Portuguese citizens urged to prepare for new UK immigration rules

The?UK Government has launched a Europe-wide awareness campaign to help prepare?European citizens?for?the implementation of the UK’s new Immigration System from 1 January 2021, and the launch of new routes on 1 December 2020.  

Free movement?between the EU and the UK?will end at 11pm on 31 December, Portuguese nationals  – and other EU citizens – will no longer have the automatic right to live in the UK.?? 

A new points-based immigration system?will be introduced that treats people from all parts of the world?equally,?prioritising?skills and talent over where a person comes from.? 

Portuguese nationals who do not already live in the UK, or have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, will need to meet specific requirements?and apply for a visa through the new immigration system,?in order to study or work in the UK.? 

The campaign, which has been translated to cater for all?nationalities,?is set to run across various channels?throughout November and into December, with a second phase planned for early 2021. 

It?encourages Portuguese citizens to visit the UK?Government?website where further information?about how they can apply to work or study in the UK?is available.? 

Under the new rules, EU citizens will be able to continue to visit the UK without applying for a visa?and in most cases, will be?able?to stay for up to 6 months.?The changes will not impact the rights of those?who have been granted status through the EU Settlement Scheme.? 

Main points:

• Under the new system, EU citizens will be able to continue to visit the UK without applying for a visa and in most cases, will be able to stay for up to six months.
• Visitors may participate in a wide range of activities, including tourism, visiting family and friends, short term study and business-related activities? 
• Information on coming to the UK after January?1?2021 is available here: ?GOV.UK/MovingToTheUK? 
• The changes apply to all?30 EU and EEA countries and Switzerland.? 
• Irish citizens will continue to be able to enter and live in the UK as they do now.?
• The new Student Route and Child Student route opened on 5 October as planned. EU citizens coming to study to the UK from 1 January 2021 can now apply. EU citizens coming to work in the UK from 1 January 2021 will be able to apply from the 1 December 2020, when the majority of visa application routes will open.

 The awareness campaign will direct people to information?about the changes on the UK Government’s website, which has been translated into Portuguese and 23 other different languages.? 

Portuguese looking to move to the UK after 31 December 2020 should visit http://www.gov.uk/MudarseparaoReinoUnido