1. EU citizens face having to apply for 'ID cards'.
More than 3million EU citizens in Britain will need special 'documentation' to prove they can stay after Brexit .
The paperwork will be required by law to prove people can draw benefits, get a job or use public services like the NHS.
"Without a residence document, current residents may find it difficult to access the labour market and services," the government said.
Downing Street, the Home Office and the Brexit Department insisted the documents would not necessarily be "ID cards", as suggested in some quarters, but could not rule it out.
And the alarming plan prompted a letter today from Lib Dem MP Ed Davey to the Home Secretary Amber Rudd .
"From the description it seems as if this is ID cards by the backdoor," he wrote. "If this is some form of ID card then I would be grateful if you could set out the likely cost of this policy and how you expect it to work."
Brexit Secretary David Davis later insisted people won't have to "carry that around all the time", adding: "It's not an ID card. What we're talking about here is documentation to prove you've got a right to a job, right to residence."
Labour MP Chris Bryant shot back: "I.e., an ID card." Colin Talbot, Professor of government at the University of Cambridge, joked: "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck..."
2. Those documents will expire after just two years.
(Photo: AFP)
Theresa May reveals whether EU nationals will be allowed to stay in UK post-Brexit
Many EU migrants will be stripped of their 'settled status' if they leave the country for just two years.
"Settled status would generally be lost if a person was absent from the UK for more than two years, unless they have strong ties here," the document says.
This brings the deal in line not with British citizenship, but with 'indefinite leave to remain.'
People with 'settled status' will be allowed to apply for permanent citizenship after six years total in Britain - but this is not automatic.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman could not say how it’ll be decided if someone has “strong ties” to Britain.
"The precise definition will be set out later in this process,” he said.
3. They could be fingerprinted and have their eyes scanned.
Those applying for 'settled status' may have to provide "biometric information", which generally includes fingerprints and iris scans, as part of the process.
This will be to "protect against fraud" during the application process itself, the government claimed.
A source at the Brexit Department insisted such information would not necessarily be kept on file, but could not guarantee what would happen to it.
The revelation is likely to enrage privacy campaigners because of the risk millions of foreigners' records could suddenly be on a database.
4. They will have to pay a fee.
It currently costs £65 for EU citizens to apply for residency documents. But it's a much steeper £1,282 to apply to be a naturalised British citizen and £2,297 to apply for indefinite leave to remain.
The government has not revealed what the fees will be for the new process - it's only claimed they'll be "reasonable".
"We recognise the cost of the new scheme will be important for EU nationals," the document says.
"The UK intends to set fees at a reasonable level. We will publish further details in due course."
5. Will the Home Office be able to cope?
Buried in the small print is the threat of a massive backlog of documents at the Home Office.
Because of this, there'll need to be a "grace period" of up to two years where the 3.2million EU citizens in Britain can stay while they are still waiting for their documents.
"It will be impractical to issue a very high volume of residence documents immediately when the UK leaves," the government admits.
"We need to avoid a legal gap between the end of free movement rights and the point at which individuals apply for and obtain UK immigration status."
6. People arriving now may have to apply TWICE.
The whole offer above applies to people who arrive before a "cut-off date" - but that date's not been set.
All we know is it'll be at some point in the two-year period between 29 March 2017 (triggering Article 50) and 29 March 2019 ( Brexit ).
So EU citizens arriving now are in limbo - and may have to go through two torturous application processes to stay.
The document says: "They will be allowed to stay in the UK until they reach the five year point, but they will need to apply to the Home Office for permission for this (leave to remain).
"At the five year point, they will be able to apply for settled status."
7. What will happen to students?
Education is one of Britain's biggest exports - with many EU citizens coming to study here.
The government has guaranteed that those starting university courses in September 2017 or September 2018 will get "student support and home fee status" until their course ends.
But what about those planning to start a course in September 2019.
The deadlines to apply for these courses will, in some cases, be as early as autumn 2018 - when Brexit is still being negotiated.
8. If you get married, your spouse might not be able to come to Britain.
All children and current spouses of EU nationals who get "settled status" will be able to apply for it too.
But
future spouses (who haven't been married yet) will be governed by the same rules that apply to any British citizen bringing in a non-UK national to live here.
Those rules include a highly controversial income test that says the Brit must earn at least £18,600 before the husband or wife can come and join them.
9. And finally... an embarrassing reminder for David Cameron.
This last one's not so nasty for EU citizens. But it's a nasty reminder for our former Prime Minister.
Back in 2016,
David Cameron tried and failed to stop
child benefit being sent from EU citizens who live in the UK to their children who live abroad.
He wanted it in his offer to voters to remain in the EU. But he had to water it down, and Britain then voted for Brexit anyway.
Now the document makes clear EU citizens
can carry on sending child benefit abroad, even though Britain voted Leave.
Rights to export benefits will be "protected" for all those exporting them on the cut-off date for settled status.
"Those not exporting UK benefits at the specified date will be treated on the same basis as UK nationals in future," the document adds.
