The British Supreme Court found this practice illegal EU nationals who settled before Brexit must submit a new application to continue living in the country.
Under the now-defunct rule, EU citizens who were in the UK for less than five years before Brexit will be required to apply to change their settlement status.
The decision of the Ministry of the Interior, which the court found to be illegal, could have threatened them with deportation, or they would automatically lose their right to residence, work or health insurance. Apart from the United Kingdom, only Slovenia has asked to submit a similar application again.
During the Brexit negotiations, the two parties agreed that EU nationals living in the UK and Britons living in the EU could stay in the country they live in if they settled before Brexit.
In a High Court ruling on Wednesday, Justice Peter Lane ruled that the right to remain can only be forfeited in special circumstances, which are clearly defined in the withdrawal agreement, and not applying for a change of status is not such a case.
