Interaction between immigration and overseas / domestic divorce proceedings 

The Challenges Faced

Client M held leave under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) based on his marriage to an EU national. His wife initiated divorce proceedings in France, where she had relocated with their children, but these were later abandoned in favor of English family court proceedings, resulting in a UK divorce in 2023. The complexity arose from parallel family court proceedings concerning the children, which restricted evidence disclosure, and the abandoned French divorce case, complicating a late EUSS settled status application based on retained rights of residence.

How Latitude Law Helped

Latitude Law liaised with Client M, who was unrepresented in family proceedings, to ensure these concluded without prejudicing his immigration status. We submitted a late EUSS application for settled status, supported by strong evidence of the marriage duration and UK residence prior to divorce proceedings, navigating restrictions on evidence filing due to family court protocols.

The Outcome

With diligent pursuit by Jessica Lee and strong knowledge of family and immigration jurisdiction protocols, Client M’s late EUSS application was successfully submitted, overcoming delays from the transition of divorce proceedings from France to the UK.