IMA carries out research into the experiences of EU parents securing status for their children

The Independent Monitoring Authority (IMA), the organisation which protects the rights of EU citizens post Brexit, has commissioned research to better understand the circumstances around EU parents securing immigration status for their children.  

The research was prompted in part by a concerning statistic from the IMA’s annual survey which highlighted a misconception around how children secure immigration status. 

When answering a question, 72% of respondents – who were EU, EEA of EFTA nationals – said that they had not made an application for their child or children as they believed they were British citizens.  

One of the potential concerns regarding this statistic is that being born in the UK does not automatically result in British citizenship; one or both of a baby’s parents must either be a British citizen or hold EUSS settled status for citizenship to be automatic.  

This means that many EU citizens need to make an EUSS application on behalf of their child if they wish to secure their rights. This includes the right to use the NHS for free and the right to travel in and out of the UK, as well as the right to work and access to benefits and further education when they are older.    

Research overview 

The research was only carried out on parents whose immigration status would not have resulted in their child automatically being born a British citizen. This enabled it to explore awareness levels around the potential need to make EUSS applications.  

Alongside this, the research investigated how parents found the experience of applying to the EUSS on behalf of their children.  

Research findings  

The research showed some parents were unaware about the need to make an EUSS application for their child.  

Of the families participating in the research, two only realised that their child did not have immigration status by chance; during immigration checks when travelling abroad. In both cases, parents were told by Border Force officers to apply for EUSS status for their child as soon as they were able.  

One parent, a French national, explained her surprise:   

“No one had told us anything at the hospital or when we registered his birth through the council…but we didn’t know we had to apply. We thought it was just granted immediately without applying.” 

Others however were aware of the need to secure EUSS status for their children and conscious of the impact of not doing so. An Italian national said: 

“If she doesn’t have a status, it will be very hard to prove that she’s been living in the country. She doesn’t have a job and bills and all. So to me, it’s very important that she has that piece of paper or that QR code to prove that she’s been here for long enough.” 

When investigating the actual process of making an EUSS application, there were mixed responses from the families.   

Some found it straight forward and were positive about the digital nature of the process. But some encountered language barriers and one family reported waiting six months for their child’s application to conclude creating an uncertain time.  

IMA’s awareness campaign 

The results of the research are based on the findings of eight families. Though a small sample size, the findings add to the IMA’s concern that there is a lack of awareness among some parents around the need to make EUSS applications for their children.  This lack of awareness can have significant consequences. 

Last year, the organisation launched a campaign to better inform parents of this fact. Details and printable campaign materials are on the IMA website.  

You can read the full results of the research which was carried out by BMG earlier this year. The IMA’s Annual Survey is also available on this link.