EU Residence Card as proof of relationship for Settlement Scheme

Hi,

I'm from Argentina and I, together with my girlfriend (which is an EU National) was moving to the UK in March. Sadly, because of COVID-19, our country closed all of its borders until September.

Our original plan was:

1) Arrive to the UK
2) Obtain NIE for my girlfriend
3) Obtain my Residence Card as an unmarried partner
4) Both apply for the EU Settlement Scheme

The problem is that now we won't be able to move to the UK until September and although there is time until June 2021 to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, Residence cards will expire in December 2020. The UK Immigration site states that:

1) There is time until June 2021 to apply to the scheme
2) Family members (in my case an extended family member) can use their Residence Card as a proof of their relationship.

However, given the fact that we will be arriving to the UK in September and the minimum processing time for a residence card is 3 months, I think I wont be able to have mine before 31 December 2020. This opens up three questions (which are the reason I created this thread):

1) If I apply in September, will I receive a residence card AFTER 31 december 2020? This card will expire inmediately, because Residence Cards will not be valid in 2021.
2) Will I be able to use that expired residence card as a proof of my relationship for the Settlement Scheme?
3) Is there another way to obtain residence on the basis of my relationship with an EU National?

Thanks!

Hello,

Your immigration plan seems a bit risky to me. EEA EFM is far from automatic.

Please read this post:
eea-route-applications/unmarried-partne ... 03285.html

It can help you a lot.