Discussion At Immigration Today

[gennisis]

Was filing my 90 day report and I noticed that on the returned slip my nationality had been written as 'British"........On my application sheet I had put 'English'.

I pointed out to the officer that I was English...that being 'British' could mean that I was from Ireland,Scotland or (forbid it) Wales....probably Black,yellow and anything else in between as well. My national flag was the red cross of Saint George... English is what I was born and English was what I would be when dead.....the spirit of Saint George!...not of Saint Patric ... Saint Andrew or Saint David(?)

He listened,smiled and handed back the slip.....British !!!

I suppose I could have put European?,,,thats what is printed on the passport these days??

YES,I Know my Avatar is the Union Flag....no need to reply and point that out

Edited July 27, 2011 by gennisis

[Moonrakers]

He wasn't incorrect though.

[bkkjames]

He could have just wrote farang (sorry in advance to all for opening this can of worms).

[Orac]

Do you have an English passport???

Mine states under nationality 'British Citizen'

[onionluke]

What about Briton ? You might be descended from the Britons instead or the Franks or Jutes or Angles or Saxons or god forbid some other Gemanic tribe . But you are probably just a mongrel, but an English mongrel no less .

[Semper]

He could have just wrote farang (sorry in advance to all for opening this can of worms).

[Eff1n2ret]

OP. you were in an Immigration Office. That's where a legalistic view is taken of such matters as nationality, and your nationality is what it says in your passport - British - the same as all the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish presenting themselves for the same process (assuming the latter haven't exercised their right to present an Irish passport instead). It's fine to be proud of your heritage and identity, but no IO gives a flying fart about anything like that, and you're wasting your time trying to make such facile points to them.

When I worked on the desk at Heathrow I used to smile at the American tourists who, against the 'Nationality' line on the landing card would put their genealogy - wonderful concoctions like Irish/Jewish/Polish, and so on. And then there were the ones that used to put 'Caucasian', and would get horribly confused when you asked them "What's the weather like in Caucasia at the moment?"

[Moonrakers]

<pointless pedantry> The N. Irish are not British. The passport is for "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland</pointless pedantry>

[Thanyaburi Mac]

OP. you were in an Immigration Office. That's where a legalistic view is taken of such matters as nationality, and your nationality is what it says in your passport - British - the same as all the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish presenting themselves for the same process (assuming the latter haven't exercised their right to present an Irish passport instead). It's fine to be proud of your heritage and identity, but no IO gives a flying fart about anything like that, and you're wasting your time trying to make such facile points to them.

When I worked on the desk at Heathrow I used to smile at the American tourists who, against the 'Nationality' line on the landing card would put their genealogy - wonderful concoctions like Irish/Jewish/Polish, and so on. And then there were the ones that used to put 'Caucasian', and would get horribly confused when you asked them "What's the weather like in Caucasia at the moment?"

Ah, but putting "American" could get confused with those folks from the northern cold counties, or even those from the southern locals. Better to just state "USA."

Reckon about everything north of Panama might be considered "American" by some people.

Mac

[Orac]

<pointless pedantry> The N. Irish are not British. The passport is for "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland</pointless pedantry>

I can out pedant you there - the legal definition of a British Citizen appears to be someone born in the United Kingdom and not Great Britain or the British Isles.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/othernationality/Britishcitizenship/borninukorqualifyingterritory/

[Moonrakers]

<pointless pedantry> The N. Irish are not British. The passport is for "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland</pointless pedantry>

I can out pedant you there - the legal definition of a British Citizen appears to be someone born in the United Kingdom and not Great Britain or the British Isles.

http://www.ukba.home...fyingterritory/

Oooh.

I stand corrected and out-pedanted.

[Moonrakers]

I once knew a Scotsman whose dislike of the English was such that he refused to recognise he was British.

He was a bit of a tool though.

Edited July 27, 2011 by Moonrakers

[mrtoad]

<pointless pedantry> The N. Irish are not British. The passport is for "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland</pointless pedantry>

I can out pedant you there - the legal definition of a British Citizen appears to be someone born in the United Kingdom and not Great Britain or the British Isles.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/othernationality/Britishcitizenship/borninukorqualifyingterritory/

Isn't it The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

[metisdead]

One inflammatory post removed.

[Orac]

<pointless pedantry> The N. Irish are not British. The passport is for "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland</pointless pedantry>

I can out pedant you there - the legal definition of a British Citizen appears to be someone born in the United Kingdom and not Great Britain or the British Isles.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/othernationality/Britishcitizenship/borninukorqualifyingterritory/

Isn't it The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

Indeed it is - but the definition of a British Citizen as far as nationality is concerned uses the United Kingdom.

[geriatrickid]

Bahh to the naysayers.

Though worlds may change and go awry
.

While there is still one voice to cry

There'll always be an England


[Thongkorn]

I am ploud to be Blitish. I am ENGLISH, not British, And I will Always do put English., Wheres My human rights. Just joking

[irishken]

i think you mean northern irish. not irish as we are not british

Edited July 27, 2011 by irishken

[tigerfish]

can anyone tell me, has Brian Blessed ever been to Thailand ?

[Richard4849]

The Thais understand very well the concept of nationality (sanchart) versus ethnicity (cheuachart).

The OP confuses the two.

He is "sanchart" British but "cheuachart" English.

Thai immigration couldn't care less what your "cheuachart" is...it's all about the passport you hold.

[Moonrakers]

The Thais understand very well the concept of nationality (sanchart) versus ethnicity (cheuachart).

The OP confuses the two.

He is "sanchart" British but "cheuachart" English.

Thai immigration couldn't care less what your "cheuachart" is...it's all about the passport you hold.

Except that British, Irish, Scottish and Welsh are not ethnicities (sp) but nationalities.

[skippybangkok]

Ah, but putting "American" could get confused with those folks from the northern cold counties, or even those from the southern locals. Better to just state "USA."

Reckon about everything north of Panama might be considered "American" by some people.

Mac

Lol, when some of you guy too proudly said American, i used to ask "North or South ?" ? was funny to watch the reaction. ( or even worse, would say "where is that?" with a puzzled look..... hehhee )

I guess you would have to say United States of American with a "n" ?

What would be the correct wording ?

[Moonrakers]

can anyone tell me, has Brian Blessed ever been to Thailand ?

That would be a sight to behold.

[Richard4849]

The Thais understand very well the concept of nationality (sanchart) versus ethnicity (cheuachart).

The OP confuses the two.

He is "sanchart" British but "cheuachart" English.

Thai immigration couldn't care less what your "cheuachart" is...it's all about the passport you hold.

Except that British, Irish, Scottish and Welsh are not ethnicities (sp) but nationalities.

So there is such thing as an English, Welsh, and Scottish passport? You can't call it a nationality unless it is an independent nation with its own passport.

[Moonrakers]

The Thais understand very well the concept of nationality (sanchart) versus ethnicity (cheuachart).

The OP confuses the two.

He is "sanchart" British but "cheuachart" English.

Thai immigration couldn't care less what your "cheuachart" is...it's all about the passport you hold.

Except that British, Irish, Scottish and Welsh are not ethnicities (sp) but nationalities.

So there is such thing as an English, Welsh, and Scottish passport? You can't call it a nationality unless it is an independent nation with its own passport.

The English, the Welsh, the Scottish and the Northern& Southern Irish are ALL nationalities in their own right. We just also happen to use a single passport

You're not a Brit are you?

Edited July 27, 2011 by Moonrakers

[Richard4849]

Obviously I am not.

But if you all have the same passport, your "sanchart" (nationality) is all the same.

You are all nationals of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland -- a sovereign state whose passport holders all share the same nationality.

[Moonrakers]

Obviously I am not.

But if you all have the same passport, your "sanchart" (nationality) is all the same.

You are all nationals of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland -- a sovereign state whose passport holders all share the same nationality.

We all share the same nationality yet we also share DIFFERENT nationalities. They are nationalities within nationalities.

England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland are all individual COUNTRIES.

[smokie36]

Obviously I am not.

But if you all have the same passport, your "sanchart" (nationality) is all the same.

You are all nationals of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland -- a sovereign state whose passport holders all share the same nationality.

We all share the same nationality yet we also share DIFFERENT nationalities. They are nationalities within nationalities.

England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland are all individual COUNTRIES.

Correct. I'm proud to be British....for a wee while longer...I wonder what our new passports will look like?

[Richard4849]

Until England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland become sovereign, independent states -- with their own passports, diplomatic corps, etc., etc., then your argument is little more than an academic/pedantic one. To the rest of the world, you're all British, mate.

[Moonrakers]

Until England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland become sovereign, independent states -- with their own passports, diplomatic corps, etc., etc., then your argument is little more than an academic/pedantic one. To the rest of the world, you're all British, mate.

You really should go to google before you go any further.