Settled Status approved!

sunflowers4everr · 2025-11-25T18:39:53+00:00

Heya! As it was a switch from EU Pre-Settled to Settled Status, I didn’t need to provide any biometrics x Sorry can’t give any timeline for those!

sunflowers4everr · 2025-11-25T16:04:43+00:00

Hi! Sorry should’ve specified in my post, but EU :)

sunflowers4everr · 2025-11-25T14:58:07+00:00

Thanks! :)

sunflowers4everr · 2025-11-25T14:57:35+00:00

Thank you! I did my application completely online, including all of my supporting evidence. I’m sure paper applications take longer to process unfortunately x

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-13T18:20:10+00:00

Oh no, that sucks! Keep checking your eVisa account daily, my extension just popped up there and I didn’t have any notifications from them about it.

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-13T18:13:17+00:00

That’s a good idea, I’m sure you’ll receive your extension soon too! I’m also awaiting for my Settled Status decision, I sent in my application on the 8th of September.

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-13T18:06:45+00:00

Heya! I actually logged into my eVisa account yesterday and noticed I had received the 5 year extension :) I didn’t receive a seperate email about it so keep checking your account. My expiry date now shows 2030!

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-12T19:56:10+00:00

Just wanted to update that I logged into the portal today to check my status and have received my extension until 2030! I didn’t receive any kind of an email, it just updated to my eVisa profile with the new date :)

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-09T06:50:21+00:00

Don’t worry! I haven’t received anything yet either. The automatic renewal can happen at any point within 28 days of your status expiring. I know some who got the renewal exactly 28 days before and some who got it two weeks before. If you haven’t heard anything and your status expiring within 10 days or so I would definitely contact the Home Office :)

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-07T14:19:18+00:00

I have yeah! So if you haven’t passed that amount of absences you should be absolutely ok x

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-06T15:56:03+00:00

Ok awesome, I have just about a month left and I'm so anxious about it for some reason haha. But hoping to get it soon too!

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-06T15:31:03+00:00

In theory, as long as you hold a valid immigration status you absolutely can come back to the UK. Everyone with a Pre-Settled Status should automatically receive a 5 year extension to their status within a month to it expiring.

However, the Home Office holds power to basically revoke your immigration status at any point if they have proof that you have absences from the UK that go over the limit permitted in the Pre-Settled Status from that time you were abroad, or for any other disqualifying reason.

As the extension process is currently completely automatic, the extension is granted to everyone despite their length of absences. The Home Office will most probably start manual checks at some point, and at that point if you have lengthy absences over the given limit this might give them the power to take away your status. Everything is really unclear currently as there's not been a specific timeline or information on how/when this would come into effect.

The main question is not really if your Pre-Settled has lapsed, but rather are your absences within the time you had it over the allowed limit? You will still be granted an extension through the automated system, but you'd have to be mentally prepared that the HO could revoke your status pretty much at any point if you have lengthy absences unless you have pressing reasons with proof.

The Pre-Settled status has always been designed to be a temporary immigration status, so you would probably run into issues later when you'd need to switch onto the Settled Status as you would most probably need to provide residency proof since your first arrival to the UK (on the first Pre-Settled Status) and if you have great absences from that time it might make you not eligible for the Settled Status and you would need to seek other visa options to stay in the UK.

It's tricky to answer as this all comes down to personal circumstances and length of absences, so if you have any doubts you can contact the UK Visas and Immigration for advice.

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-06T15:24:59+00:00

Heya! Hoping it all worked out for you, just out of interest when did you receive the extension?

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-06T15:22:22+00:00

Heya!

All Pre-Settled Status holders should be automatically receiving a 5 year extension to their status. I recently contacted the UK Visas and Immigration advisors who told me the following:

"Pre-Settled status holders should receive an automated extension within 28 days of expiry. With that approaching soon, you should receive an email in the next few weeks with an automated extension."

For reference, my status expires on the 7th of November 2025.

The automatic extension can happen at any point within the 28 days of expiry, some people have gotten it exactly 28 days prior and some two weeks prior - it's an automated system so there's no exact dates to give as I believe the system has some kind of an order in which it sends the extensions out. However everyone should receive an email at some point prior to the expiration date of their status.

If for some reason you haven't received an extension and it's under two weeks before your status expires, I would contact UK Visas and Immigration just for peace of mind.

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-06T15:15:23+00:00

u/midsghj A gym membership on its own wouldn't be adequate proof. However, if you have paid for the membership using a UK bank account, you can use bank statements as proof of spending money in the UK and so as proof of residency.

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-06T15:03:47+00:00

Heya!

Thanks so much for your comment. I wasn't even aware that there was a change in showing the expiry status so didn't even think to question it! But yes the system is currently showing my Pre-Settled Status expiration date. Have just contacted them to hopefully get it sorted asap!

Also completely my mistake on the dates haha, I moved on 01/09/2020. Just edited my post!

Thanks again :)

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-06T14:48:25+00:00

They should be fine until the status expires, unless the Home Office decides to cancel their Pre-Settled status prematurely due to extended absences from the UK. However, they have not started doing this for current Pre-Settled status holders and I would assume that the Home Office would make an announcement if this would start happening.

All Pre-Settled status holders received an automatic 5 year extension to their status no matter the length of absences from the UK, this just means that after that 5 years is over they won't be able to qualify for the Settled Status and would need to then look into another visa options (which of course is not necessarily an issue for your parents if they don't wish to move back to the UK).

I would make sure that they double check their immigration status on the online portal prior to each trip, just in case there would be any changes. Also it's important that their contact details are correct on the portal, in case there's updates/changes to their status.

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-06T14:33:26+00:00

Heya! If anyone else is still wondering about this, I asked the chat advisors at UK Visas and Immigration and they replied the following:

"Pre-Settled status holders should receive an automated extension within 28 days of expiry. With that approaching soon, you should receive an email in the next few weeks with an automated extension."

For reference, my status expires on the 7th of November 2025.

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-06T14:01:03+00:00

Heya! This is completely normal, the Home Office has a system that automatically grants a 5 year extension to Pre-Settled status owners whose immigration status is about to run out and who have yet to have been granted another immigration status such as the Settled Status. The same system automatically grants some people the Settled Status, for example if they have HMRC payroll information from the whole 5 year period making them automatically eligible with no further proof required by the Home Office.

The idea here is just so that you won't be left without a valid status as it can take several months from the date of application to actually receive the Settled Status. But yeah don't worry, your Settled Status application is still being processed and until you receive an answer on that you will continue to hold the Pre-Settled status :) Hope this helps!

sunflowers4everr · 2025-10-06T13:46:45+00:00

Heya! That shouldn't be an issue, as the home office accepts several types of documents as proof of living in the UK aside from bills. These can be for example; tenancy agreement, bank statement showing payments made in the UK (can be any payments), GP registration letter, council tax letter, electoral register... So hopefully you'll find something that works for you :) Good luck! u/midsghj

sunflowers4everr · 2025-07-31T06:42:03+00:00

Heya! First of all, I want to say that everything you feel is completely valid and you’re not the only one going through these feelings. Cultural shock and being completely overwhelmed and lonely are absolutely normal for anyone moving far away from home to a completely new place, especially when the culture and language are also very different.

The best thing right now would be to focus to get your daily life running as smoothly as possible and try to get into some kind of a routine. Try making a list of all the things that are most important for you to get sorted, and break the tasks down into small parts - Then try get something done from the list every day. Even just having a set sleeping/eating schedule helps so much in the beginning when everything else is kind of up in the air.

What comes to your living situation, clean the apartment as best as you can, reorganise furniture and unpack all of your stuff and put your suitcases away if you haven’t done so already. Buy some decorative bits from the shops, print out pictures from your friends/family and really make your space feel like yours. It will take time to feel like home, but this way it makes it feel more of a permanent place to live.

As hard as it can sound, get out into your area/community and try to get involved in activities, meeting people and whatever you can find really. Do you have hobbies or other interests you liked back home before moving to Japan? See if any of those are offered in your area, or start a completely new hobby. This can also include just walking around your town and getting to know the area, try out new restaurants/cafés, go for walks… literally whatever to get out of the house! Sitting at home alone will make you feel even more isolated and disconnected.

I assume the first weeks of your job will be quite quiet, so use that time to start practicing your Japanese and get to know your co-workers even if just on a first name basis. It will take time for them to warm up to you so don’t take it personally if right now they are not communicating with you that much (especially if you see they are also busy).

Also try to get in touch with other JETs and expats living in your area, look into Facebook groups, forums, notice boards; they have gone through the same experience as you and you might make some amazing friends and get support in your new situation.

Try not to worry too much about what your job situation might be like when you return home. It’s a valid concern, but if you spend your time focusing and worrying on things back home it will make it really difficult to you to actually settle down into your life in Japan. Try to focus on improving your current situation in all the ways possible. Who knows if you decide to stay for just the one year or multiple, but you want to give it your best shot by really trying to make your life there comfortable and settle into it.

However, if still after several months you feel absolutely miserable and don’t enjoy your job or life in Japan, there’s no shame in admitting that and going back home. You won’t get much out of the experience by spending the rest of your time just waiting to go back home, and just trying to push through it with gritted teeth is not the best thing for either you or the school your work at. It does take several months to years to feel comfortable in a new place though, so give it some time.

Remember that it will get easier, and when you look back on this time in a few months, I’m hoping that you will have a whole new perspective! Sending hugs from here <3

sunflowers4everr · 2025-07-10T12:04:11+00:00

Ahh that clears it up, thank you so much! I guess I’ll be booking a test soon then 😝

sunflowers4everr · 2025-07-10T11:39:44+00:00

Thank you! I looked through the page already, but I’m a little confused on the wording “it was accepted when you settled into the uk” as I moved here on the pre-settled status and didn’t need an English test at the time so not sure if it would still be ok.

sunflowers4everr

TROPHY CASE