Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications to the EU Settlement Scheme submitted by or on behalf of a child resident in Northern Ireland have been deferred due to unresolved criminal proceedings in relation to (a) the child or (b) a joint applicant applying on behalf of the child.

Our aim is to process all applications to the EU Settlement Scheme as expeditiously as possible. Complete applications are usually processed in around five working days.

More information about processing times for applications under the scheme is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-application-processing-times/eu-settlement-scheme-pilot-current-expected-processing-times-for-applications

Any EUSS application is likely to take longer to process if:

• we need to request more information from an applicant

• the applicant is applying as a minor and their application is not linked to an adult

• the applicant submits a paper based application

• the applicant may potentially have a relevant criminal record

• the applicant is applying to the scheme on the basis of a relationship that has not relied upon before in any previous application to the Home Office

In these instances, processing times will vary on a case-by-case basis, based upon how quickly an applicant can provide the requested information, and the circumstances and/or individual needs of each applicant.