• The Government has stated that they will take a ‘flexible and pragmatic’ approach towards late applications, but this will not protect people’s rights. 
  • The guidance states that this flexible approach will ‘normally’ but not ‘always’ be applied and will become stricter with time. 
  • Most concerningly, even where the guidance provides a route back to status, this is not a solution to subjecting EEA+ citizens to the Hostile Environment, even temporarily. Loss of legal status and rights and the risk of criminal liability create huge and potentially life-ruining risks.  
  • A person who submits a late application will continue to have no access to their rights until they receive a successful decision. For many, this could take months, and result in destitution. 
  • Many people may not realise they have no status until years later, when the damage could already be done.