Bishop welcomes scrapping of 'Settled Status' fee for EU Citizens in UK

EU flags outside Houses of Parliament

Source: CCN/ICN

After Brexit, EU citizens who have lived in the UK for more than five years will have to apply for 'Settled Status' if they wish to remain here. Until today, there was a fee of £65 to apply for this status. The government has now decided to waive the fee.

Bishop Paul McAleenan has welcomed the announcement from Prime Minister Theresa May.

Lead bishop for migration and asylum for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, Bishop McAleenan said: "I am pleased that the government has abandoned plans to charge EU citizens for securing their existing rights.

"As I conveyed to the immigration minister earlier this year, such charges would not only be unjust, but would also create an unnecessary barrier for many people accessing the settlement scheme.

"The Church stands in solidarity with all EU citizens who have made their home here and we will continue to engage with the government as the scheme is implemented."

It is unclear what will happen to EU citizens who have lived here for less that five years - or those interested in coming to work or study in the UK.

http://catholicnews.org.uk/eu-citizens-settled-status-210119