Post-Brexit: Anyone going for dual-nationality?

[simon43]

I'm British, living in Myanmar.  Post-Brexit, I have no idea what the future may hold for me if I ever want to return to live in the UK or mainland Europe. It is a complete unknown.

 

That being the case, I am actively working on getting dual-citizenship (my current British citizenship and additional citizenship in an EU country).

 

By a stroke of luck, my grandfather was an Irish-born citizen, and I've known for many years that I am legally-entitled to Irish citizenship and an Irish passport.  Due to my rather remote location, I've engaged a company in Dublin to sort out all the necessary documents and to make the citizenship application on my behalf.  (I have a copy of my grandfather's birth certificate that I obtained on a visit 20 years ago to the Irish records office in Dublin).

 

So... is anyone else working on getting EU citizenship, just in case post-Brexit creates 'problems' for them?

[A1Str8]

Obviously you are not the only one.

[AlexRich]

I like the idea that has been raised of 'opting-in' ... maintaining EU citizenship should you wish not to give it up ... if that happens i'd take to keep my options open. 

[Kwasaki]

l'm English and staying that way to late in the day for me to worry about.

Fathers side my Grandfather Irish too but north  My mothers side Grandfather French. 

[stbkk]

I'm like Kwasaki, a bit to long in the tooth to be worried about it! But I think it would seem to make sense if you have kids, just to maybe broaden their options.

[RandG]

Our daughter has has the right to German nationality (through her mum) since birth (now 22), but since the referendum, we have done the paperwork and got her German passport. No major problem; just a visit to our nearest consulate in UK with relevant documents, and 4 weeks later had her passport. Also went along to Canadian High Commission and sorted out her Canadian citizenship (through my birth). 2 stage process; 5 weeks to get certificate of citizenship and one week for passport. Gives her plenty of flexibility in her future life.

[Ulic]

My father was born in Northern Ireland so I understand I am able to get an Irish passport'

I have his birth certificate and can print off the forms on line so no need to get a company to

assist. No real need to get it done in a hurry. Just keeping options open. My mother is

French but as she did not register us at birth with a French embassy/consulate that ship

has sailed. Extra passports can be very useful when one becomes full or expires, you have

an extra one or two to use. Also different passports can offer opportunities for visa on arrival

or visa exempt on arrival entries for different countries. Generally I use my Canadian passport

when traveling to Thailand but I drop of my UK passport to consulates/embassies in Vietnam

or Cambodia when I need a SETV. My UK passport also gets me into Vietnam invitation/visa

cost free for an up to two week stay so very handy for there. Extra passports come in handy,

just ask Thaksin.

[geisha]

Im British and have lived in France for over 42 years. I have a British passport. As I've always worked in France I am entitled to a full French pension. I don't see any advantage for people who, like Simon, has lived in Thailand ( or elsewhere outside of Europe) to want another passport, as if you have never worked in that country you would not be eligible to receive a pension or any other benefits. I have  British friends  who have retired to France and own properties there. Up to now, they have been able to benefit from the marvellous health service we have. With Brexit, we still do not know for sure if they will still be able to benefit once it all goes through. They are very worried, and some are going to ask for French citizenship. Unfortunately, it's all still a bit hazy with what you can and cannot do. In Simons shoes, I probably would ask for  his Irish Citizenship.Though what benefits would they give ? 

[eeyang wah]

On 27/03/2017 at 3:08 AM, AlexRich said:

I like the idea that has been raised of 'opting-in' ... maintaining EU citizenship should you wish not to give it up ... if that happens i'd take to keep my options open. 

Yes me too. Furthermore, I strongly feel that Brexit voters should not be given this option. 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

49 minutes ago, eeyang wah said:

Yes me too. Furthermore, I strongly feel that Brexit voters should not be given this option. 

I wouldn't want the option thanks, you can keep the EU. Since it was a secret ballot where would you get the information to ban "Brexit" voters?

I've been told I could get Thai citizenship, so I might have a look at that.

Edited March 28, 2017 by George FmplesdaCosteedback

[eeyang wah]

3 minutes ago, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

I wouldn't want the option thanks, you can keep the EU. I've been told I could get Thai citizenship, so I might have a look at that.

Well no actually thanks to you I can't keep the EU.

 

You say you're considering citizenship in a foreign country, but you didn't spare a moment's thought for your fellow countrymen that might want to keep their citizenship of 28 countries? How very thoughtful of you.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

4 hours ago, eeyang wah said:

Well no actually thanks to you I can't keep the EU.

 

You say you're considering citizenship in a foreign country, but you didn't spare a moment's thought for your fellow countrymen that might want to keep their citizenship of 28 countries? How very thoughtful of you.

Thanks to me and the majority of UK citizens actually. It is called democracy.

And you, someone that wants access to the names of voters in a secret ballot to deny them the same rights as you are entitled to?

You sound like you would be very happy to live in the EU under an undemocratic regime.

I believe the applications for Irish nationality have risen quite a bit, check your ancestry you might get in.

[HauptmannUK]

I am stuck with a British passport unfortunately, but if the mooted option of some kind of 'EU citizenship' becomes available then I'll jump at it.

I have only got three years to go until retirement but am now trying hard to get a transfer to either our French or German subsidiary.  I have worked at both in the past and grade-for-grade the pay and conditions are much better than in the UK.  The problem is now that quite a large proportion of the UK staff have the same idea!

As for the EU being undemocratic - well, unelected House of Lords anyone?  My experience of living and working in France and Germany is that they are both more democratic and less elitist than the UK, particularly now that the UK seems to be being led by a small cabal of Brexit 'Jihadists' who are pursing some kind of economic scorched-earth policy with respect to the single market etc.

[wordchild]

Irish nationality has a significant advantage, when compared to many,  which is that it can be passed on through the generations without limit, no matter where the birth takes place. E.g.  A full UK national living in Thailand can pass on their nationality to children born in Thailand. However , this can only happen once, and subsequent generations, if not born in the UK , will lose the UK citizenship.  For Irish citizenship there is no such restriction, and, in theory , this can go on for generation after generation .

 

 

 

[sandyf]

On 3/28/2017 at 9:55 AM, stbkk said:

I'm like Kwasaki, a bit to long in the tooth to be worried about it! But I think it would seem to make sense if you have kids, just to maybe broaden their options.

How long in the tooth is too long in the tooth to be worried about it? I'll be 70 in a couple of months.

In the last few years my wife and I have been to Tenerife, Germany and Malta on 3 different Schengen visas, and it is very much easier for her to get a visa as the spouse of an EU citizen than an outsider. The option of retaining EU citizenship would be worthwhile for those interested in travelling.

It would appear than Schengen visas may be available for another 5 years, could be a moot point for me by then.

[eeyang wah]

On 29/03/2017 at 3:03 AM, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

Thanks to me and the majority of UK citizens actually. It is called democracy.

And you, someone that wants access to the names of voters in a secret ballot to deny them the same rights as you are entitled to?

You sound like you would be very happy to live in the EU under an undemocratic regime.

I believe the applications for Irish nationality have risen quite a bit, check your ancestry you might get in.

Check your facts please - it was nowhere near 'the majority of U.K. citizens' that voted for Brexit. 

And no I don't want access to the names of voters, although I must admit you're right that the ballot was secret and it's unreasonable to expect different rights to be applied to different voters. I just feel people should be made to live with the consequences of their choices.

I also feel it's very selfish for someone that's trying to live in a foreign country to so callously vote to remove the life-long rights of your own countrymen to live in the EU! 

As for your last comment, well congratulations for further concreting the stereotype of Brexit voters being racist. 

[stbkk]

21 hours ago, sandyf said:

How long in the tooth is too long in the tooth to be worried about it? I'll be 70 in a couple of months.

In the last few years my wife and I have been to Tenerife, Germany and Malta on 3 different Schengen visas, and it is very much easier for her to get a visa as the spouse of an EU citizen than an outsider. The option of retaining EU citizenship would be worthwhile for those interested in travelling.

It would appear than Schengen visas may be available for another 5 years, could be a moot point for me by then.

 

Yes I agree with you about that. If this possible 'EU citizen' passport becomes a reality and if it is readily available to us Brits. living in Thailand, I'd certainly consider it just for the possibility of easier travelling within Europe. I was mainly suggesting that he consider the Irish option for the benefit of children, (if he has any).

[nglodnig]

Living in Switzerland (outside the EU obviously but has bi-lateral agreements) and see no need to change as I have a residence permit here, obtained many years ago before the agreements. So long as I maintain residency I should be OK, spending time in Thailand for long periods might be tricky. However, I have urged my children (two here, the oldest is in Sweden) to seek local citizenship as soon as practical. My son is in no hurry because they will make him do military service!

[cooked]

14 minutes ago, nglodnig said:

Living in Switzerland (outside the EU obviously but has bi-lateral agreements) and see no need to change as I have a residence permit here, obtained many years ago before the agreements. So long as I maintain residency I should be OK, spending time in Thailand for long periods might be tricky. However, I have urged my children (two here, the oldest is in Sweden) to seek local citizenship as soon as practical. My son is in no hurry because they will make him do military service!

When I obtained Swiss citizenship long ago I was told not to do anything to maintain my UK citizenship. Fair enough, but in the UK embassy they told me that Swiss law does not apply inside the embassy, so I could renew my UK passport, which proved to be a good idea  especially as far as my kids were concerned.

What I'm getting at is that depending on Brexit negotiations dual nationality may or may not be possible so you may be required to make a choice. On the whole I prefer being able to benefit from the Swiss health system than the the UK one, but every case is different.

[SteveMack]

Hi, I,m Irish and live in england now for 40 years, now retired, I have an Irish passport But am thinking of getting a British one  so i have the best of both worlds and out of loyalty to Britain, so it can work in the opposite way, Plus Brexit may surprise everyone later and do better, we dont know, LOL

[evadgib]

22 hours ago, eeyang wah said:

Check your facts please - it was nowhere near 'the majority of U.K. citizens' that voted for Brexit. 

And no I don't want access to the names of voters, although I must admit you're right that the ballot was secret and it's unreasonable to expect different rights to be applied to different voters. I just feel people should be made to live with the consequences of their choices.

I also feel it's very selfish for someone that's trying to live in a foreign country to so callously vote to remove the life-long rights of your own countrymen to live in the EU! 

As for your last comment, well congratulations for further concreting the stereotype of Brexit voters being racist. 

Dual citizenship is entirely the prerogative of entitled pers, as indeed is how they vote. 

[OJAS]

On 3/31/2017 at 8:28 PM, evadgib said:

Dual citizenship is entirely the prerogative of entitled pers, as indeed is how they vote. 

Indeed, those who might decide to opt for so-called "EU citizenship" should be warned that they run the risk of finding themselves stripped of their British citizenship as part of any Brexit deal - meaning that they would probably then have to go through a process similar to the one most of us go through each year here in Thailand, in order to continue living in their home country!

[daveAustin]

Post-Brexit: Anyone going for dual-nationality?

 

No

[ableguy]

Myself born in the U.K. To British parents but have been for a long time a USA citizen, best thing that ever happened to me in my life.

[changside]

It is amazing how many brits, who always looked down their noses at the Irish, now want to apply for Irish passports.