Please note, we have now a direct referral route to the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU) and Asylum Support Housing Advice (ASHA).
This information is accurate as of 1st January 2021. We will be updating this information as it becomes available.
Who falls within the Windrush category
The ‘Windrush scheme’ applies to:
For those in the UK
- A Commonwealth citizen who was either settled in the UK before 1 January 1973 and has been continuously resident in the UK since their arrival or has the Right of Abode. Will be entitled to free British nationality or a permanent status card. Can only be refused British nationality if they have a criminal record.
- A Commonwealth citizen who was settled in the UK before 1 January 1973, whose settled status lapsed because they left the UK for a period of more than 2 years, and who is now lawfully in the UK and who has strong ties to the UK. Will be entitled to free British nationality or a permanent stay card. Can be refused either if they have a criminal record and can be refused British nationality if they have not been in the UK for the previous 5 years or have not passed the English Life in the UK test or the language test.
- A child of a Commonwealth citizen parent, where the child was born in the UK or arrived in the UK before the age of 18, and has been continuously resident in the UK since their birth or arrival, and the parent was settled before 1 January 1973 or has the Right of Abode (or met these criteria but is now a British Citizen). Will be entitled to free British nationality or a permanent stay residence card. Can be refused either if they have a criminal record and can be refused British nationality if they have not been in the UK for the previous 5 years.
- A person of any nationality, who arrived in the UK before 31 December 1988 and is settled in the UK. Is entitled to a free permanent residence card.
For those outside the UK
A Commonwealth citizen who was settled in the UK before 1 January 1973 but who does not have a document confirming their Right of Abode or settled status, or whose settled status has lapsed because they left the UK for a period of more than 2 years. Is entitled to a free settlement visa if they have been abroad for less than 2 years, is entitled to a free settlement visa if they have been abroad for over 2 years and there are good reasons for this absence, will be entitled to free nationality after 5 years in the UK once they have passed the life in the UK and English language tests.
Commonwealth citizens means citizens of the following countries:
Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei, Canada, Cayman Island, Cyprus (excluding the Sovereign base areas), Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Monserrat, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Sri Lanka, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Virgin Islands, Zambia. Zimbabwe
Windrush scheme application form
An application under the Windrush Scheme must be made on the relevant form on GOV.UK – the “Windrush Scheme application (UK)” for applicants living in the UK or the” Windrush Scheme application (Overseas)” for applicants living outside the UK.
For those in the UK the form is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-scheme-application-form-uk
or you can contact the Windrush team on commonwealthtaskforce@homeoffice.gov.uk
Telephone: 0800 678 1925
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 3pm
If you’re outside the UK
You must apply using an online form.
The Home Office have said that the information provided in not going to be sent to their ‘removals’ team.