Government offer for EU citizens in UK

The British government published new information regarding the status of EU citizens in the UK after Brexit. Theresa May announced certain offers and deadlines for EU citizens planning to stay in the UK. Of course, there are plenty of things that still have to be ruled out and confirmed but as for today this is what UK government offers to EU citizens:

• Introduction of so-called grace period. This is a period when EU citizens and their families can still legally reside in the UK, but during this period they will need to apply and receive a resident document, demonstrating their new settled status.  Grace period will presumably last for up to two years. The length of the grace period and the starting date (not earlier then  29th of March 2017 – the day when Article 50 was triggered – and no later than the date UK leaves EU). If, at the end of the grace period, EU citizens don’t obtain documents confirming their new immigration status, they will no longer have the right to reside in the UK;

• the process of applying for a new "settled" status will differ from the existing procedure for obtaining a permanent residence, as it is connected to the UK membership in the European Union.  Permanent resident status obtained under the current rules will no longer be valid after the UK officially exits the EU. European citizens who already have UK permanent residence document will have to apply for a "settled" status under the new procedure, which expected to be as streamlined as possible;

• EU citizens who have been permanently living in the UK for five years before the end of the grace period will be able to obtain “settled” status - a permanent residence permit to remain in the UK;

• Those European citizens who arrived in the UK before the end of the grace period but did not live in the UK for 5 years will be able to stay in the country in order to complete 5 year period and after this apply for a “settled” status;

• EU citizens, who will arrive in the UK after the grace period finishes, will have to apply for a residence permit under the new immigration rules that will be confirmed on the later stage;

• Dependent family members of European citizens who arrived in the UK before the end of the grace period will be eligible for "settled" status after living in the UK for 5 years. Their status won’t be connected to the grace period.