400,000 Poles in UK without settled status: daily

About 400,000 Poles living in the UK have not yet applied for “settled status,” which would allow them to stay in the country after the Brexit transition period, a Polish daily reported on Thursday.

An anti-Brexit demonstrator wears a sweatshirt with EU flag missing one European star, during a protest in front of the European Parliament to express their dissatisfaction at Luxembourg place in Brussels, Belgium, 30 January 2020.

EPA/STEPHANIE LECOCQ

Britain formally leaves the European Union on Friday. According to Polish daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, Brexit does not necessarily mean an “earthquake” for EU citizens living in the UK thanks to a transition period which starts on February 1 and is due to last until December 31.

The daily added that during this time, EU citizens will continue to have the right to travel freely to and from the bloc.

After the transition period ends, EU citizens will need “settled status” to be able to stay in the country.

Dziennik Gazeta Prawna quoted a report by the UK Home Office which said that by the end of December more than 2.8 million EU citizens had applied for settled status, and 2.5 million of them had been granted it.

According to the daily, there are over 900,000 Polish citizens living in the UK, comprising the largest group among those applying.

EU citizens have until June 30, 2021 to apply.

(jh/pk)

Source: Dziennik Gazeta Prawna/PAP