Brussels may pay bill

The European Commission President Jean-Claude Junker has expressed sympathy with EU nationals wishing to stay in the UK post-Brexit and who may be required to pay a £72 administration fee per applicant to obtain the settled status designation which grants them indefinite leave to remain. Junker has suggested that this fee could be met by Brussels, subject to budget allowances and funding costs on the part of the EU, if the UK does not make a more generous offer doing further negotiations this year. 

EU nationals who have already successfully applied for UK permanent residence documents will not face a further fee when they convert to settled status.