Important information when travelling with an EUSS Family Permit
Joining family members with a pending EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) application who hold a valid Certificate of Application (CoA) are being advised to check their status for travelling based on Home Office guidance.
The Home Office is advising some joining family members not to travel to or from the UK if their EUSS family permit has expired.
The Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (IMA) has previously raised concerns about advice to CoA holders not to travel and recently welcomed the Home Office removing that advice from its guidance. The IMA is currently engaging with the Home Office to understand how ‘visa national’ joining family members with a CoA may be impacted if their EUSS family permit has expired or is due to expire while they are outside of the UK.
The Home Office has different rules for travelling which depend on whether you are a ‘visa national’ or a ‘non-visa national’. To find out which group you are in, you can access their guidance here.
Visa nationals
If you are a ‘visa national’ you must have a valid visa or visa exemption document to travel to the UK. An in-date EUSS family permit is a valid visa for these purposes.
If your EUSS family permit has expired, Home Office rules mean a carrier will not allow you to board you on your return travel to the UK, even if you have a CoA and a valid EUSS application in progress. The Home Office is therefore advising that you should wait until your EUSS application has been decided before travelling.
If you need to travel urgently, and your EUSS family permit has expired or will expire while you are outside of the UK, you can apply for a new EUSS family permit from outside of the UK which will be valid for six months. The Home Office has confirmed that EUSS family applications are considered on an accelerated basis, based on application date.
Non-visa nationals
If you are a non‑visa national joining a family member, and you have a valid CoA, you can travel to the UK while your application is being decided. You must travel using the same passport or travel document that is linked to your eVisa account. This should also be the same passport or travel document that you used for your EUSS application.
Carriers should be able to automatically confirm you are allowed to travel but you may be asked to show your EUSS family permit at the UK border.
Non-visa nationals do not need to apply for a new EUSS family permit after it has expired unless your EUSS application has been refused and is under review or you have made an appeal from outside of the UK.
For guidance on entering the UK under the EUSS or EUSS family permit, visit: Entering the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme and EU Settlement Scheme family permit
The IMA has updated its travel guidance resources which can be found here.