UK Home Office revokes post‑Brexit residency rights for EU citizens

The UK Home Office has sent letters to at least 100 EU citizens informing them that the post‑Brexit residency rights they were granted were "in error". The notices arrived as recipients were completing the five‑year "pre‑settled" period and preparing to convert to permanent "settled" status under the EU Settlement Scheme. One case involves a Portuguese‑Brazilian woman, working in the NHS and pursuing a PhD, who says the decision threatens her job, housing and bank accounts. The Home Office is reviewing all cases that must upgrade from pre‑settled to settled status, including children, non‑EEA nationals and those who arrived after 31 December 2020. The campaign group the3million, via a freedom‑of‑information request, learned that 95 people were contacted in March, though the Home Office did not disclose the total number of letters sent. The move has raised questions about the UK's compliance with the Brexit withdrawal agreement and the security of residency rights for millions of EU nationals living in Britain.