[ad_1]
Thousands of EU citizens could have trouble accessing essential services because the government refuses to issue physical proof of their right to live in the UK.
The settlement plan gives EU citizens the right to stay in the UK after Brexit. Unlike other foreign nationals, they are not provided with a biometric residence permit proving their status.
Instead, they have to access the Home Office’s online database every time they need to provide proof of eligibility.
The process, which requires applicants to have a smartphone and reliable internet access, is part of a government plan to eliminate paper permits and make the entire immigration service digital.
But it does mean that those with established status and service providers have to negotiate a sequence of logins, emails, and sharing codes to confirm their eligibility. And critics say the challenges of the online system could prevent them from accessing jobs, housing and medical treatment.
“A lot can go wrong: technology outages, people who cannot navigate the digital system, and service providers who are unwilling to interact with it,” says Maike Bohn, co-founder of the support group the3million, which campaigns for a supporting paper document while the digital system integrates.
“We don’t want a two-tier society to develop in the UK: British citizens and non-EU citizens who can demonstrate their right to work and access health care anytime, anywhere, simply by showing a card. physical or passport, and EU citizens who cannot. “
Problems are already arising for people who have tried using the new system.
Elisabeth Dodds was rescinded on a £ 50,000 home improvement loan offer when her bank insisted on proof of her status.
“I submitted both a copy of my letter from the Home Office confirming that I had been granted settled status, and the action code to verify my status online,” he said.
“Royal Bank of Scotland [RBS] refused to accept this information. On the advice of a loan advisor, I printed the Home Office documents, including the screenshots from the Home Office website showing that I have an indefinite license, and brought them to a bank branch.
“This was also rejected. Several times they told me that they had never heard of settled status and that they were powerless to change the form of proof that they could accept. “
A survey published this month by the3million found that only 14% of the companies surveyed were clear about the new rules for employing EU citizens after free movement ends in December, while one in five would more easily accept a permit. biometric as proof of status than a digital one. check.
Strict penalties for employers, landlords, and banks failing to verify applicants’ immigration status mean that those unfamiliar with the requirements can err on the side of caution and turn away EU citizens.
Research from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants shows that only three out of 150 landlords would be prepared to perform digital checks on prospective tenants.
An EU passport remains valid proof of status until July 2021, but there are concerns about what will happen after that.
Dodds, who is American but qualifies for settled status as the spouse of a Swedish citizen, later obtained a loan from another lender that required no status verification, but fears for the future when EU passports are no longer valid proof. .
RBS apologized after being contacted by The Guardian. “We would like to assure clients and prospects that this was an isolated incident. We should not have rejected this request, “said a spokesman.
Paula Uusnäkki, an EU citizen, was one of the first to apply for settled status when the plan was launched in 2018. She received an email confirming that her application had been approved, but when she tried to view her status in June, the system he had no record of her.
“Fortunately, I discovered this before I had to officially prove my status to an owner or employer,” he said.
Some have had their access to the online service compromised after updating their passport or address details in the Home Office system.
Gina Fierlafijn, who is Flemish, never received the promised email confirming that her new passport number had been registered correctly. Your status has been updated, but you still have to log in with your expired passport number to access.
“Fortunately, I wrote it down, so I have it for the future,” he says. “This online system seems totally inadequate and I am sure it will fail many of us.”
Victor Piris had his online status blocked after updating his address last month.
The Spanish citizen received confirmation by email that the new data had been registered, but since then a message informs him that his data does not match the records of the Ministry of the Interior when he tries to log in.
“This means that if I have to prove my rights, I cannot do it. What if this happens again when the transition period ends? “
The government refuses to change its stance and issue backup permits, even though its own assessment concludes that a digital-only service could harm many users.
The Interior Ministry said its policy was part of a movement to digitize the entire immigration service. “Physical documents expire, become invalid or can be lost, stolen or altered,” said a spokesman.
“A digital status is more secure and ensures that EU citizens who are granted status in the UK can constantly access and securely share evidence of their status. We see no reason why an institution should not accept a migrant’s online information as proof of their immigration status and will launch an extensive communications package to ensure that individuals, employers, landlords, and other third parties are fully aware of the shift to digital technology “.
Seated state: how it works
When the Brexit transition process comes to an end on December 31, people from the EU, EEA or Switzerland living in the UK will need to apply for settled status to retain their employment rights, use the NHS and claim Benefits.
The scheme is open and will stay that way until June 30, but anyone applying must be living in the UK by the end of this year. If you have lived in Great Britain for a continuous period of five years, subject to some exceptions, you may qualify for settled status. Otherwise, you will get the default status and request to change it once you have accumulated five years of residency.
The application is free. Once granted, you will be able to work and access the NHS and claim pensions and other state benefits if eligible.
The government website clearly states that the letter they e-mail you confirming your settled or pre-settled status cannot be used as proof of this. Instead, you can get a code share that you will need to provide to people, along with your date of birth, so they can go online and see your status.
Citizens Advice guidance is that until January 1 you should still be able to use your passport or ID card to demonstrate your right to work, rent or access the NHS.
“If an employer or landlord asks you to prove your settled status before January 1, 2021, this could be discrimination,” its website warns. After that, city councils, landlords and employers should be able to use the digital process to verify their status. Hilary osborne
