Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May has promised to make it as eassy as possible for EU citizens to obtain settled status in the UK.

In an open letter to EU citizens living in Britain, PM May stated that the British government and Brussels are in “touching distance” of reaching an agreement on citizens’ rights. She has also promised that the process for EU nationals to register to stay in the UK will be ‘streamlined’ with EU citizens having a direct say over how it will work.

According to the British PM, EU citizens in the UK will be invited to sit on a new User Group that will “meet regularly, ensuring the process is transparent and responds properly to users’ needs.”

The PM, writing ahead of the October European Council, made the claim that citizens’ rights have always been her main priority, adding that: “EU citizens who have made their lives in the UK have made a huge contribution to our country. And we want them and their families to stay. I couldn’t be clearer: EU citizens living lawfully in the UK today will be able to stay.”

As such, May has committed to no longer requiring EU citizens settling in the UK to demonstrate Comprehensive Sickness Insurance, as they currently have to under EU rules, keeping the cost of the settlement process as “low as possible” and establishing a simple process to allow people who already have Permanent Residence to swap this for the new settled status.