Prime Minister Theresa May’s proposed Brexit deal asserts that EU nationals living in the UK for five years can apply to settle in the country after the UK’s withdrawal from the bloc, allowing them to continue living and working in the country. EU nationals – excluding Irish citizens and those with indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK – must apply to do so through the EU Settlement Scheme. Approximately three million EU citizens could apply through the scheme.

Under the proposed plans, the scheme will fully open by 30 March 2019 (the day following Brexit) and will remain open until 30 June 2021.

Officials working on the digital system supporting the scheme are facing a “number of technical bugs”, Nokes said when addressing MPs. She said that testing has allowed Home Office staff to fix some of the issues that have emerged so far, including the system failing to recognise hyphenated surnames. She added that there had been the expectation that there would be some bugs that needed fixing and that this was the purpose of the testing.

Nokes said that additional technical issues had been flagged up in what should have been the final phase of testing for the scheme and that “we are working extensively to overcome them”.

According to Matt Warman – a Conservative MP representing a constituency in which a third of residents are EU nationals – approximately 1,000 people had taken part in the scheme’s initial testing phase. More than 900 had their cases resolved within 19 days, with the average decision reportedly taking nine days. Warman said that up to 55,000 people are involved in phase two testing at present, with potential for a further 250,000 in the near future.

Warman said that, so far, the testing demonstrated that the project was a “rare example of a government IT project that not only has not yet fallen over, but shows the government can build systems that are scalable, that will be successful into the future”.

Officials are planning to launch a smartphone app through which applications can be submitted by the applicant answering questions, taking a photo to be checked against official records and scanning their passport. However, there have been difficulties associated with the app not fully working on Apple devices, which are unable to scan e-passports. This would require Apple users to borrow an Android phone or to post their passport to the UK Visa and immigration Service. The issue also affects the Microsoft and Blackberry Mobile operating systems.

Shadow immigration minister Afzal Khan raised the complication with Apple devices; Nokes refused to give a timeline for any resolution to the complication, saying that “there is a constructive discussion going on, [Home Secretary Sajid Javid] is a very persuasive man and I’m sure we will reach a resolution as soon as possible.”

Yesterday, Javid commented that plans for the UK’s future immigration system may not be ready before MPs are scheduled to vote on May’s Brexit deal on December 11.

Prime Minister Theresa May’s proposed Brexit deal asserts that EU nationals living in the UK for five years can apply to settle in the country after the UK’s withdrawal from the bloc, allowing them to continue living and working in the country. EU nationals – excluding Irish citizens and those with indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK – must apply to do so through the EU Settlement Scheme. Approximately three million EU citizens could apply through the scheme.

Under the proposed plans, the scheme will fully open by 30 March 2019 (the day following Brexit) and will remain open until 30 June 2021.

Officials working on the digital system supporting the scheme are facing a “number of technical bugs”, Nokes said when addressing MPs. She said that testing has allowed Home Office staff to fix some of the issues that have emerged so far, including the system failing to recognise hyphenated surnames. She added that there had been the expectation that there would be some bugs that needed fixing and that this was the purpose of the testing.

Nokes said that additional technical issues had been flagged up in what should have been the final phase of testing for the scheme and that “we are working extensively to overcome them”.

According to Matt Warman – a Conservative MP representing a constituency in which a third of residents are EU nationals – approximately 1,000 people had taken part in the scheme’s initial testing phase. More than 900 had their cases resolved within 19 days, with the average decision reportedly taking nine days. Warman said that up to 55,000 people are involved in phase two testing at present, with potential for a further 250,000 in the near future.

Warman said that, so far, the testing demonstrated that the project was a “rare example of a government IT project that not only has not yet fallen over, but shows the government can build systems that are scalable, that will be successful into the future”.

Officials are planning to launch a smartphone app through which applications can be submitted by the applicant answering questions, taking a photo to be checked against official records and scanning their passport. However, there have been difficulties associated with the app not fully working on Apple devices, which are unable to scan e-passports. This would require Apple users to borrow an Android phone or to post their passport to the UK Visa and immigration Service. The issue also affects the Microsoft and Blackberry Mobile operating systems.

Shadow immigration minister Afzal Khan raised the complication with Apple devices; Nokes refused to give a timeline for any resolution to the complication, saying that “there is a constructive discussion going on, [Home Secretary Sajid Javid] is a very persuasive man and I’m sure we will reach a resolution as soon as possible.”

Yesterday, Javid commented that plans for the UK’s future immigration system may not be ready before MPs are scheduled to vote on May’s Brexit deal on December 11.