Peter Grant MP is reminding people from European Union and European Economic Area countries living in Scotland to apply for settled status well ahead of the deadline set by the UK Government.
The Settled Status scheme applies to anyone who is a national of an EU country or of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, unless they have already been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK or have UK or Irish citizenship.
Although the official deadline for applications is not until June 2021, charities who provide support to applicants are strongly advising them to apply before the end of 2020.
Mr Grant said:
"Around 3.5 million people have already applied under the Settled Status scheme, including over 9,000 in Fife but there will be many who, for a variety of reasons, have not applied. The Coronavirus pandemic has made it very difficult for people to get the help and advice they might need to submit their application. The SNP have called on the UK Government to recognise this and extend the deadline, but they have refused to do so.
"It's an outrage that people who have lived in Scotland for years are now being forced to ask for permission to carry on living in the country they call home but that's exactly what the UK Government is doing. Although the application deadline may seem a long way off, I would urge anyone who hasn't yet applied to do so as soon as possible.”
Mr Grant added that although his constituency office remains closed, he and his team are still working on casework and can help anyone who needs support to complete their application.
He added:
"If any constituent is having problems with the settled status application process, or if they are unsure of where to go and how to access support, they should get in touch and we will assist as much as possible."