EU citizens in Britain warned about missing Brexit residency deadline – report

Britain is threatening to deport European Union citizens if they fail to apply on time for a new immigration status after Brexit, and will only grant leniency in exceptional circumstances, Reuters said on Thursday, citing people briefed on the plans.

In previously unreported guidelines, the government has drafted a narrow list of exemptions, the sources said.

The development comes as government is introducing the biggest shake-up of Britain’s border controls in decades, ending the priority given to EU migrants over those from other countries. Most EU citizens will need some form of prior permission from the government to remain in Britain.

Government figures show that just over half of the estimated 3.5 million non-British EU citizens living in the UK have received the new legal status ahead of the December 31, 2020 deadline.