Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many EU nationals have been refused the right to remain in each year between 2010 and 2017.

An EU national’s right to remain in the UK is not dependent upon a grant of leave to remain from the Secretary of State for the Home Department (SSHD). The Free Movement of Persons Directive (2004/38/EC) allows EU nationals to reside freely in the UK whilst they satisfy the conditions laid down in the Treaty. EU nationals are not granted leave to remain in the UK. The number of EU nationals refused the right to remain between 2010 and 2017 is therefore nil.

The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 defines how an EU national can be considered to be a qualified person. A qualified person, is a person considered to satisfy the conditions laid down in the Treaty.

EU nationals may apply to the SSHD for confirmation of their status as a qualified person.

A Registration Certificate confirms that an EU national has demonstrated that they are currently a qualified person.

A Document Certifying Permanent Residence confirms that an EU national has resided in the UK as a qualified person, for a continuous period of 5 years.

Statistics on outcomes of applications for Registration Certificates and Documents Certifying Permanent Residence for European Union (EU) nationals are published quarterly in the Immigration Statistics. These include data for certificates/documents issued, refusals and applications deemed invalid and hence rejected. The most recent edition (Immigration Statistics July to September 2017) is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2017/list-of-tables#european-economic-area-eea