AN SNP group is running a webinar to help the thousands of European citizens in Scotland apply for post-Brexit settled status before the deadline at the end of the month.
Edinburgh Southern SNP’s event, titled Helping European Union Citizens Protect their Right to Remain in Scotland, aims to clear up confusion over the process before June 30.
Settled Status or pre-Settled Status, refers to the part of the international post-Brexit treaty guaranteeing EU citizens the right to remain in Scotland and the rest of the UK. There has been some confusion over the conditions being imposed, with many people who were granted Permanent Residence decades ago unaware they also must apply again.
“It is shocking that the conditions are so wide-ranging and potentially confusing. You need to apply if you were born in the UK but are not a British citizen. You need to apply for your children separately. You need to apply even if you already have a Permanent Residence document, which does beg the question why is permanent residence not permanent?” said the event’s organiser, David Patrick, who is a local SNP activist in Edinburgh.
The event features Jenny Gilruth, the Scottish Cabinet Minister for Europe, as a guest speaker.
Gilruth recently said: “It is likely that EU citizens who fail to apply to the scheme before the deadline will, at best, face the UK Government’s hostile environment and will, at worst, be subjected to forced removal. The Scottish Government has called on the UK Government to extend the deadline. Meanwhile it has committed to continued funding for third sector partners, after the 30 June deadline, to help assist EU citizens in Scotland.”
The online event takes place on June 21 at 7.30pm. You can register at www.tinyurl.com/p8adxcj7
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