Are there any British people out there who could comment on how easy it is to get residency in an EU country?

[RichardThailand]

I am thinking it may become a lot more difficult after Brexit.  Has anyone looked into getting residency before Brekit and into which countries are easier?  Also interested to hear what people think will happen after Brexit.  When do you think it might start to get more difficult for British Citizens to move to the EU countries and what do you think will happen after Brexit 

[AlexRich]

Cyprus offers a passport if you spend a certain amount on a property ... so that is a possibility. A few others, like Malta, offer something similar. 

[RichardThailand]

I'm not so much looking to obtain citizenship.  What I would like to know is if I become a resident for example tomorrow, then what would happen after Brexit and also how long would I need to be physically present in the EU to be considered as a resident?

[Moonlover]

Right now a Brit has the right to go live in any EU country. As for the future, try this article and there are plenty more out there that have to be better informed than we are here.

 

https://www.ft.com/content/502a3d48-6e66-11e8-8863-a9bb262c5f53

 

Happy home hunting!

 

ML

[BLACKJACK2]

Don't know about that article:

 

"While the cost of living has risen in France and Cyprus in recent years, it remains considerably cheaper than the UK in Spain, Portugal and Italy."

 

I work in Italy and everything is more expensive than the UK.

Nobody knows what's going to happen, never even been mentioned at work, just waiting to see if we get a new contract at the end of the year ????.

[BritManToo]

5 hours ago, RichardThailand said:

I'm not so much looking to obtain citizenship.  What I would like to know is if I become a resident for example tomorrow, then what would happen after Brexit and also how long would I need to be physically present in the EU to be considered as a resident?

Spain, if you rent or buy a house for more than a few weeks you're supposed to register at the town hall as a resident.

You get a card almost immediately.

Personally, I don't think Brexit will ever happen, they'll just delay until it's forgotten.

You can buy a 'fixer upper' in Spain for E12,000 (plus around 10% in fees)

http://www.spanish-inland-properties.com/property/1718-village-property-sale-belerda.html

Edited October 3, 2018 by BritManToo

[7by7]

Under the freedom of movement directive, you have to be resident and exercising a treaty right in another EU state for five years before you can get permanent residence there. You don't have to apply for it, you get it automatically. But the advice is to obtain a PR card to prove it. Like all applications under the directive obtaining this is, or should be, free and simple.

 

What will happen to British citizens in other EU states, and EU citizens in the UK, who do not yet have PR come Brexit has yet to be decided. Hopefully each side will agree to let them stay and obtain PR, but there is no guarantee that this will happen.

 

As for after Brexit; the government have announced that their intention is to treat EU nationals who wish to retire, study or work in the UK the same as all others post Brexit, and Labour seem to agree. Obviously, if that happens then the EU states will do the same to British nationals. 

 

But the EU have made it clear, "No free trade without free movement." So your guess is as good as mine.

 

But it needs to be remembered that the majority of those who voted Leave did so primarily because of immigration. To continue to be governed by the directive post Brexit would be an electoral disaster.

[simon43]

My grandfather had Irish nationality.  That means (I've already had my documents confirmed by the Irish embassy), that I am automatically entitled to Irish citizenship.

 

I've put off formally applying for years - perhaps it is time to stump up the agent fees to complete my application.

[7by7]

On 10/3/2018 at 8:09 AM, simon43 said:

My grandfather had Irish nationality.  That means (I've already had my documents confirmed by the Irish embassy), that I am automatically entitled to Irish citizenship.

 

I've put off formally applying for years - perhaps it is time to stump up the agent fees to complete my application.

 

Which raises another question; what will happen to the common travel area between the UK and RoI post Brexit?

 

Bearing in mind that the RoI did not join Schengen because the UK didn't and the RoI wanted to maintain the CTA.

[colin25]

I seen some comments about staying in EU countries, and saying either because UK will allow people to stay, EU will do same, or Brexit will be delayed forever. Both are wrong.

At this moment in time, the UK is still negotiating the deal. Nothing is clear. The only thing that is clear is that the government has stated we will leave the EU (deal or no deal).

The only thing likely to change that view is either they decide another referendum (which they have said no) or they call a snap election and another party wins and changes our stance. Given labour would be the only other likely winners of an election, and Corbyn is anti-EU as well, that seems to suggest we will still leave.

So at this moment in time, nothing is known.

[crazykopite]

On 10/3/2018 at 2:09 PM, simon43 said:

My grandfather had Irish nationality.  That means (I've already had my documents confirmed by the Irish embassy), that I am automatically entitled to Irish citizenship.

 

I've put off formally applying for years - perhaps it is time to stump up the agent fees to complete my application.

Fly to Dublin and fill-in the required forms and due to your grandfather being Irish you will have no problem in getting your passport . I have two one British and one Irish ☘️ 

[rasg]

29 minutes ago, colin25 said:

The only thing likely to change that view is either they decide another referendum (which they have said no) or they call a snap election and another party wins and changes our stance. Given labour would be the only other likely winners of an election, and Corbyn is anti-EU as well, that seems to suggest we will still leave.

No way that Corbyn will win the next election. Many think that he will but he's far too left wing. He will fall way short at the next election. And I will put money on it.

[melvinmelvin]

On 10/3/2018 at 2:34 AM, RichardThailand said:

I'm not so much looking to obtain citizenship.  What I would like to know is if I become a resident for example tomorrow, then what would happen after Brexit and also how long would I need to be physically present in the EU to be considered as a resident?

This will vary from country to country,

generally speaking, Sweden appears to be among the top liberal countries when it comes to

permanent residency, work permits, passport, voting rights etc

 

dunno if you are a brit or not, if you are not a Brexit to or from shouldn't affect you,

if you are a brit;

UK has made unilateral decisions re EU citizens and UK, namely that it will continue after Brexit pretty much as it is now.

So far EU has not formally made decisions re this.

One could, of course, hope that they will follow suit.

 

regarding the EEA countries not in EU;

last week Norway initiated a public hearing process re legal changes to take effect day after Brexit. a significant part of the changes address what you inquire about, the package addresses a Brexit with deal scenario, should the result be no deal the package would have to be revisited.

 

[theoldgit]

Nonsense post removed along with two responses, one rational and one not so.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[pks555]

Guy Verhofstadt is the MEP  coordinating the Brexit negotiations for the European Parliament , he is a former Prime Minister of Belgium. He is trying to negotiate an opt in arrangement for citizens of former EU countries to retain their rights of free movement etc after departure from the EU . If he is successful it could offer  us a form of Associate Membership status with protection of rights . I wrote to him 18 months ago and have received a couple of e mails from him since .  I know that thousands of British people have written to him to register their interest and asking to be kept informed 

[samran]

On 10/4/2018 at 2:31 PM, 7by7 said:

 

Which raises another question; what will happen to the common travel area between the UK and RoI post Brexit?

 

Bearing in mind that the RoI did not join Schengen because the UK didn't and the RoI wanted to maintain the CTA.

The CTA will stay. It preceded the EU so was grandfathered in. It will stay post Brexit. 

 

Furthermore, the UK and Ireland don’t consider each other’s citizens as ‘foreigners’ and as such, are exempt from immigration control separately to EU rules.

 

A quirk of this has meant that Irish citizenships are eligible to vote, and run for British parliament but other EU citizens aren’t. They also can work in the civil service. 

 

Post brexit, this won’t change. So Ireland will probably be your back door entry into the EU after paying your dues being resident there for 5 years.

 

Personally Id set up shop somewhere warmer while the rules are still there for you. But if you like the cold, or still not on the position to, then Ireland will still be your path. 

[RichardThailand]

7 hours ago, samran said:

The CTA will stay. It preceded the EU so was grandfathered in. It will stay post Brexit. 

 

Furthermore, the UK and Ireland don’t consider each other’s citizens as ‘foreigners’ and as such, are exempt from immigration control separately to EU rules.

 

A quirk of this has meant that Irish citizenships are eligible to vote, and run for British parliament but other EU citizens aren’t. They also can work in the civil service. 

 

Post brexit, this won’t change. So Ireland will probably be your back door entry into the EU after paying your dues being resident there for 5 years.

 

Personally Id set up shop somewhere warmer while the rules are still there for you. But if you like the cold, or still not on the position to, then Ireland will still be your path. 

 

Can you clarify what you mean by the "The CTA will stay".  As a UK citizen I would like to have the chance to rent a house in Europe and to possibly live there for 4-6 months a year.  Do you think post Brexit that this will become more difficult / impossible?  

[theoldgit]

Travelling-in-the-common-travel-area-if-theres-no-brexit-deal/travelling-within-the-common-travel-area-and-the-associated-rights-of-british-and-irish-citizens-if-there-is-no-brexit-deal

[My Thai Life]

On 10/3/2018 at 2:30 AM, RichardThailand said:

I am thinking it may become a lot more difficult after Brexit.  Has anyone looked into getting residency before Brekit and into which countries are easier?  Also interested to hear what people think will happen after Brexit.  When do you think it might start to get more difficult for British Citizens to move to the EU countries and what do you think will happen after Brexit 

It depends on what you mean by residency...

> work permits never have been and never will be an issue for people with appropriate qualifications and experience

> without work permits residency for wealthy people is rarely an issue, but the qualifying criteria will vary from country to country

> the post Brexit situation hasn't been confirmed so anything said about that is speculation.

[My Thai Life]

Richard, I forgot to add: you will continue to be able to live and work in Ireland under the CTA - there are no plans to change this. But if balmy climate is what you want, Ireland may not be your cup of tea, and a pint of Guinness is now the same price as a bottle of plonk (so I'm told). But the Craic's legendary.

[balo]

On 10/3/2018 at 2:30 AM, RichardThailand said:

Also interested to hear what people think will happen after Brexit.  When do you think it might start to get more difficult for British Citizens to move to the EU countries and what do you think will happen after Brexit 

We Norwegians, and also Iceland never been a member of EU , but thanks to the EEC agreement we can travel , live and work in any EU country .  

 

So I would think that Theresa May will look to Norway on how to handle this.  

 

 

Edited October 12, 2018 by balo

[samran]

8 hours ago, RichardThailand said:

 

Can you clarify what you mean by the "The CTA will stay".  As a UK citizen I would like to have the chance to rent a house in Europe and to possibly live there for 4-6 months a year.  Do you think post Brexit that this will become more difficult / impossible?  

CTA is the ‘Common Travel Area’. It is a pre-EU agreement between the UK and Ireland which allows free moment of its respective citizens between the two countries.

 

That will stay.

 

Given that the UK is looking to leave the EU, then it probably means that free movement between the UK and the rest of the EU is going to become a thing of the past. 

 

Your best way to assess how easy it will be to live in each of the European countries (ex Ireland) will be probably to see what the deal is for other non EU nationals to live there. See what rules may apply to Americans, Canadians, Aussies and Kiwis for instance to live in those countries. 

 

For the most part, being an Aussie myself, you get at most 3 months visa free without the need to apply for some cumbersome visa.

 

My sister who lived in France for a decade says they love their bureaucracy. Probably worse than Thailand there for foreigners in terms of paperwork. 

 

I suspect as a newly minted non-EU Brit you are going to have to deal with the same as the rest of us plebs come May next year. 

[7by7]

19 hours ago, balo said:

We Norwegians, and also Iceland never been a member of EU , but thanks to the EEC agreement we can travel , live and work in any EU country .  

 

So I would think that Theresa May will look to Norway on how to handle this.  

 

 

 This has been suggested by some, but rejected by many.

 

Per head Norway contributes more to the EU budget than the UK, but as you are not an EU member you have no say over how that money is spent.

 

As an EEA member you are bound by all the rules, regulations and laws of the EU, but have no say in the making of those rules, regulations or laws.

[balo]

2 hours ago, 7by7 said:

 This has been suggested by some, but rejected by many.

 

Per head Norway contributes more to the EU budget than the UK, but as you are not an EU member you have no say over how that money is spent.

 

As an EEA member you are bound by all the rules, regulations and laws of the EU, but have no say in the making of those rules, regulations or laws.

I agree that Norway contribute a lot, but you are wrong in saying Norway have no influence. When it comes to rules and regulations in Norway , they can vote over it and get permission to change certain rules inside of Norway.

It goes both ways , you give and you take, and I am sure Britain can do the same. In my opinion EU is not going to last for a long time.  But we will still communicate and do trade deals.

 

There is a reason why our foreign minister and PM visits Brussel several times per year. 

 

Edited October 13, 2018 by balo

[melvinmelvin]

3 hours ago, 7by7 said:

 This has been suggested by some, but rejected by many.

 

Per head Norway contributes more to the EU budget than the UK, but as you are not an EU member you have no say over how that money is spent.

 

As an EEA member you are bound by all the rules, regulations and laws of the EU, but have no say in the making of those rules, regulations or laws.

 

this is very rough and partly incorrect

 

anyway, strongly hope I  will never see UK in EFTA