EU nationals fear being denied full citizenship of UK

Brexit: Home Office regulations branded ‘degrading’

Thousands of EU nationals are at risk of being denied full citizenship because of “degrading” Home Office rules, it has been claimed.

Fast-track rules had been expected for the estimated 3.6 million people currently applying to remain in the UK.

Many EU nationals have, however, now been told to produce further evidence they have been living in the UK legally – even after securing so-called “settled status”.

The rules include that they took out comprehensive sickness insurance (CSI) to cover any periods of unemployment, when there was no such requirement at the time.

Scotland’s largest pro-EU organisation, the European Movement in Scotland, is today calling on the UK Government to reverse the change.

Mark Lazarowicz, chairman of the group, said: “This change will mean many EU citizens residing in the UK who had decided they wished to make the commitment of acquiring British citizenship will be deterred from doing so at this stage. Many of them have spent decades in the UK, perhaps almost their entire lives. They will have paid taxes and made a contribution to our community.”

Larissa Slaney, 52, who is originally from Germany and now lives in Fife with her husband and two children, told of her concern.

She said: “The guidance did not clarify whether this would be applicable only to new applications and EU citizens began to worry that this new rule would be applied in retrospect to applications pending.

“They were right to worry, as recently cases of applicants who submitted before May have now been asked to provide proof of CSI.

“This is not OK. The CSI rule itself is questionable and the fact voluntary National Insurance contributions are not accepted as such makes no sense.”

She added: “Brexit and the whole process of having to apply for settled status to be allowed to stay in our own homes has been degrading.”

The Home Office said: “These requirements are not new and have always been in place”.

CONCERN: Larissa Slaney has questioned citizenship rules