Are there any other European nationals with a UK only pilots license that are stuck in the UK?
or am I the only one…..

Have a look here - some NAAs seem quite pragmatic: https://www.enac.gov.it/en/safety-se...nces-issued-by

Which politician made this decision anyway?
 

Which politician decided this anyway? Which person or person do i need to make a voodoo doll for? Is the UK CAA making any means to reverse such a 'cut your nose off to spite your face' decision?

Grant Shapps: he was transport minister at the time.

Would be handy if the CAA stopped playing silly buggers and recognized that their ATPL theory exams bear no functional difference with EASAs, and stop demanding that people resit exams, especially if those people are actively employed flying jets into and out of the UK on a daily basis with an EASA license, yet cannot work for a G-reg company because they don't have the time nor will to redo all the ATPL exams. I swear I'm not bitter though... I'll just take my "highly valued skills" and tax contribution off to where I'm actually valued if my own country don't want them.

When did you do your exams? And are you eligible to apply for a UK ATPL?

If you had valid ATPL theory at the point of Brexit, and you hold an EASA ATPL to convert then you should be able to convert your licence without sitting any exams (until 31st Dec 2027).

I’m guessing you know this and don’t qualify as above?

It's far more annoying to hold a UK ATPL and be expected to resit exams for EASA.

The same applies both ways. I did exactly that - gained an EASA ATPL on the basis of a UK ATPL, post Brexit, without using the SOLI transfer process. If you had ATPL credits pre-Brexit, you have until 31/12/27 to do so.

How did you do it without going through the SOLI process - I was told that wasn't possible. Are you a UK resident?

Yes, Covid (plus finances and willpower) conspired to leave me ending up taking most of my exams after the cut-off date. Whilst it was a concious choice to continue with the EASA exams and that's my decision and I live with it, it is very frustrating to know that my options in the UK are also basically limited by political point proving and nothing more. Luckily I don't see my career continuing for much longer in Britain, fingers crossed it'll just prove to be water under the bridge!

The SOLI process applies to EASA>EASA tranfers. Post Brexit the UK stopped being EASA hence you could hold both. Certain NAAs interpret the current rules to mean that anyone who held a UK issued EASA ATPL or exam credits which reverted to UK-only still has valid EASA credits until 2027.

yes - ATPL theory credits have validity for 7 years from the date you last held a valid type rating (provided no period of 7 years have elapsed since gaining credit where you didn’t hold a valid rating). If you held EASA rating/credit on the date of Brexit then you still have credit for 7 years from that date. PM me if you want more info on a process but many EASA NAAs allow it.