Windrush Scheme: get proof of your right to be in the UK
Overview
If you’re settled in the UK but have no evidence to prove it, you might be eligible to apply to the ‘Windrush Scheme’.
You may be able to apply for proof that you can live and work in the UK if one of the following is true:
- you came to the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1973
- your parents came to the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1973
- you came to the UK from any country before 31 December 1988 and are now settled here
It’s free to apply.
The proof that you get will depend on what you’re entitled to based on your circumstances. For example, you could get a letter or access to an online record of your right to be in the UK (known as an eVisa).
You might also be entitled to apply for citizenship for free if you’re a Commonwealth citizen who settled in the UK before 1 January 1973, or you’re the child of someone who did.
If you’ve suffered losses because you did not have proof of your right to be in the UK
If you are eligible for this scheme, you might also be able to apply for compensation. The compensation scheme is for losses that happened because you could not show that you had a right to live in the UK.
‘Losses’ can be things like not being able to work, find a place to live or get health treatment. They can also include immigration action, like detention or removal from the UK.