UK nationals in the EU: what you need to know
From:
Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Department for Exiting the European Union
Part of:
UK leaving the EU: what you need to know, Brexit, and British nationals overseas
Published:
11 July 2016
Last updated:
20 December 2017, see all updates
Information on the rights and status of UK nationals living and travelling in the European Union (EU) following the triggering of Article 50.
Contents
Overview: Current status and staying up to date
There will be no change to the rights and status of UK nationals living in the EU while the UK remains in the EU.
You can sign-up for email alerts to receive updates to Brexit pages on gov.uk as the negotiations progress.
The Prime Minister has been clear that safeguarding the rights of UK nationals in the EU and EU citizens living in the UK was her first priority for the negotiations.
We have now delivered on that commitment and reached an agreement with the European Commission on citizens’ rights. The agreement will provide certainty to the over a million UK nationals and their family members living in the EU.
On 19 December, the Prime Minister wrote to UK nationals living in Europe with details of the agreement reached with the Commission in the first phase of the negotiations.
The UK and European Commission will now include the agreement on citizens’ rights in the overall Withdrawal Agreement between the UK and the EU.
Agreement on rights for UK nationals and their families
The agreement we have reached for UK nationals and their family members is:
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-UK nationals, as well as their family members covered by the agreement, who are lawfully residing in a EU27 Member State by 29 March 2019, will be able to continue to reside in that Member State.
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-Children born or adopted outside of a UK national’s resident Member State after the 29 March 2019 will also be covered by this agreement.
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-Close family members (spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners, dependent children and grandchildren and dependent parents and grandparents) will be able to join UK nationals in their Member State of residence after exit under these rules, where the relationship existed on 29 March 2019 and continues to exist when they wish to move to join their UK national family member.
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-EU27 Member States may require UK nationals and their family members covered by the agreement to apply to obtain a status conferring the right of residence and/or obtain a residency document. Administrative procedures for applications for status will be transparent, smooth and streamlined. Where an application is required to obtain status, UK nationals will have at least two years to submit their applications. Residence documents will be issued free of charge or for a charge not exceeding that imposed on nationals for the issuing of similar documents. Further information on these administrative procedures will be provided when available.
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-UK nationals and their family members covered by the agreement will be able to be absent from their Member State of residence for up to 5 years without losing their right to return.
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-UK nationals and their family members covered by the agreement will continue to have the same access as they currently do to healthcare, pensions and other benefits.
More information is available in the Joint Report from the negotiators of the EU and the UK on progress and in the Comparison Table of the UK and EU positions on Citizens’ Rights.
UK nationals who move to the EU after 29 March 2019
For UK nationals who move to the EU after the UK’s withdrawal on 29 March 2019, the proposed implementation period (announced by the Prime Minister in her Florence speech in September) would mean they can still live, work and study in the EU after the UK has left the EU. How long this period lasts is subject to negotiations, however it is likely to be around 2 years.
Details of the immigration rules for UK nationals who wish to move to the EU after 29 March 2019 and during the implementation period are yet to be agreed. We will publish more details as soon as possible, to give UK nationals and businesses enough time to plan and prepare.
UK nationals living in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states
The agreement reached with the European Commission does not cover UK nationals living in the European Free Trade Association states (Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein and Switzerland). The UK is seeking to secure the same protections for UK nationals living in EFTA states as for UK nationals living in the EU, on a reciprocal basis, through agreements with EFTA states.
Current status of UK nationals in the EU
Until the UK leaves the EU, the UK remains a full member of the EU and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. This means:
Travelling in the EU - passports and healthcare
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-UK nationals can continue to travel freely within the EU using a UK passport
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-there continue to be no visa requirements for UK nationals entering another EU country
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-UK nationals can continue to access healthcare during temporary visits to EU countries using the European Health Insurance Card
Living and working in the EU - property, pensions and healthcare
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-UK nationals retain their legal status as EU citizens and can continue to work and live in EU countries
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-UK nationals can continue to receive healthcare in EU countries
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-UK nationals can continue to retire and collect their pensions in EU countries
More information on exiting the EU
Document information
Published: 11 July 2016
Updated: 20 December 2017
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-20 December 2017 addition of the Prime Minister facebook note to UK nationals living in Europe with details of the agreement reached with the Commission in the first phase of the negotiations.
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-15 December 2017 New section on UK nationals living in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states section added.
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-8 December 2017 Update to agreement on rights for UK nationals and UK nationals who move to the EU after 29 March 2019
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-14 November 2017 update to 3rd paragraph text
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-13 October 2017 Reference to fifth round of negotiations
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-29 September 2017 Added links David Davis' closing remarks at the end of the fourth round of EU exit negotiations in Brussels, and the Prime Minister’s speech in Florence.
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-10 August 2017 Link to information on the latest negotiations. Link to sign up for email alerts.
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-20 July 2017 Add in link to Article 50 and negotiations with the EU page
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-26 June 2017 Updated on 26 June 2017 to reflect UK Government's offer on EU Citizens' Rights
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-31 March 2017 Updated information following the triggering of Article 50
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-13 March 2017 Updates to first and second paragraphs to reflect current situation
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-19 January 2017 Change to intro
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-13 January 2017 Amendment to introduction text and link added to Department for Exiting the EU
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-11 July 2016 First published.
From: Foreign & Commonwealth Office Department for Exiting the European Union
Part of: UK leaving the EU: what you need to know Brexit British nationals overseas
Related guides: Exiting the European Union Status of EU citizens in the UK: what you need to know
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Latest information and guidance on the UK exiting the EU.
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