AIBU to ask whether you knew that NI citizens are now automatically British and not Irish

[Flyinga]

Apparently it's a new law that has been passed - first I've heard of it.

Previously they could identify as British or Irish, now they'll automatically be British and have to renounce their passport or something to become Irish.

Is this well known? As far as I was aware, it was part of the GFA that they could have either/both?

Article here

Right. I don't think she should have to move. I do think it would be the easiest practical solution in her circumstances.

People who are entitled to British citizenship but don’t choose to take it up are perfectly entitled to use Irish nationality and be treated in the same way

This is effectively what the GFA says - the problem as continuity says below is that the U.K. govt is making a presumption of British citizenship for those entitled to it (even if they identify as Irish), and insisting that Northern Irish citizens who want to be treated as Irish take steps to renounce their British citizenship.

Lot of balls. People born in NI can have British and Irish passports at the same time or one or the other depending on their preferences I have both. I was born in NI politically part of the U.K. and on the ‘island of Ireland’ therefore can have Both.

Oh also - citiszensnof iteland and the U.K. have been treated equally under law ( outside of the EU) since 1949. So a Brit living in Ireland can vote there and a southern Irish citizen can vote in U.K. elections etc. It’s a historic thing cos of the whole N.I. U.K. Ireland situ

Hopeygoflightly read the thread. The British government have said they will now treat anyone entitled to British citizenship as having British citizenship for immigration matters.

The conditions for an EU citizen to bring a non-EU spouse into the UK are less strict than for a British citizen. So there is a real, legal impact for people from NI who identify as Irish. It's a rare, edge case, but it does exist and it is a recent change.

Surely the issue is the 'loophole' that allowed EU citizens to bring non-EU spouses into the UK more easily than UK nationals could and the British government are trying to clamp down on that.

This article appears to be irresponsible nonsense designed to get people to attend a rally under false pretences. In the light of events in recent days it is very upsetting and potentially dangerous.

There has been no change in the law. British citizenship law allows people to hold citizenship of more than one country. The GFA allows the people of Northern Ireland to choose to hold either British or Irish passports. We also share a common travel area and all British and Irish citizens can live and work in either country without restriction. Long may it stay that way.

Yes but by doing that they're reducing Irish citizens' rights in their own country (for NI people who have always identified as Irish). The way it seems to have been done with a casual stroke of a pen is troubling and shows a complete disregard for the sensitivities of NI. That's what worries me far more than the legal implications of this particular change. It's the complete lack of understanding, and unwillingness to learn.

The change doesn't affect people from NI who consider themselves dual citizens, people from ROI or GB who hold both citizenships, or people from ROI living in the UK. It only affects people from NI who identify as Irish and not British. They are now assumed to be British.

@bridgetreilly you have articulated the issue very well. Except that, while in most respects Brexit makes things more complex, in this one respect, it would make it simpler, because EU nationals would no longer have the right to bring non-EU partners to the UK under less stringent criteria than those imposed on UK nationals.

As far as I am aware, the main difference between EU and UK legislation is that the UK requires citizens bringing spouses here to prove that they can support them financially. Getting a better paid job and borrowing some cash from family would probably be easier than a court case, but it wouldn't get publicity. That said, our immigration service appears to have an appalling track record of taking people's money and not offering good customer service (timely communication, correct decisions first time etc) and in that respect I am hugely sympathetic to her plight.

My understanding of this is that the UK never implemented that part of the GFA through appropriate legislation. I was at a recent talk by a member of the joint human rights council and this was touched on.

My understanding of this is that the UK never implemented that part of the GFA through appropriate legislation.

Ah. Well, that actually wouldn't surprise me at all. And since the number of actual situations where it makes a substantive difference are tiny, it's also not surprising that it's only just being noticed.

I suspect that the finding of the Home Office contravenes the GFA but as the British didn't implement appropriate legislation, they were really between a rock and a hard place.

However, the British government doesn't appear to be to bothered about honouring their obligations under the GFA in general so it's not really a surprise. This is an interesting report from the joint commission for human rights - www.ihrec.ie/app/uploads/2018/03/Joint-Committee-IHREC-NIHRC-Brexit-Policy-Statement_March-2018.pdf

what is the GFA or the 'good friday agreement' many pp ad media talk about there is no such ting its called the belfast agreement which became effective on the 2nd of December 1998 but then there is no place called derry as well ps there was nothing good about the good friday agreement it let murderers and terrorists free on both sides

did republic of ireland break the gfa doing this www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/irish-police-seize-even-lunchboxes-at-border-checks-5365090.html
they must of as we are now told any type of border goes against the Belfast agreement when the uk does it but they can use military personnel on the border after the Belfast agreement

@greenlloon - funnily enough, the UK government disagrees with you regarding the naming of the GFA - education.niassembly.gov.uk/post_16/snapshots_of_devolution/gfa or www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-belfast-agreement

Wrt Derry, you're being a goady fucker with that comment.

it let murderers and terrorists free on both sides

So you would prefer the British army to continue with the likes of bloody Sunday, the UVF to continue to collaborate with British secret services in murders like that of the Miami show band, the British to continue wrongful convictions like the Birmingham 6 and the IRA to continue with atrocities like the Manchester bombings?

Isthisafreename it is known as the Good Friday Agreement, now you're just showing your ignorance Presuming you can read, you can Google why it's also known as the GFA.

And agree you're being a goady fucker with your Derry comment.

I entered the UK on a EU spousal visa as dh is Irish. I was surprised that I could vote in elections etc.

Sorry my above message should be to greenlloon

There's a county called Derry alright.

@Flyinga - There's a county called Derry alright.

And a city.