COMMENT

A new immigration scheme for European Union nationals living in the UK is set to receive its first applications within weeks.

The Home Office hopes to start testing an online platform with a small number of real cases from the end of the summer ahead of a phased roll-out later this year.

Ministers yesterday released details on the settlement scheme for EU migrants seeking to stay in the UK after the post-brexit implementation period ends on 31 December, 2020.

Applicants will have to pay £65 – the same as the existing fee for a permanent residence document and £10.50 cheaper than the minimum for a standard British passport.

The fee will be £32.50 for children under the age of 16

“The Home Office already issues around seven million passports and three million visas each year”

SAJID JAVID