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Brexit
Original poster

Is Anybody Making Personal Plans For Brexit?

519 replies

fakenamefornow · 10/10/2017 09:52

Very worried about it.

I have some savings, not loads, just a few thousand. I'm thinking maybe I should convert it into foreign currency. What do others think? I have a holiday aboard planned next year, I've converted all the spending money we'll need already and plan to pay for meals etc while we're there in cash.

I've been saving as much money as I can, our mortgage still has another eight years to run. I really need a new car and we had planned to get a new kitchen as ours is falling apart but don't think I can risk spending money on stuff like that now. At the same time I want to take my children abroad as much as we can now as I don't think we'll be able to afford to post 2019.

I wish we could leave the country for the EU but it's just not easy for us, no access to foreign passports, children settled in really good schools, and not easily transferable jobs.

For context, I'll almost certainly be losing my job because of Brexit in 2019, not sure what will happen with my husbands job, don't think he'll lose it but it will be negatively affected.

Is anybody else making plans to try to mitigate Brexit? If so any more suggestions for us?

OP posts:
nNina22 · 13/10/2017 00:24

For those of you who are applying for ex-uk passports, are you intending to give up uk citizenship or will you be granted dual citizenship?

HipToBeSquare · 13/10/2017 06:53

What's an ex-UK passport Confused

I have dual citizenship.

LewisThere · 13/10/2017 07:23

Why shouldn't people have dual citizenship??
Plenty of countries are allowing that.

Or are you saying that people ought to 'chose' their allegiance and chose one country over the other because you can't possibly be feeling Iike you are both British and xxx?

HipToBeSquare · 13/10/2017 07:35

I think that's where that comment is going Lewis

Theworldisfullofidiots · 13/10/2017 07:40

Or are you saying that people ought to 'chose' their allegiance and chose one country over the other because you can't possibly be feeling Iike you are both British and xxx?
Yes that's where people are going because thinking has become binary. We live in 'or' rather than an 'and' world since brexit and the country will be poorer for it.

Fionnbharr · 13/10/2017 07:40

@Lewis

The Uk has a very liberal approach to dual citizenship compared to many other countries.

Germany for example allows dual citizenship for EU nationals. But not for non EU nationals. They have to choose. So the question is a valid one. It is not clear what will happen to existing Uk German dual nationals post Brexit. Probably nothing. But it may not be possible to become German post Brexit without renouncing UK citizenship.

The UK may not recognise that renunciation but it might still be an offence under German law to keep both.

As with all of these EU related issues the devil is in the detail.

nNina22 · 13/10/2017 08:03

Lewis why are you being so hostile to a perfectly legitimate question?
You are taking offence where none exists. I am not entitled to dual nationality with my birth country and that is why I am asking the question

pointythings · 13/10/2017 08:48

My country has just decided to take steps to allow dual nationality for Brexit sufferers. I am relieved. But many countries restrict dual nationality. It makes life massively hard. But Theresa May and her 'citizens of nowhere' thinking is by no means alone. Nationalism is on the rise. Humanity has learned nothing.

squishysquirmy · 13/10/2017 09:33

Maybe more countries will follow Holland, and allow dual citizenship to help their own citizens living in the UK.

M4Dad · 13/10/2017 09:35

My country has just decided to take steps to allow dual nationality for Brexit sufferers

What country is that please?

LewisThere · 13/10/2017 09:38

I suspect that I be been told a bit too often that I would never be truly British even if I was naturalised.
Plenty of people think that way. That if you have been in the uk for that long, then you must have your British citizenship because how else could it be? And in the same breath will question your Britishness because you have an accent, aren't born here etc... in effect aren't 'truly' British.

The idea of having an allegiance is, in my experience, a really strong one. And often, the idea that you only have proven your allegiance to the uk only if, at the very least, you have taken the British citizenship and forgone your old one.

Which was I trying to understand. Are you asking if people can get dual citizenship or are asking if people ought to give up their old one anyway (as youmwouod have to do if i understand well)

nNina22 · 13/10/2017 09:50

Lewis I’m asking if people can get dual citizenship and if they can’t, would they give up UK citizenship if they could only have one or the other.

pointythings · 13/10/2017 09:56

Like squishy said it's the Netherlands, M4dad.

And the idea that you can only have one citizenship otherwise you are not a 'proper' citizen is a scary one. I learned a lot about the run-up to WW1 through my DDs' school and saw an exhibition on the kind of propaganda and newspaper coverage there was back then. The similarities are worrying.

squishysquirmy · 13/10/2017 10:09

I don't think that nNina22's question necessarily leads that way - it could be someone asking because they themselves are in a similar position. However, as nina was pouring scorn on Brexit contingency planning earlier, I don't think she is.

As someone who is not in the position to make that choice, I can say that on a rational level I imagine people would pick whatever citizenship most suited their and their family's need, nina. So this would depend on what country they needed to live and work in, and may be a very complicated decision as they try to weigh up all the future unknowns.
However, it is not just a purely rational decision, is it? And I would imagine having to choose between the country you were born in, and the one you live in carries a lot of emotional baggage.

I am glad that I can remain in the UK with my dc without having to make such a choice.

nNina22 · 13/10/2017 10:14

Think what you like Squishy. I have no ulterior motives.

aweewhilelonger · 13/10/2017 10:15

I read a geopolitics article recently, about dual nationality and the rise of the binary viewpoint. It asked: what is nationality? What does it mean to be a citizen of a country, of a nation? Ultimately, does it mean that you are willing to fight and die for your nation? And where does dual nationality fit into this? (conclusion: it doesn't - unless we adopt a very different idea of what the nation-state is).

Despite this, I'm planning to apply to become a citizen of the EU country I currently live in, as both this country and the UK allow dual citizenship (for now). The article rather focused my mind though, as there is a proposal in my EU country to reintroduce National Service for young citizens, which would include my (British, but EU born) children.

squishysquirmy · 13/10/2017 10:34

nNina22, I wasn't accusing you of anything. I was trying to explain why some other posters on here might appear to respond to that question in a hostile way, no matter how innocently you intended it. Use your empathy to put yourself in their position.

I also attempted to answer your question myself, although it is a purely hypothetical situation for me. What would you do?

nNina22 · 13/10/2017 10:47

squishy I am in a similar position if you care to read my 8.03 post

TheElementsSong · 13/10/2017 10:47

I’m asking if people can get dual citizenship and if they can’t, would they give up UK citizenship if they could only have one or the other.

Me personally, I've already done essentially what you're asking. Given up the citizenship of my birth because dual citizenship was not an option.

nNina22 · 13/10/2017 10:49

Squishy I have given up citizenship of my birth

pointythings · 13/10/2017 11:01

I don't want to give up my Dutch citizenship. I especially don't want my DDs to do so. I don't want them tied to HMS Benefit for life. And if I see a plausible opportunity for all of us to leave, I will take that too. My bottom line ( and I am aware that this will be considered provocative) is that the UK does not deserve me.

LewisThere · 13/10/2017 11:07

To answer your question, no I wouldn't.
Because my experience says that I still wouldn't be welcomed in the uk if I was 'only' British.
Because Ive discovered side of the British culture I would have preferred to never realise.

TheElementsSong · 13/10/2017 11:17

Because my experience says that I still wouldn't be welcomed in the uk if I was 'only' British.
Because Ive discovered side of the British culture I would have preferred to never realise.

I absolutely agree with you Lewis (signed, a naturalised British citizen).

Melassa · 13/10/2017 12:30

Quite apart from the fact that in case of Brexit the UK passport will become the least useful compared to an EU passport. If it came to the crunch I would relinquish UK nationality and keep hold of the EU one.
The British passport only is already proving to be a block in job seeking if you already live and work in the EU, or if you want to. I know of companies who are filtering out applications from single nationality Brits in favour of EU passport holders. Only the high flyers appear to be exempt, but anyone who is "only" middle management or at graduate level is already at a disadvantage.

Flomper · 13/10/2017 12:35

i'm a british citizen, single passprt holder. Born here, bought up in mainland Europe, lived in UK for the last 20 years. Id definitely give up my British passport for an EU one if Brexit goes ahead. Will that realistically be an option?