An open letter to EU Citizens

9th April 2019

City leaders write open letter to the 21,000 non-UK EU citizens living in Bristol.

We are writing to you as one of the 21,000 non-UK EU citizens living in Bristol. You are our friends, our neighbours and our colleagues. We are proud to stand alongside you and believe the diversity of our citizens is what makes our city such a wonderful place to live.

Everyone who chooses Bristol as their home is welcome, valued and respected. We write to thank you for deciding to live here, and hope that regardless of the UK’s future arrangements with the EU, you will still feel at home here.

The Government has opened applications for the EU Settlement Scheme. EU nationals and family members who have lived continuously in the UK for five years can obtain settled status, meaning they are free to go on living and working in the UK indefinitely.

People with less than five years' residence can apply for pre-settled status, which can later be converted to settled status. The deadline for applying will be June 30, 2021, or December 31, 2020 in a no-deal Brexit.

We are working hard to make sure we have support available in Bristol for those who need help with applications. In the meantime we encourage you to find out more online https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families or by calling 0300 123 7379.

We thank you again for helping make Bristol the city it is.

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol 

Tim Bowles, West of England Mayor 

Supt Andy Bennett, Bristol Police Commander

Alex Raikes MBE, Strategic Director of Stand Against Racism & Inequality 

Professor Steven West, Vice Chancellor of UWE

Professor Judith Squires, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of University of Bristol 

Penny Gane, Chair of the Bristol Women’s Commission 

Cllr Tom Aditya, Chair of Bristol Multi-Faith Forum

James Durie, Chief Executive of Bristol Chamber of Commerce & Initiative at Business West

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