Dual Nationality

[nosotro]

I'm German, I did my BA (Hons) here, met the love of my life, now fiancé & dad our son in 2011, I've lived here for almost 10 years. We own a house in London and we're not planning on going anywhere.

I spoke to future MIL and she couldn't believe I don't have a British passport (accent isn't as strong as you think it may be). I'm settled, have a good job at a German company which requires me to speak the language but the role is being Carried out in London. Anyway, I would eligible for dual nationality, my question though, if you were German living in in the UK, would you spend £1500 on the passport. It's so expensive and I know it's good to have but ahhh I'm just thinking it's soooo much money.

Let me know your thoughts x

If I could afford it without sacrifice, I think I would feel most secure having the passport of the country where I lived, particularly with a child
who holds that passport.

Sorry, when I say sacrifice, I meant to type hardship!

You'll have to apply for settled status.

A passport isn't proof of your nationality, it's permission to travel. What gives you the dual nationality? What have you done to be granted British nationality? You don't say anything except how long you've lived in the UK. I'm a Brit living in the US. I've been here nearly 12 years but it makes no difference to the fact that I'm British, not American, with no right to a US passport.

I thought (could be wrong) that Germans can't hold dual nationality? I know I worked with A German guy once who told me he had to give up his German citizenship if he took up Australian citizenship. As I say I could be wrong though.

Yes, and if you apply by the end of the year (end of transition period) you can still keep both nationalities,
You would need to have settled status or permanent residency and have to wait for at least one year after having obtained it to apply for British citizenship. If you are married to a Brit you don't have to wait to apply.
Obviously you don't NEED British citizenship to stay but with only settled status you cannot leave the country for more than two years and then come back with the same rights (if I remember correctly).
And, of course, British citizenship gives you the right to vote in the general election. Which, after the experience of the referendum, when the outcome had such a huge impact on EU citizens in the country, is pretty important to me.

There are lots and lots of EU citizens who have acquired British citizenship, do it now, you still have time!

@FriedasCarLoad

If I could afford it without sacrifice, I think I would feel most secure having the passport of the country where I lived, particularly with a child who holds that passport.

That’s what/why I did. I’ve lived in my adopted country for many years as a permanent resident, but when things in the US and UK started changing I thought it was time to take the steps I needed to take to be eligible for citizenship. I’m glad I did; above and beyond the increased sense of belonging, I have an additional sense of security I didn’t have before.

So OP, yes I would do it!

Presumably you already have settled status? (hope so)

The two main differences between having settled status and British citizenship are:

• British citizens can vote in general elections, with just settled status you can't
• British citizens can live abroad for long periods without losing their citizenship and can return to the U.K. and have the same rights as before. If you just have settled status you lose it after a certain period of living abroad (2 years off the top of my head? but would have to check) so if you move back to the U.K. you'd have to start from scratch again.

Up to you to decide whether those two points are worth the money to apply for British citizenship.

If you were planning to move abroad for any significant length of time it would definitely be worth doing it before you go.

I would definately apply OP and get a German passport for your son as well when you can.
As an expat, having the whole family share the same citzenship has never been more valuable in my mind. Everyday I read stories on forums where families are separated due to visa/passport issues and because of covid can't be in the same country. Imagine you go to Germany to see your parents alone and Boris decides to close the UK border to all but UK citizens and you can't return without an enormous amount of paperwork and stress.
Last year it would have seemed ridiculous but it's exactly what Australia and New Zealand has done.

You're not eligible.

Germany only allowed 'new' cases of German-British dual nationality up to Brexit day, 31st January 2020. The relevant date was the date you paid for the naturalisation application. You can only choose one or the other now.

Germany is one of the countries that still does not allow dual

They do for EU countries and there are some selected exceptions in addition to this. Germany decided that anyone who was naturalised, or applied to become naturalised, prior to the Brexit date would be allowed to keep dual nationality. Anyone who applies afterwards (e.g. now) can only have one or the other nationality.

My boyfriend is Swedish, he chose to gain British citizenship as he has concerns about the British government, would like to vote in the country he lives and as his job often means long stints in other countries he needed the ability to always be able to come home to the UK.

Thanks everyone - I actually forgot I posted this. Yes I do have the settled status. Germany do allow dual nationality for European countries.

@KickAssAngel I was educated here - 3 year course got a 1st and have worked here for over 6 years now. Anyway, the rules are, you should have lived here for about 5 years (I'm well over what you need basically so don't even know the exact figures), and that gives you the right to get a British passport. I lived here for 30% of my life, don't you think that's reason enough for me to be granted the citizenship? But tell me what you think should.

@CoffeeAndWhisky where did you find that information? If that's the case I won't be eligible anyway and will just have my German passport which is not the end of the world x

I read the legislation when it was passed and - because it was relevant to our situation - talked to the embassy and the German foreign ministry's helpline, who both confirmed this is the way it is.

If you google "Brexit deutsche staatsbürgerschaft", a couple of news pages that covered this will also come up.

I’d certainly consider it despite the cost. If nothing else, in the event of a split between you and your DH it could potentially effect how you are able to make decisions about the care of your DC. Who knows what will happen, it’s a good to have the option if you are eligible.

If you don't have to give up German nationality, I would certainly go for dual. It gives more long-term security than settled status.

You will have to do the English language test (ridiculous, almost insulting to most candidates incl my own husband - such a basic level)

Then Life in the UK. People share the documents for that exam, memorise the totally useless facts, do the exam, then forget the content.

Danke @CoffeeAndWhisky

@MrsKypp I wouldn't have to as I did my degree over here but it seems as though I'm not eligible & I wouldn't give up my German one.

@nosotro

Danke *@CoffeeAndWhisky*

@MrsKypp I wouldn't have to as I did my degree over here but it seems as though I'm not eligible & I wouldn't give up my German one.

Oh yes, you did your degree here, so you're exempt from the language test.

Just Life in the UK then.

Not eligible, that's really annoying. The deadline seems arbitrary really.

Nosotro - my post wasn't meant to imply that I think you should have to do something or other, but each country has its own rules about what tests/allegiances etc you have to go through before you're recognized as either settled or a citizen. Once you're a citizen then you can apply for a passport (if you want a British one) to make entering the country quicker. I was really only asking, as I coudn't work out from your OP, if you'd taken the citizenship test and been given citizenship, rather than just being settled, as the two things have different legal statuses and affect whether you can apply for a passport.
Personally, I'm in favor of more open boarders, ease of travel and staying in the EU. Unfortunately, the British government doesn't give two hoots about my opinions, even though I still vote in the UK.

Contact immigration for information. I'm Mexican and when we got married I had to wait 3 years then I applied for nationality. It was granted and it was quite strait forward. I've been a Brit since 2003.

Thanks @KickAssAngel I did read that wrong to be honest and felt slight lily attacked haha but I'm glad we share the same values after all!

yes -didn't mean it to sound like that. I'm in the US on a greencard and many people don't understand what that means, and are confused about whether I can vote, get a passport etc. Each country has their own complex (and outrageously expensive) way of 'letting you in' (or not).

You might still be able to make it in time to get naturalised without losing your German nationality but you’d need to get a move on. Check the Brexit-Übergangsgesetz.

I think the issue here is the hurdles you have to clear in order to prove to Germany that not retaining the German citizenship would be detrimental to your professional/ business activity. You need to prove you are still significantly involved with life in Germany (It's the 'Beibehaltung' rules)