EU route still open?

[ms1993]

Hello

can someone tell me if the EU route to re settle is still open? We have a friend living in Ireland with an Irish passport who’s been advised they are able to migrate to the UK and then call their non EU family member over. I thought this has now finished with Brexit and the deadline passing?

[alterhase58]

Friend would have to apply for EU Settled Status (scheme under UK immigration) first to be able to sponsor family. Doesn’t work with just CTA, i.e. Irish citizens have free movement UK<>IE, but not automatic rights under EUSS.

[secret.simon]

Was your Irish citizen friend
(a) resident in the UK
(b) before 31st December 2020
(c) as an Irish citizen?

If the answer to all three questions above is yes, then he can sponsor his immediate family under the EUSS.

If the answer to any of them is no, he can't sponsor his family under the EUSS.

He himself can move to the UK at any time, as an Irish citizen.

If he can't sponsor his family under the EUSS as above, he can still sponsor them meeting the same requirements as any other British citizen (MIR of £18600 per annum-more if dependents, English language tests, etc).

[ms1993]

Thank you, this was a very clear response.

My friend is not in the UK and certainly not before Dec2020.

[AmazonianX]

Thank you, this was a very clear response.

My friend is not in the UK and certainly not before Dec2020.

Means it is the spouse visa route is the option that is open to your friend.

[lolo2]

It's unclear if the non-EU family member referred here is a spouse and/or children or parents/other family member of the EU citizen. The former would be able to apply as dependents of the main applicant but the latter will have it way more complicated, under the current circumstances.

EU citizens with pre-settle or settle status are still able to bring non-EU parents and other family members, if the conditions are met. Something that for someone without a EUSS status - such as ILR or naturalized British citizen - is almost impossible to do.