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

Another thing for those taking the "tough shit, you messed it up" approach - my son is disabled and only speaks English, he needs me.What would be the consequence for him if I had to leave? He can't cope without me, but moving to my native country would be horrendous for him.

OP. As a Brit I am ashamed by some of the comments on this post. They do not reflect the views of the majority.

As a Brit living in Europe I have also never taken citizenship of the countr(ies) in which I have lived and worked. Why would I have done? I did not need to. I have taken advantage of the freedom of movement right and enjoyed being a citizen of Europe.

Looking to the future, I share your concerns. But the bottom line is that the UK - with virtually no unemployment - cannot continue to function without the large, skilled, EU labour force currently there. They would have to quadruple the size of the Civil Service - border force, home office, foreign office etc to administer the permanent residence/points system some talk of - and since the economy is likely to shrink as a result of Brexit uncertainty there will be no spare money for this.

So my advice would be to relax. There can be no change to your status. It will not happen.

Oh there won't be any change to the status of EU citizens here, don't worry.

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!

This is how I'd respond. As far as I'm concerned, EU membership gives/gave everyone EU-wide residency.

I've no good advice, OP, but I'm sorry for you, and everyone in your position.

I agree figment1234 with everything you've laid out. It's why I went for citizenship despite having ILR for many years. I wanted the piece of mind, and I noticed that the fees kept going up. I wish I had done it sooner.

OP I have a number of friends in the same position, all people who contribute to our community and wider society and I have been apologising to them since June. Please ignore the small minded, disrespectful and discourteous people who have posted negatively on here. They do not stand for the 48% who voted Remain or even most of the 51% who voted leave, nor do they stand for the British values of tolerance, courtesy and respect that I was taught by my family and in school from a young age. As an expat / migrant in another non European country I experience only respect and courtesy so they are global values, though there it is known as Face and people who fail to show respect for others are the ones who lose it and are regarded as uncivilised and ignorant.

The vast majority of British people who are tolerant will not stand for people who have made this country their home losing their right to live here, even if the government tried. Indeed there is a campaign being run at the moment to ensure we all write to our MPs to make our feelings clear. I encourage all to take part in it and demonstrate that in spite of recent developments we are still a civilised country. www.facebook.com/OpenBritain

I've been an expat somewhere or other most of my adult life, and the beauty of Europe was always that I didn't need to muck about getting a work permit.

Where the UK differs is that whilst I didn't have to get a work permit, I have had to get an id card in each European country I've lived in, which I couldn't get without a job (or without a partner who has a job which pays enough, and has health insurance in the case of my current country). I think that that brings home to you each time that you're a guest, even in a European country, and that if you want to be sure of the right to stay there, there are more fees and bits of paper required.

However, I didn't believe we'd brexit, I didn't think it would be a problem, and now I'm holding onto the hope that Brits will still receive preferential treatment or resigning myself to staying in one European country for at least 5 years so I can naturalise there.

Nothing of use to add except I have to hold my hand up and say that 5 years ago I wouldn't have given much thought to this. I'm a home bird and not a great traveller. But friends made since the dds started school are largely German, Polish, Bulgarian, South African (doesn't count, I know!), Italian and Spanish. And my God, the heartbreak on their faces on the 24th June was devastating. People who have lived here for years, had children here, made lives here just like the OP and so many others. They have no idea what the future holds for them and their families and as a community we would hate to lose them. Not everyone in the U.K. is xenophobic and I sincerely hope that this works out well for everyone.

Thus endeth my pointless contribution!

IamWendy continues to show his or her ignorance even of what happens in the UK.

"The Islamic wedding was an example of something not legally recognised in law in the UK..."

Even if you want to get married in any religious ceremony in Scotland, you cannot do so unless you have obtained in person (although one of the couple will suffice) the marriage notification certificate from the Registry Office in advance of the wedding and it had been handed back in (duly signed and witnessed) within 3 days of the wedding. Doesn't matter whether you are Christian, Muslim, Jewish or Rastafarian. Same rules are applied to all. Then and only then is the marriage is registered and legal.

The reality is that while the Nikah ceremony is a religious ceremony that is binding under Islamic Law unless it is accompanied by a civil marriage, then this Islamic marriage is not a recognised marriage under UK law and the parties to the Islamic marriage contract do not acquire any enforceable rights under the laws. Just copy pasted from Google. Not really sure what your point is pretty??

"The Church of England and the Church in Wales are allowed to register a marriage at the same time as performing the religious ceremony.

You won't have to give notice of the marriage to the Register Office unless you or your partner are a non-EEA national. If this is the case, you will need to give 28 days notice to the Register Office.

For other religious marriages you'll need to give 28 days notice of the marriage to the Register Office. Ministers and priests of all other religions can be authorised to register marriages and must have a certificate or licence to do so from the local Superintendent Registrar. For Jewish and Quaker marriages, the authorisation is automatic. For all other religions, if the official performing the ceremony is not authorised, either a Registrar must attend the religious ceremony or the partners will need to have separate religious and civil ceremonies."

So basically the only religion you can get married in England and it be automatically recognised is CofE. So your highlighting Islamic weddings is rather an indication of your prejudices.

Wendy please stop embarrassing yourself. I know it must be painful to be shown up as the ignoramus you are by liberals and foreigners, I feel for you.

Or just the one I chose to use as an example? I nearly went with driving in the UK with an invalid foreign driving licence, but no doubt that would have been twisted to fit smalls bizarre agenda. Just examples of how things can be perfectly legitimate in their own setting (Islamic weddings in Sharia law, diving licence in correct country) but not in others.

You really are scraping the barrel now small

Open Britain is also behind a campaign that Nick Clegg is supporting:
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-nick-clegg-letter-theresa-may-eu-citizens-rights-guarantee-a7366226.html
Brexit: Nick Clegg to write letter to 500,000 people urging them to demand EU citizens' rights guarantee

Write to Remain launched a website on Thursday to help people email Ms May to press her for an explicit commitment on the rights of European nationals and UK nationals living in other EU member states.

So far she has only said she hopes to guarantee the rights of EU citizens as long as the rights of UK citizens are also protected by other countries.

writetoremain.uk/

Thought some of you might be interested in this campaign.

Yes, saw that today Red, Nick Clegg has gone up even higher in my estimation recently.

Really wendy? I thought all of your ad hom attacks on me were down to the fact that you can't justify your own position.

That's terrible Dorothy, I hope you and your son are ok!

EU citizens will have the right to remain, at the moment its just up in the air. There is no possibility of all the UK citizens living in other countries full time ( about 1.2 million) or part time ( about a million more) being forced to return permanently.

So basically the only religion you can get married in England and it be automatically recognised is CofE CofE is NOT a religion - it is a denomination (or branch) of Christianity.

The fact that IamWendy chose to use Islamic weddings to illustrate her invalid point says a lot about him/her.

Thankfully smallfox explained the point I was making (although I think it went over Wendy's head) - so that hopefully a few other people will be educated and no longer so ignorant and understand that apart from England and Wales, no religious wedding is "legal" without the registrar's involvement - who needs 28 days notice to produce the marriage schedule (the legal bit).

But by the same token, "belief" ceremonies undertaken by imams, humanists and rabbis are as "legal" as those undertaken by priests and ministers.

Last time I looked, Scotland and NI were still part of the United Kingdom (although in Scotland's case, maybe for not much longer )

And FYI: you are permitted to drive in the UK with any a foreign driving licence for up to a year. Thereafter you need to pass the driving test - but that applied equally wherever you have come from.

OK scary, semantics.

I completely agree with Figment, and always encourage friends and family to get the most secure immigration status in the UK that they can, as the requirements are only going to get more onerous and the fees are only going to go up.

Most people are able to retain their birth citizenship too, and become dual nationals, but you should explore all the implications for your personal situation both in the UK and back "home", so that you make an informed decision.

More applause for Figment from me, too. There's a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding on this thread - not least, people talking about ILR/permanent residence and citizenship/nationality as if they are the same thing - so thanks to Figment for such clear advice.

In case it's of use to anyone, here is what gov.uk says about ILR on the basis of long (ie 10 years') residence.

I empathise, OP. I came here as a non-EU student, then acquired EU citizenship (my family was Polish until a generation ago). I've been here nearly 10 years, but because of the various visa categories/statuses I've been in, I'm still not eligible to apply for ILR. I've paid £120,000 in UK tax since being here. My (Russian) husband has probably paid similar.

My husband, soon to receive citizenship if all goes well, has spent the better part of £5,000 on various visas / extensions. At least he'll be through the fire soon.

The uncertainty and use of people like me as bargaining chips is infuriating. I was too busy working, contributing, making a home here to think that the government would be so short-sighted as to ask me to leave. If they do, we'll be taking our high salaries and specialist skills and buggering off elsewhere. Simples.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/18/government-unilateral-eu-citizens-right-to-remain-brexit-roger-casale-nicolas-hatton