Has anyone changed nationality?

First, let me state there's nothing political about this, I'm just throwing this out there.

I have some friends (originally both from the UK), who've lived abroad for many years. They've been living in the States for a good few years now (I think about 13/14) and show no signs of coming home, so have decided to take citizenship.

Their daughter (now 21) was born in Switzerland, has only lived in the UK for about 3 years, and took US citizenship as soon as she turned 21, about 6 months ago. Fair enough, she is to all intents and purposes a Yank. Even if she can do a very good English accent when needed..

Although I've travelled widely, I've always considered myself a Brit through and through and although this country's got it's issues I've never really felt the urge to up sticks and go and live somewhere else, let alone permanently.

Has anyone done it and did it work out for you? Discuss.

Cheers,

Plug

Hmm...you've given me some food for thought!

Possibly not the same, but both myself and my partner have dual nationality.

I live part of the year in a 3rd country and would expect to apply for citizenship if I end up spending the majority of my time there in due course.

Been in Aus 13 years and at earliest opportunity got citizenship - no messing with PR visas, and kids could get a loan for uni instead of having to pay upfront. Settled here - not as crowded and better weather. Although more people are pouring into Melbourne you can move to a town outside Melbourne. 4.8M of Victoria's 5.8M live in Melbourne.

Wife and kids are also Irish citizens. Wife's Irish by birth as parents are from Dublin. This allowed the kids (born UK) to get Irish citizenship. FYI, in case you didn't know, kids can pass down British citizenship to their kids but then the line stops, unless their kids are born in UK. Irish citizenship keeps going. So they have a kid (born anywhere) and register the birth with Irish authorities. Irish grandchild has kid, same process, and so on. Hence, assuming Brexit and Ireland stays in, kids can use Irish passports for Europe if things don't work out with Brexit. Later on, assuming special relationship with Ireland is maintained, descendants with only Irish passports can settle/travel in UK/Europe if they wish.

I’ve got a weak sort of dual nationality, have a uk passport and also have OCI status in India, Overseas Citizen of India as does my wife and kids. I only did it as OCI gives me a life long visa for India which saves me having to visit their God awful visa services office.

i moved to New Zealand 11 years ago from UK, became a NZ citizen 5yrs ago.
for me it was a simple need. to work around the pacific as a non AUS or NZ citizen is a bit of a ball ache.

i'll always be from the highlands of Scotland but i travel on a kiwi passport, no issue with my decision.

and for the Stralya contingent, YES, i got my kiwi passport and took a job in Melbourne then Perth then Adelaide :la:

I have both British and Irish passports, but that's not unusual amongst Northern Ireland residents.

Which nationality I would primarily consider myself, is a trickier question.

My dad changed nationality five times.

I believe I'm eligible for dual nationality within Europe, which I intend applying for.

Same as Deerworrier....UK for most of my life then to NZ and been a citizen for 6 yrs. Still hold UK passport but tend to travel on Kiwi one, particularly when travelling to Aus...so much easier.
I’m still British though...and always will be. Saddened by what I read in the news about Blighty.....still miss it though, particularly Devon, and the Toon.


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My wife and kids have the Canadian and Dutch nationality. My oldest tends towards the Dutch side of things (as far as he can see now); for example, he sails for NED and not for CAN and has no intention to change that - even when he had the choice last year. My youngest sees the opportunities of going to CAN for a uni education. My wife and my youngest always talk English when they're together; my oldest only talks Dutch with his mom.

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Originally Posted by demonloop

I have both British and Irish passports, but that's not unusual amongst Northern Ireland residents.

Which nationality I would primarily consider myself, is a trickier question.

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I have dual nationality. I couldn’t imagine not being Maltese. I couldn’t imagine not being British. I couldn’t imagine a life where I don’t divide my time between the two.

Andy Murray has, he's went from British number 1 to the unlucky Scot with a hip injury.

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Originally Posted by IAmATeaf

I only did it as OCI gives me a life long visa for India which saves me having to visit their God awful visa services office.

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Except for when you have to transfer OCI from expired British Passport to new passport (but which does not apply between ages of 20-50). So for children, this means transferring OCI every 5 years. Once you have paid for the two compulsory DX return envelopes and text message services, you are paying out £60~.

Welcome to India.

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Originally Posted by demonloop

I have both British and Irish passports, but that's not unusual amongst Northern Ireland residents.

Which nationality I would primarily consider myself, is a trickier question.

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Intersting to see how this plays out with Brexit.

I haven't but I know a few people who have and, in all cases, it was a matter of convenience.

They lived in a different country to their original nationality and found working in or travelling in/out of their resident country inconvenient, so they took on citizenship of that country.

I think of myself as English (but not in a Boris Johnson/Nigel Farage way), but if I lived in another country for any length of time, I wouldn't worry about becoming a citizen of that country - In a way it would seem only polite! And what could be more English than that! :biggrin:

Worrying about the passport you have seems a bit academic, especially since when we come out of the EU, they'll all be French anyway! :sadskull:

M

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Originally Posted by prexelor

Except for when you have to transfer OCI from expired British Passport to new passport (but which does not apply between ages of 20-50). So for children, this means transferring OCI every 5 years. Once you have paid for the two compulsory DX return envelopes and text message services, you are paying out £60~.

Welcome to India.

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True but you can opt to take your own RM special delivery envelopes if you want to save just under 30 notes.

India being India, where even the officials make up rules as they go along, I have known people to travel using what I would deem a non valid OCI and they’ve never been stopped/questioned but me preferring an easy/simple life opted to transfer my OCI when I renewed my passport back in Feb.

Plug,

I lived in Australia until age 42 and moved to the UK with my family in 2012. My wife is English so the kids all had British passports before they left oz, but I have only just gained permanent residency this week. We were well settled here until the whole Brexit malarkey kicked off, I am now a little more circumspect and keeping an open mind about the future. I get asked often if will move back to Oz, and have only been told about a gazzilion times how I went the wrong way :grief: I love being in the UK and Europe, are fascinated by the history and variety it offers, challenged by the dark & cold winters, but overall feel I have a richer life in the UK.

I believe life is about experiences and not collecting possessions, and as a bit of a risk taker, we may end up somewhere else in the future should the right opportunity arise.

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Originally Posted by IAmATeaf

True but you can opt to take your own RM special delivery envelopes if you want to save just under 30 notes.

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The website does state you can use RM envelopes but when you click onto information for individual OCI centres, a few centres do not permit RM envelopes due to 'problems' they have experienced. Providing contradictory and confusing information seems to be a requirement. I avoided the risk and opted for their DX service which is 'problem' free but at double the price.

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Originally Posted by Omegamanic

Possibly not the same, but both myself and my partner have dual nationality.

I live part of the year in a 3rd country and would expect to apply for citizenship if I end up spending the majority of my time there in due course.

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I am eligible for dual nationality but haven't applied yet, are there any downsides ?

I believe if you have us citizenship you have to pay US tax wherever you live.

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Originally Posted by Maris

I am eligible for dual nationality but haven't applied yet, are there any downsides ?

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Taxation, I believe BoJo had to cough up US tax until he renounced his US citizenship.

Conscription


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So no-ones changed nationality!

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Originally Posted by prexelor

The website does state you can use RM envelopes but when you click onto information for individual OCI centres, a few centres do not permit RM envelopes due to 'problems' they have experienced. Providing contradictory and confusing information seems to be a requirement. I avoided the risk and opted for their DX service which is 'problem' free but at double the price.

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I too did the same after being told the very first time that I applied for our OCI cards back in 2010 that in using your own envelopes they’ll not cover or help with any loss of documents.

It is interesting that they charge double the real costs of delivery by DX but then again they also lump on extra charges such as text messages which in all honesty are plain and simple rubbish in terms of conveying any real info on progress.

You think that’s bad, my local bank in India overcharged me 11 rupees and I’ve been fighting for 3 years to get it back. Visited the branch just a few days ago as a bond I had matured and asked for it to be completed withdrawn so that I can take the money elsewhere, bank manager assured me that they’ll action the refund!

I now have a Permanent Residency Certificate for Turks and Caicos Islands. I am now eligible for naturalization and can then hold a BOTC Passport in addition to a British Passport. It is just government paperwork here that is stopping me, it takes ages and there is some reluctance among local government officials to process the paperwork.
2 of my children have Dual US and UK passports and citizenship.

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Originally Posted by BillyCasper

Taxation, I believe BoJo had to cough up US tax until he renounced his US citizenship.

Conscription


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The US is almost unique in this respect. The conscription/national service issue applies to several countries.

On the upside if you get arrested in some Arab hellhole on some trumped-up charge and have to hand in your passport as a bail condition, you can escape using the other one...

I just last month received my Irish Citizenship - I was eligible because I had an Irish grandparent so did it because I could (an will also entitle my future children to do the same)

Without seeking to invite discussion on the 'B' word...

I have dual nationality (UK/NZ) but would love to maintain my European citizenship because it means a great deal to me (beyond the passport queue issue).

I shall be looking at ways by which I can reacquire it if the UK leaves the EU next year. Sadly, Im nowhere near Irish enough for that route.

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Originally Posted by number2

I believe I'm eligible for dual nationality within Europe, which I intend applying for.

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Same here British and Russian.


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I know very little Russian, but there is one expression that is quite appropriate in some threads here:
поживем - увидим

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Originally Posted by mondie

Plug,

I lived in Australia until age 42 and moved to the UK with my family in 2012. My wife is English so the kids all had British passports before they left oz, but I have only just gained permanent residency this week. We were well settled here until the whole Brexit malarkey kicked off, I am now a little more circumspect and keeping an open mind about the future. I get asked often if will move back to Oz, and have only been told about a gazzilion times how I went the wrong way :grief: I love being in the UK and Europe, are fascinated by the history and variety it offers, challenged by the dark & cold winters, but overall feel I have a richer life in the UK.

I believe life is about experiences and not collecting possessions, and as a bit of a risk taker, we may end up somewhere else in the future should the right opportunity arise.

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If you have lived here since 2012 - why not apply for citizenship?

I will be very soon, had to get permanent residency first which took over five years.

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Originally Posted by jimyu

I just last month received my Irish Citizenship - I was eligible because I had an Irish grandparent so did it because I could (an will also entitle my future children to do the same)

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I'm getting paperwork lined up to do that, gives me access to an Irish passport.

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Originally Posted by Dave E

I'm getting paperwork lined up to do that, gives me access to an Irish passport.

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Yes I’ve just applied for the passport too. The whole process takes about a year and costs almost £350 though

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Originally Posted by jimyu

Yes I’ve just applied for the passport too. The whole process takes about a year and costs almost £350 though

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When I sent off the paperwork for the kids about 10 years I'm sure it took about a month to get the registration of birth certificate, and similar duration for getting passports. What's happened?

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Originally Posted by wadebridge59

When I sent off the paperwork for the kids about 10 years I'm sure it took about a month to get the registration of birth certificate, and similar duration for getting passports. What's happened?

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Brexit

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Originally Posted by jimyu

Brexit

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https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...t-demand-soars

I see. A month to a year still seems incredible to me.

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Originally Posted by deerworrier

and for the Stralya contingent, YES, i got my kiwi passport and took a job in Melbourne then Perth then Adelaide :la:

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Are you a good boy?
https://www.economist.com/asia/2018/...happy-about-it

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Originally Posted by prexelor

The website does state you can use RM envelopes but when you click onto information for individual OCI centres, a few centres do not permit RM envelopes due to 'problems' they have experienced. Providing contradictory and confusing information seems to be a requirement. I avoided the risk and opted for their DX service which is 'problem' free but at double the price.

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Slightly relates

Just paid approx £140 each for Indian tourist visas for my wife, son and me. For one application, I paid the £140 which included courier return of my passport only to be told at the desk that I hadn't paid the courier charge for that application. Checked online banking on the spot and definitely had paid but the guy made me pay £14.80 for courier again

Will definitely be applying for OCI asap. They have special ways of making the application tricky for Muslims (my brother experienced this when he applied for his)

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Originally Posted by Kingstepper

So no-ones changed nationality!

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You would think we would know about it - if they had........

No-one seems able to leave their home-town without asking for advice on here.......:smug:

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Originally Posted by Snowdon

Will definitely be applying for OCI asap. They have special ways of making the application tricky for Muslims (my brother experienced this when he applied for his)

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It should be easier I think as you would list your brother’s name and OCI number in your application under the family members with OCI section.

Any documents they keep to ‘verify’ will come back damaged. My daughter’s birth certificate came back crumpled and creased. Which of course is not their fault.

Well, I have been British for close to 70 years, but could apply for a Polish passport through my parentage. The only reason I would do so, would be to ease my way through European passport queues - if that becomes relevant. My wife could apply for a Dutch passport on the same basis.

I have changed nationality a few times but a lot of times is more hassle than anything and gets you into a identity crisis lol


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I have always held a British passport, but have always had the option of an Irish one. It's a NI thing. With brexit looming I will probably also aquire the Irish version. As I always say, better to have it and not need it...

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Originally Posted by wadebridge59

Are you a good boy?
https://www.economist.com/asia/2018/...happy-about-it

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no chance of me overstaying. fly over, cash grab and get out :)

enjoyed Melbourne a lot, great city and almost got to understanding Aussie rules! while on the Yolla job. Adelaide was fun and Perth was basically a transit lounge. probably head back over soon for the Gorgon continuation or the west to east line. like the western island but its too hot for me.

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Originally Posted by prexelor

It should be easier I think as you would list your brother’s name and OCI number in your application under the family members with OCI section.

Any documents they keep to ‘verify’ will come back damaged. My daughter’s birth certificate came back crumpled and creased. Which of course is not their fault.

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The DX envelope isn’t A4 size so I pre-creased any documents I submitted. To be honest care of anything isn’t important to them, when I went through immigration control the idiot bent the corner of my new uk passport, I asked him to stop and he just gave me a blank/ignorant look, I reminded him that the passport was uk property and should be treated accordingly.

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Originally Posted by Snowdon

Slightly relates

Just paid approx £140 each for Indian tourist visas for my wife, son and me. For one application, I paid the £140 which included courier return of my passport only to be told at the desk that I hadn't paid the courier charge for that application. Checked online banking on the spot and definitely had paid but the guy made me pay £14.80 for courier again

Will definitely be applying for OCI asap. They have special ways of making the application tricky for Muslims (my brother experienced this when he applied for his)

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If staying for less than 28 days you can apply for visas online which is supposed to be easier?

Didn't realise

Any idea on price for that one?

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Originally Posted by Snowdon

Didn't realise

Any idea on price for that one?

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Used to be $50 but I’ve just checked and it’s been put up to $100, also it seems that my comment about 28 days also no longer applies.

https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

Thanks for that.