Ministers have been accused of breaching their promise to secure the post-Brexit rights of thousands of British nationals who settled in the EU and married foreigners.
Campaigners at British in Europe (BiE) have written to the Foreign Office minister Wendy Morton and the immigration minister Kevin Foster telling of the “heartbreak” and “distress” endured by British citizens who are facing problems with the Home Office over their rights to return home to the UK.
Before Brexit, all EU nationals – including the British – were free to move from one member state to another with family members, regardless of where they were from.
But after Brexit, UK citizens’ non-British spouses – including Germans, French and Spanish nationals – need to apply for pre-settled status before 29 March next year. However, they are only eligible if they get a new EU family permit from the Home Office.
BiE said it knows of multiple cases of spouses of British people living in the EU being refused family permits under the “Surinder Singh route” for non-British spouses or partners or who…
