If you made your life here, why didn't you become a British citizen?

[DorothyL]

How do you respond to that as an EU citizen?

I came to the UK in 98. I never applied for British citizenship because I didn't see the need - I truly felt that the fact we were all EU meant it didn't matter!

Now I'm scared because in spite of being here so long I would probably not qualify for a permanent residency card because I wasn't working (SAHM/carer).

Wish I knew what will happen

Lico I dont have a single ticket / boarding pass. Who does that?
Plus they kept my passport when I got it renewed and I had no stamps for european travel either

Madness

You only need to detail your travels out of the UK at the best of your abilities for the 5 qualifying years (which can be any 5 years you choose, it doesn't have to be the first or last 5, you can choose your "best" ones) and any years after that. I'm not an expert but I'm also applying. I've had some advice from an immigration lawyer.

It seems incredible and very pointless that applicants for permanent residence cards have to mention all their trips abroad for many past years - who on earth is going to check the information they give, and how?

You can get some really good advice from this group: www.facebook.com/groups/132887737155325/

CrispEater I believe that the system is set up to discourage people from applying and to make sure of those applying, many are rejected. :(

the system is set up to discourage people from applying and to make sure of those applying, many are rejected

Good. Got to do something to sort out our population explosion crisis.

Vallar are you saying I could apply based on my years before I worked abroad for that year?
Which were
2006 to 2011?
Interesting, I didnt know this.
But they have to be continuous yes?

Nathan these are people you are talking about. People that came here legally and contributed to society, people that married British people and formed families.
How does this "crisis" affect you? Are you getting the right info or going with what the media are saying?
I think you will find that the majority of problems we are facing in the UK are being blamed on immigrants and the fact that you think that people that have rightfully established lives here are now discouraged to stay, ask to leave is "good" is pretty awful.

How would you feel if they said ok, everyone that is a second or third child born in the UK from 1950 to 2016 has to leave or apply for citizenship. How would you feel then if you fall in this category???!

I came here legally and I am part of this society, the same as you.

Yes that's right Evergreen. I think you're allowed to be out of the country up to 18 months but I'm not entirely sure. Check out the FB group I linked above, they have immigration lawyers giving advice, plus a lot of FAQs that cover most situations. I don't think yours is an unusual one. It's a closed group so you'll have to join it to access the information though. Good luck!

Barley We don't have a population explosion crisis, we have a crisis of government planning / austerity. Immigration is what has contributed to the tax receipts / stimulated economic growth that if effectively redistrubuted could have addressed the need to distribute infrastructure and resources around the country. The fact it has not been is due to government policy.

Implementing a clunking inefficient, illogical, deterrent immigration process has and is damaging our economy and deprives our businesses of access to the talent and skills we need. I am British but I have witnessed with horror the effect of this on business.

Vallar, your advice is very useful.

Do you have to state somewhere specifically with years you claim as your 5 years?

I had private healthcare from 2008-2014 as a self supporting citizen, so I'd want to use those years IYSWIM, or do they automatically look at 2011-2016?

Am filling out the form...85 pages!

ruby you're the one who gets to decide which are your qualifying years there is a space in the form to do this. You can also add a covering letter to explain.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert, I've just read a lot of documents and advice on the FB group I linked to earlier. If you can, join this group, especially if your case is not straightforward.

I got my citizenship when it was indeed £50.
I did not need to as such but I did it for a few reasons: I thought it would be worth it, I thought it fair as I live and love this country, I did not have to give up my other nationality and it would allow me to vote.

The last point is what many fellow european failed to see in the need to get citizenship. You had no say in what happens in the country you live in. It didn't matter much pr brexit but all of a sudden...

Having said all that, £2000 are no easy money and if I had to give up my citizenship I am not sure I'd have done it.

(Wendy is the reasons all europeans should have applied)

Thanks Vallar, I have joined the FB group, it has lots of good info.

It is very pragmatic and just helps you to get this thing done.

That suits me.

There are other FB sites, but those are often more political/emotional/about unfairness, when really I (we!) need to keep our heads cool and try to jump through the hoops as best we can.

5moreminutes:

French and Italian expatriates in the UK who wish to return home or will be forced out after Brexit are now blocked from taking their pensions with them by the British Authorities.

This block came about a few weeks ago and was implemented literally from one month to the next without any consultations with any of the countries concerned.

This will also affect British pensioners who wish to retire in the EU..

Some French MP's are seeing it as a violation of signed treaties and as confiscation of people's savings. Davies was apparently worried at seeing all the money flowing out of the UK following the referendum results. This does not augure well for Brexit negotiations as there is now suspicion that the current British government does not honour treaties..

www.expatsblog.com/news/1812167276/hmrc-deletes-all-french-and-italian-pension-schemes

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.ft.com/content/22a587c6-c2d0-11e6-81c2-f57d90f6741a?client=safari

www.forthcapital.com/eu-expats-living-in-the-uk-pension/

If you are a French speaker:
MP at the French Parliament:
christophepremat.com/2016/12/22/mon-intervention-pour-defendre-les-francais-du-royaume-uni-lors-de-la-seance-de-questions-au-gouvernem/

Lico that's shocking. Could there be an issue here under the European Convention on Human Rights? The right to peacefully hold property? It feels unlawful and arbitrary - and deeply worrying.

Figment the current government wants out of the ECHR. So that may not be much help when the manure strikes the ventilation.

well of course

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jan/05/man-told-to-take-citizenship-test-despite-living-entire-life-in-uk

He's trying to put a ring on it.

the EU countries which prevent people having more than one nationality need urgently to change their rules if they wish to help their nationals rather than scoring cheap political points .....

Well in Brexit land it's always someone elses fault...

Haven been an expat, I have a strong sense of becoming a citizen of the place you have decided as home.

My DH became a British citizen and it was a painless process. I even got to celebrate it at a particularly twee citizenship ceremony. He is very happy to be a citizen as he can take a full part in British life.

How has his participation in British life changed other than the ability to vote? I didn't feel that the twee ceremony made me any more British (and indeed I was a bit pissed off at the mayor saying that we should now become part of the community, as if we hadn't been for years)

take a full part in British life.

This sort of thing just sounds like meaningless guff to me.

I'm curious what 'full part in British life' I am missing by not yet having given the Home Office still more of my money. I can vote in all elections as a commonwealth citizen, I have ILR, and trying to pinpoint every parking ticket I've had in this country does not feel 'painless'.