons exempt from immigration control.

An EUSS Family Permit is not the same as pre-settled status or settled status. It normally allows the holder to enter the UK for a limited period. If the family member wishes to remain in the UK long-term, they will usually need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme after arrival.

This guide explains who can apply for an EUSS Family Permit, the eligibility and evidence requirements, the application process, what the permit allows, and what options may be available if an application is refused or rejected.

1. Who Can Apply for an EUSS Family Permit?

There are several ways in which a person may be eligible for an EU Settlement Scheme Family Permit. The correct route will depend on the sponsor’s nationality, immigration status, residence history and the family relationship relied on.

Family Members of Relevant EEA Citizens

Many applications are made by family members of a “relevant EEA citizen”. For these purposes, EEA citizens include citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Swiss citizens are also included for EUSS family permit purposes.

In broad terms, the sponsor will usually need to have been living in the UK by 31 December 2020 and to have been granted settled status or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. In some cases, a sponsor may qualify even if they did not need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, or could not apply because of British citizenship, provided the requirements in Appendix EU (Family Permit) are met.

A sponsor may also be relevant where they live outside the UK but regularly work in the UK as a frontier worker.

Family Members of Eligible Persons of Northern Ireland

An eligible person of Northern Ireland may also be able to sponsor an EUSS Family Permit application. This category can apply where the sponsor is a British, Irish, or dual British and Irish citizen who was born in Northern Ireland and who met the relevant parental citizenship or residence condition at the time of birth.

The family member will still need to meet the relevant family relationship requirements and provide evidence of the sponsor’s eligibility. In some cases, the rules also distinguish between an eligible person of Northern Ireland and a specified relevant person of Northern Ireland.

Relevant Naturalised British Citizens and Dual Nationals

A person who is now British may still be relevant for EUSS family permit purposes in limited circumstances. This may include:

• A person who was an EEA or Swiss citizen, lived in the UK exercising free movement rights, and later naturalised as British, often referred to as a Lounes-type case;
• Certain dual British/EEA or Swiss citizens who settled in the UK before 16 July 2012 without using free movement rights, often referred to as McCarthy-type cases.

These categories are technical. The sponsor’s nationality history, residence history, acquisition of British citizenship and previous EU law position may all be relevant.

Frontier Workers and Exempt Sponsors

An EUSS Family Permit may also be available where the relevant EEA or Swiss citizen is a frontier worker, meaning that they live outside the UK but regularly work in the UK.

There are also cases involving EEA or Swiss citizens who are exempt from immigration control, such as certain diplomats or persons in comparable exempt categories. These applications require careful evidence that the sponsor would otherwise have met the relevant EU Settlement Scheme criteria.

2. EUSS Family Permit Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for an EUSS Family Permit, an applicant will normally need to show that:

• They are not a British citizen;
• They are outside the UK when applying;
• They are the family member of a qualifying sponsor under Appendix EU (Family Permit);
• The sponsor is in the UK, or will travel to the UK with the applicant or within the required period;
• The applicant will join or accompany the sponsor in the UK;
• The family relationship meets the relevant date, durability and continuity requirements;
• The application is validly made, including with the required identity, biometrics and specified sponsor evidence where applicable;
• The application is not refused on EUSS-specific suitability grounds.

The precise test depends on the category relied on. The requirements for a spouse or civil partner are not the same as the requirements for a durable partner, child, dependent parent, retained-right applicant or family member of a person of Northern Ireland.

Valid Application Requirements

Before the application is considered on its merits, it must be valid. This means that the applicant must use the required application process, provide the required proof of identity and nationality, provide required biometrics, and meet any date-based validity requirement that applies to the category relied on.

For applications made on or after 8 April 2026 by a family member of a relevant EEA citizen under FP6(1), specified sponsor evidence is also a validity requirement. This is important because a failure to provide the required sponsor evidence can lead to the application being rejected as invalid, rather than refused after a full assessment of eligibility.

A rejected application and a refused application are not the same. A rejected application has not been accepted as a valid application under the route. A refused application has been considered but found not to meet the relevant requirements.

Sponsor Status and Specified Sponsor Evidence

The applicant must show that the sponsor falls within a qualifying category under Appendix EU (Family Permit). Where the sponsor has settled status or pre-settled status, this will normally involve providing the Home Office reference number or other evidence requested by the application process.

Where the sponsor did not need to apply, could not apply because they are British, is exempt from immigration control, is a frontier worker, is an eligible person of Northern Ireland, or falls within another special category, the evidence will depend on the category relied on.

For applications made on or after 8 April 2026 as a family member of a relevant EEA citizen, applicants should treat sponsor evidence as a central part of the application rather than a secondary supporting document.

Joining or Accompanying the Sponsor Within 6 Months

An EUSS Family Permit is intended to enable the applicant to join or accompany the qualifying sponsor in the UK.

In many cases, the sponsor must be in the UK when the applicant applies, or must travel to the UK with the applicant or within the relevant period. If the sponsor is not in the UK and does not intend to travel to the UK, the application may fail unless a specific category applies.

Applicants should ensure that the evidence is consistent about where the sponsor is living, whether the sponsor is already in the UK, and when the applicant intends to travel.

Relationship Date Requirements and Exceptions

Most family relationships must have existed by 31 December 2020. This reflects the fact that the EUSS protects rights connected with residence before the end of the post-Brexit transition period.

However, there are important exceptions. For example, children may qualify where they were born or adopted after 31 December 2020, provided the relevant requirements are met. A specified spouse or civil partner of a Swiss citizen may also fall within a different date rule where the marriage or civil partnership was formed after 31 December 2020 and before 1 January 2026.

Applicants should avoid assuming that a current family relationship is enough. The relevant question is usually not only whether the relationship exists now, but whether it existed by the required date and continues to exist at the date of application.

EUSS-Specific Suitability Requirements

Even where the family relationship and sponsor requirements are met, an application may be refused on suitability grounds.

Suitability concerns may include deportation or exclusion issues, conduct committed before or after the end of the transition period, and false or misleading information or documents. Appendix EU (Family Permit) contains its own suitability framework, so it is important not to approach these applications as if the ordinary suitability rules for other visa routes simply apply in the same way.

Where there are criminal, exclusion, deportation, previous refusal, false document or adverse immigration history issues, advice should be taken before the application is submitted.

3. Which Family Members Can Qualify?

The family member categories under Appendix EU (Family Permit) are technical. The applicant must identify the correct category and provide evidence that addresses that category directly.

Spouses and Civil Partners

A spouse or civil partner may qualify where the marriage or civil partnership is legally recognised and the relationship meets the relevant date and continuity requirements.

In most cases, the marriage or civil partnership must have been formed by 31 December 2020. Where the marriage or civil partnership was formed after that date, the applicant may need to show that they were the sponsor’s durable partner before 31 December 2020 and that the relationship remained durable.

Spouses and civil partners should provide the marriage or civil partnership certificate and evidence that the relationship continues to exist. Where the certificate or registration document is not in English, a certified translation may be required.

Durable Partners

A durable partner is an unmarried partner whose relationship meets the relevant durability requirements. The rules refer to a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership, usually involving at least two years’ cohabitation unless there is other significant evidence of the durable relationship.

Durable partner applications can be evidence-heavy. Applicants may need to show not only that the relationship is genuine and continuing, but also that it was durable by the required date. Useful evidence may include cohabitation records, joint financial commitments, evidence of shared responsibilities, children’s birth certificates, correspondence, travel history and other documents showing the history and substance of the relationship.

The evidence should be carefully organised. A large bundle of unstructured screenshots, photographs or informal messages is rarely as effective as a clear chronology supported by formal documents.

Children, Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren

A child, grandchild or great-grandchild of a relevant EEA citizen, or of the sponsor’s spouse or civil partner, may be eligible. This includes adopted family members where the adoption is recognised for UK immigration purposes.

Applicants will normally need to provide full birth certificates, adoption documents or other reliable evidence tracing the family relationship to the sponsor. Where the applicant is over 21, evidence of dependency may be required unless an exception applies.

Children born or adopted after 31 December 2020 may still be eligible in appropriate cases, but the application must be prepared by reference to the specific post-31 December 2020 child provisions.

Dependent Parents, Grandparents and Great-Grandparents

A dependent parent, grandparent or great-grandparent may qualify as a direct relative in the ascending line of the sponsor, or of the sponsor’s spouse or civil partner, where the relevant dependency requirement is met.

The rules on dependency have changed over time and the evidence required will depend on the facts and timing of the application. In some cases, dependency may be assumed. In others, it must be proved.

Where dependency must be proved, the applicant should provide evidence showing that, having regard to their financial and social conditions or health, they cannot meet their essential living needs without financial or other material support from the sponsor or the sponsor’s spouse or civil partner. Relevant evidence may include money transfers, bank statements, household expenses, medical evidence, care evidence and evidence of the applicant’s living conditions.

Retained Rights of Residence

Some applicants may still be eligible where they previously had a right to live in the UK through an eligible family member but the relevant circumstances have changed. This is often called retaining a right of residence.

Retained rights may be relevant where:

• The sponsor has died;
• The sponsor has left the UK;
• A marriage or civil partnership has ended;
• The relationship has broken down permanently because of domestic violence or abuse;
• A child or parent has rights connected with education in the UK.

These applications are fact-sensitive. The applicant will usually need to show the original family relationship, residence in the UK before the relevant event, the event that gave rise to the retained right, and the continuing basis for eligibility.

4. Closed British Citizen-Related Routes: Surinder Singh and Zambrano

The EUSS Family Permit route is now closed to new applications by most family members of qualifying British citizens who lived with that British citizen in the EU, EEA or Switzerland before returning to the UK. This was commonly known as the Surinder Singh route.

The route closed to new applications made after 8 August 2023, subject to limited transitional positions. Applications made before 9 August 2023 should still be decided.

The EUSS has also closed to new applications by most Zambrano primary carers who did not already have a relevant status or pending position. Zambrano cases concern a derivative right to reside, often involving the primary carer of a British citizen.

These categories should not be confused with current EUSS Family Permit applications by family members of relevant EEA or Swiss citizens. Applicants who now wish to join a British citizen in the UK will often need to consider the family Immigration Rules instead, such as the partner, child, parent or adult dependent relative routes.

A person who previously entered the UK with an EUSS Family Permit as the family member of a qualifying British citizen, or who already holds pre-settled status on a closed route, may still need advice about a later EU Settlement Scheme application, settled status, reasonable grounds for delay or alternative immigration options.

5. Direct Overseas EUSS Application or EUSS Family Permit?

Some family members can apply directly to the EU Settlement Scheme from outside the UK. Others must first apply for an EUSS Family Permit, travel to the UK, and then apply to the EU Settlement Scheme after arrival.

A direct overseas EUSS application may be possible where the applicant is eligible and can use the required digital identity process. For example, some EEA or Swiss citizens with a biometric passport or national identity card may be able to apply from outside the UK. Some non-EEA family members may be able to apply from outside the UK if they have a UK-issued biometric residence card that expired no more than five years ago.

Where a direct overseas EUSS application is not available, an EUSS Family Permit may be required in order to travel to the UK and then make an EUSS application after arrival.

Choosing the wrong process can delay travel and may create avoidable complications. The practical choice will depend on nationality, identity documents, previous UK residence documentation, the sponsor’s status and the applicant’s intended travel date.

6. Documents Required for an EUSS Family Permit

The documents required for an EUSS Family Permit application depend on the category relied on. However, most applications require evidence in five broad areas.

Applicant Identity and Biometrics

The applicant must provide proof of identity and nationality. This is usually a valid passport, or for an EEA or Swiss citizen, a valid passport or national identity card.

If the applicant cannot provide the usual identity document because of circumstances beyond their control or compelling practical or compassionate reasons, alternative evidence may be considered. This should be explained clearly and supported by evidence.

The applicant may also need to provide biometrics as part of the application process. Non-EEA applicants will usually need to attend a visa application centre unless the application process indicates otherwise.

Sponsor Evidence

The application should include evidence that the sponsor is a qualifying sponsor under Appendix EU (Family Permit).

Depending on the case, this may include:

• The sponsor’s EUSS application number or status evidence;
• The sponsor’s passport or national identity card;
• Evidence of the sponsor’s residence in the UK by 31 December 2020;
• Evidence that the sponsor has not broken continuous residence where relevant;
• Evidence that the sponsor is a frontier worker;
• Evidence that the sponsor is exempt from immigration control;
• Evidence that the sponsor is an eligible person of Northern Ireland;
• Evidence relevant to a Lounes or McCarthy-type case.

For applications made on or after 8 April 2026 as a family member of a relevant EEA citizen, the specified sponsor evidence requirement should be addressed expressly.

Relationship Evidence

The applicant must show that they fall within the relevant family member category. This may include:

• Marriage certificates;
• Civil partnership certificates;
• Birth certificates;
• Adoption orders;
• Evidence of legal guardianship;
• Prior EEA residence documents or EUSS documents;
• Evidence tracing the relationship through several family members;
• Evidence that the relationship existed by the relevant date and continues to exist.

Where there has been a change of name, inconsistent spelling, missing parent details or non-standard civil documentation, the application should explain the issue and provide supporting evidence.

Dependency Evidence

Where dependency must be proved, the evidence should show the applicant’s essential living needs, the support provided by the sponsor, and why the applicant cannot meet those needs without that support.

Useful evidence may include:

• Regular money transfer records;
• Bank statements from the applicant and sponsor;
• Evidence of the applicant’s income, pension or lack of income;
• Rent, utility, food, medical and care expenses;
• Medical evidence or care assessments;
• Evidence of social and family circumstances;
• A clear explanation of how support is used.

Dependency evidence should be practical and specific. It is usually not enough simply to show that money has been sent occasionally if the application does not explain the applicant’s essential needs and reliance on the sponsor.

Durable Partnership Evidence

Durable partner applications should include evidence of the relationship’s history and durability.

Depending on the facts, relevant evidence may include:

• Cohabitation documents covering the required period;
• Joint tenancy, mortgage or utility records;
• Joint bank accounts or financial commitments;
• Children’s birth certificates or evidence of shared parental responsibility;
• Travel records showing time spent together;
• Correspondence addressed to both partners;
• Evidence from family or community life;
• A relationship chronology.

Where the couple did not live together for two years, the application should explain what other significant evidence demonstrates that the relationship was durable by the relevant date.

Translations and Consistency Checks

Documents not in English should be accompanied by certified translations where required.

Before submission, applicants should check that names, dates of birth, addresses, marriage dates, travel dates, sponsor details and relationship details are consistent across the application form and supporting documents. Where there are inconsistencies, they should be explained rather than left for the decision-maker to identify.

7. How to Apply for an EUSS Family Permit From Outside the UK

An EUSS Family Permit application must be made from outside the UK using the required online application process.

The usual steps are:

1. Identify the correct eligibility category under Appendix EU (Family Permit);
2. Confirm whether a direct overseas EUSS application is available or whether a family permit is required;
3. Gather identity, sponsor, relationship and dependency evidence;
4. Complete the online application form;
5. Upload or provide supporting documents as required;
6. Attend a biometrics appointment where required;
7. Respond to any request for further evidence or interview;
8. Await a decision before travelling.

Applicants should not assume that the application is straightforward simply because the sponsor holds pre-settled or settled status. The applicant must still meet the family member definition, evidence the relevant relationship and satisfy the applicable date and validity requirements.

8. When Should You Apply for an EUSS Family Permit?

There is no general deadline for many EUSS Family Permit applications by family members of relevant EEA citizens. However, the continuing availability of the route does not mean that every family member can apply at any time.

The relationship date requirements remain central. In many cases, the relationship must have existed by 31 December 2020. Closed categories, such as new Surinder Singh family permit applications, are no longer available subject to transitional positions.

Applicants should also consider timing in practical terms. An EUSS Family Permit is usually valid for six months from the date of decision. The intended travel date, the sponsor’s location, document availability, biometric appointment availability and any need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme after arrival should all be considered before applying.

If travel is urgent, the application should be prepared carefully from the outset. A refusal or invalidity decision may cause more delay than taking time to submit a properly evidenced application.

9. EUSS Family Permit Fees, IHS and Biometrics

There is currently no Home Office application fee for an EUSS Family Permit.

Applicants for an EUSS Family Permit are not required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for the permit application.

However, practical costs may still arise. These may include translation fees, document procurement fees, travel to a visa application centre, courier fees, scanning or upload assistance, and professional legal fees where advice or representation is obtained.

Non-EEA applicants will usually need to provide biometrics. The availability, location and cost of biometric appointment services can vary depending on the country of application and the commercial partner operating the visa application centre.

10. EUSS Family Permit Validity, Travel, Work and Study Rights

An EUSS Family Permit is normally valid for six months from the date of decision.

During its validity, it allows the holder to travel to and enter the UK to join or accompany the qualifying sponsor. It also allows the holder to work and study in the UK during the permit’s validity.

The permit permits multiple entries while valid. This means that the holder may leave and re-enter the UK during the validity period, provided the permit remains valid and there are no cancellation or border issues.

The permit is not a grant of settled status or pre-settled status. If the applicant wishes to remain in the UK beyond the family permit period, they should apply to the EU Settlement Scheme after arrival, normally within the relevant timeframe.

11. Applying to the EU Settlement Scheme After Arrival in the UK

A family member who enters the UK with an EUSS Family Permit will usually need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme if they wish to remain in the UK long-term.

In most cases, the application to the EU Settlement Scheme should be made within three months of arrival in the UK. A late application may still be accepted where there are reasonable grounds for the delay, but this should not be relied on unnecessarily.

The EUSS application after arrival is separate from the family permit application. The fact that a family permit has been granted is helpful, but the applicant will still need to complete the EUSS application process and provide any evidence required at that stage.

Depending on the applicant’s length of qualifying residence and the category relied on, the outcome may be pre-settled status or settled status. Many joining family members will first receive pre-settled status and may later become eligible for settled status after completing the required qualifying period.

12. Common Reasons EUSS Family Permit Applications Are Refused or Rejected

EUSS Family Permit applications may be refused or rejected for a range of reasons. Common issues include:

• The application is made from inside the UK;
• The required identity document or biometrics are not provided;
• Specified sponsor evidence is missing in a case where it is required;
• The sponsor does not fall within a qualifying category;
• The applicant cannot show that the family relationship existed by the required date;
• A durable partnership is not sufficiently evidenced;
• Dependency is asserted but not proved where it must be proved;
• The sponsor’s residence, status or travel plans are unclear;
• The applicant relies on a closed British citizen-related route;
• The evidence is inconsistent or incomplete;
• False or misleading information or documents are submitted;
• There are EUSS-specific suitability concerns.

The most effective applications usually identify the legal category first and then prepare the evidence around that category. A generic bundle of family documents may not be enough if it does not address the precise requirements of Appendix EU (Family Permit).

13. Challenging an EUSS Family Permit Refusal

The correct remedy depends on the decision.

If an application has been rejected as invalid, the first question is why it was not accepted as valid. In some cases, it may be better to make a fresh valid application with the missing evidence. In other cases, it may be necessary to consider whether the invalidity decision is legally flawed.

If a valid application has been refused, the decision letter should be reviewed carefully. It should identify whether the refusal concerns eligibility, suitability, evidence, sponsor status, relationship, dependency, durability or another issue.

Administrative review is no longer available for new EUSS administrative review applications. In appropriate cases, an applicant may have a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal under the citizens’ rights appeals framework. The appeal route, deadline and grounds should be checked against the decision letter.

In some cases, a fresh application may be quicker and more proportionate than an appeal, particularly where the refusal was caused by missing or poorly presented evidence and the applicant continues to meet the requirements. In other cases, an appeal may be necessary, particularly where the decision-maker has misunderstood the law, ignored material evidence or reached an unreasonable conclusion.

Judicial review may be relevant in more limited cases, including some invalidity or procedural fairness decisions, but it is not a substitute for an available statutory appeal.

14. Frequently Asked Questions: EUSS Family Permits

What Is an EU Settlement Scheme Family Permit?

An EU Settlement Scheme Family Permit is an entry clearance document which allows an eligible family member to travel to the UK to join or accompany a qualifying sponsor. It is not the same as pre-settled or settled status. A person who wishes to remain in the UK will usually need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme after arrival.

Who Can Sponsor an EUSS Family Permit Application?

A sponsor may include a relevant EEA or Swiss citizen, an eligible person of Northern Ireland, a relevant naturalised British citizen, certain dual British/EEA or Swiss citizens, a frontier worker or a person exempt from immigration control. The exact evidence required will depend on the sponsor category relied on.

Can I Apply for an EUSS Family Permit From Inside the UK?

No. An EUSS Family Permit application must be made from outside the UK. A person who is already in the UK should consider whether they can apply directly to the EU Settlement Scheme or whether another immigration route or remedy is appropriate.

Does an EUSS Family Permit Lead to Settlement?

The family permit itself does not grant settlement. It usually allows entry to the UK for six months. A family member who wishes to remain in the UK long-term will normally need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme after arrival and may then be granted pre-settled or settled status, depending on eligibility.

Is There a Deadline for EUSS Family Permit Applications?

There is no general deadline for many family members of relevant EEA or Swiss citizens. However, the family relationship will often need to have existed by 31 December 2020 and some routes have closed. New Surinder Singh family permit applications, for example, are no longer generally available after 8 August 2023.

What Evidence Is Needed for an EUSS Family Permit?

Evidence usually includes proof of the applicant’s identity, evidence of the sponsor’s status or eligibility, evidence of the family relationship, and evidence of dependency or durability where relevant. For some applications made on or after 8 April 2026, specified sponsor evidence is a validity requirement.

Can an Unmarried Partner Apply for an EUSS Family Permit?

An unmarried partner may be able to apply as a durable partner if the relationship meets the requirements in Appendix EU (Family Permit). The applicant will need to show that the relationship was durable by the relevant date and continues to exist. These applications are often evidence-heavy.

Can Parents or Grandparents Apply for an EUSS Family Permit?

Parents, grandparents and great-grandparents may be able to apply as dependent parents or direct relatives in the ascending line. Whether dependency must be proved will depend on the facts and the applicable rules. Where dependency is required, evidence should address essential living needs and support from the sponsor.

Can I Work in the UK With an EUSS Family Permit?

Yes. An EUSS Family Permit allows the holder to work in the UK during the period for which the permit is valid. It also allows study and multiple travel to and from the UK while the permit remains valid.

What Happens If My EUSS Family Permit Is Refused?

You should review the refusal letter carefully to identify whether the problem concerns validity, eligibility, evidence, sponsor status, relationship, dependency, durability or suitability. Depending on the decision, options may include a fresh application, an appeal to the First-tier Tribunal, or in more limited cases judicial review.