The government could potentially consider some type of post-Brexit ID card system for the UK immigration minister Caroline Nokes has said, saying this would be a response to the sheer complexity of residence rules once free movement ends.
Giving evidence to the EU home affairs subcommittee in the House of Lords, Nokes said particular difficulties could arise in the event of a no deal Brexit, as there would be seven different ways EU nationals could be legally entitled to remain in the UK: indefinite leave to remain, settled status, pre-settled status, transitional one-year visa, European temporary leave to remain for three years, three months without leave, and people who were legally in the UK before departure under free movement but had not applied for any subsequent permission to stay.
The complexity in working out whether or not EU nationals had the right to stay in the UK meant it was imperative the UK had a departure deal with a transitional period.
Although she was personally opposed to the idea, Nokes said the idea of ID cards had come up during talks with groups representing EU nationals in the UK, some of whom came from countries where ID cards were commonplace. There was growing acceptance of the idea as a practical solution to some of the anticipated problems that may arise particularly in the event of a no deal Brexit.
Nokes said any post-Brexit enforcement regime would be “light touch”, and allow for the fact that the system had changed substantially.
