Home Office tells 100-year-old Italian man parents must confirm his identity for settled status

Giovanni Palmiero has lived and worked in London since 1966 – but a glitch meant an app believed he was still a baby

A 100-year-old Italian man was told his parents must confirm his identity if he wants to stay in the UK after Brexit.

Giovanni Palmiero, who has lived in London since 1966, went to an advice centre in Islington, north London, to apply for settled status.

But when a volunteer scanned his passport using the Home Office EU settled status app, it misinterpreted his birth year to be 2019 instead of 1919.

An apparent glitch means the system does not recognise triple digit ages and misinterpreted the “19” in 1919 to be 2019.

Since the app believed the great-grandfather was only a baby, it asked him to enter his father’s residency details to complete the application.

Mr Palmiero, who will turn 101 on 28 February, moved to London in 1966, before the UK joined the European Economic Community in 1973.

He worked at a restaurant in Piccadilly and in a fish and chip shop until the age of 94.

He has been married to his wife Lucia, 92, for 75 years and they have four children, eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren together.

Their son Assuntino Palmiero said it was “like a humiliation” because his father has lived in the UK for so long.

He told The Guardian: “I am not worried about him because he has got us but it’s completely unfair on old people.”

He added that there should be a separate system for people who moved to the UK before 1973.

Dimitri Scarlato, the volunteer who helped Mr Palmiero, told Londra Italia the great-grandfather had received an apology from the Home Office – but is still waiting to have his settled status approved.

The Home Office said it had contacted Mr Palmiero and his application was being processed.

A spokesperson said: “When Mr Palmiero’s case was raised our dedicated EU Settlement Scheme team contacted him and those supporting him to assist with his application.

“Over 2.7 million people have now been granted status and there is a wide range of support in place online, in person or over the phone.”