The Home Office was forced to admit in the European Parliament on Tuesday that the government’s flagship app to smooth EU citizens’ residency applications after Brexit does not work on Apple phones.

The embarrassing confession was made after the Windrush scandal raised fresh fears in Brussels over Britain’s future treatment of the three million EU citizens living in the UK.

“It’s easy enough to borrow an Android phone,” one of four flustered officials told sceptical MEPs after a 30-minute presentation on the app, which should be operational by the end of the year.

Apple is the most popular make of phone in Britain with more than 52 per cent market share but the system does not recognise UK passport microchips, rendering the app largely useless.

The officials had travelled to Brussels to meet with MEPs including Mr Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s Brexit Coordinator, and convince them EU expats would be spared a “bureaucratic nightmare” after Brexit.

“After the Windrush scandal there was a lot and there is still a lot of anxiety over our EU citizens living in Britain and that they could have the same experience in their future,” Mr Verhofstadt said after the behind closed-doors meeting.

Catherine Bearder, a British Liberal Democrat MEP, told the Telegraph that confidence had “been knocked for six” after Windrush" and that having an app that didn't work on Apple phones was "crazy”.