Is it a fairly straightforward process if you are married to an EU citizen?
Anyone (uk nationals) with an EU spouse applied for EU citizenship?
- Thread starter Van Aert
- Start date
OP
OP
Varies between countries I see - more specifically I’m after the dual nationality status with UK and German passports that our son has. Looks like it’s currently waiting for a law change in Germany for this to be possible.
Coolcats
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That is the case for Ireland
I would have to live there with my wife before applying for citizenship
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10 years here in spain it used to be.
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That is the case for Ireland
Same here. Our children (all resident in the U.K. and hardly ever visited) can obtain an Irish passport relatively easily, but I can’t.
Bolti
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And don't forget language, most countries expect you to be able to speak it conversationally.
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Not me but I have watched a couple of friends endure the rigorous Border Agency in force.
It included;
Unannounced visits to the family home to check that they were living together a a couple!
Questions as to why there was only one tooth brush in the Master bathroom and another in the second bathroom. Seems that indicates that they are not a genuine couple.
I was directly involved in one incident!
When Joanne got married she did not have UK Citizenship but her application was already being processed on the ground that she was worthy of Citizenship, in her own rights.
She and her future husband had already attended a number of Border Agency interviews and quizzes, so as to prove that they were a genuine couple and it was not a Marriage of Convenience.
On the day of the wedding, day, time and location had to be approved by the Border Agency, Joanne had asked me to give her away and my mum to be her Maid of Honour, as we were her only 'family ' in the UK!
We had arrived well early, as is my way. The person in charge of conducting the ceremony introduced herself Nd told us that it was good that we were as there were some extra formalities to go through!!!
Out step the Border Agents, one hour before the ceremony.
Paul is told to follow one agent into an office and Joanne to follow another into a separate office!
Joanne was in a total panic, no one knew what was happening and the Border Force would not enlighten anyone.
Joanne, all in her wedding dress and carrying bouquets flatly reused to go with a strange man, alone into a closed room!!!
In the end they relented and I wS aloud to accompany her with the strictest of instructions that if I spoke the ceremony would be cancelled!!!!
Once seated it was explained that they were subjected to a final 'couples' test. Each agent had a computer in the separate offices, they would both be asked the same questions, the results would be entered into the computers and those computers would judge if they were a genuine couple by the correctness of the answers!
It's now 30 minutes before Joanne is expecting to be married.
A number of innocuous questions follow and then the bombshell!
Joanne is asked;
What is the phone number of your prospective Mother in Law?
Quick in a flash Joanne replies;
"Speed dial 3 on my phone."
"That was not the question! What is the number?"
Cue floods of tears and angst.
I had to bite my tongue, hard.
Interview terminated, the two agents go into conference, one comes back and asks for Joanne's phone, she doesn't have it, she's standing their in her Wedding Dress, no pockets Nd no bag!
I'm escorted to my car to collect it.
It's password protected, Joanne has to tell an agent the password to prove that it's her phone.
Phone unlocked, Speed dial 3 is pressed and a phone rings from within the waiting crowd, it was Mother in Law.
And that was Joanne's wedding breakfast!
Now about those RIB bots crossing the Channel?
It included;
Unannounced visits to the family home to check that they were living together a a couple!
Questions as to why there was only one tooth brush in the Master bathroom and another in the second bathroom. Seems that indicates that they are not a genuine couple.
I was directly involved in one incident!
When Joanne got married she did not have UK Citizenship but her application was already being processed on the ground that she was worthy of Citizenship, in her own rights.
She and her future husband had already attended a number of Border Agency interviews and quizzes, so as to prove that they were a genuine couple and it was not a Marriage of Convenience.
On the day of the wedding, day, time and location had to be approved by the Border Agency, Joanne had asked me to give her away and my mum to be her Maid of Honour, as we were her only 'family ' in the UK!
We had arrived well early, as is my way. The person in charge of conducting the ceremony introduced herself Nd told us that it was good that we were as there were some extra formalities to go through!!!
Out step the Border Agents, one hour before the ceremony.
Paul is told to follow one agent into an office and Joanne to follow another into a separate office!
Joanne was in a total panic, no one knew what was happening and the Border Force would not enlighten anyone.
Joanne, all in her wedding dress and carrying bouquets flatly reused to go with a strange man, alone into a closed room!!!
In the end they relented and I wS aloud to accompany her with the strictest of instructions that if I spoke the ceremony would be cancelled!!!!
Once seated it was explained that they were subjected to a final 'couples' test. Each agent had a computer in the separate offices, they would both be asked the same questions, the results would be entered into the computers and those computers would judge if they were a genuine couple by the correctness of the answers!
It's now 30 minutes before Joanne is expecting to be married.
A number of innocuous questions follow and then the bombshell!
Joanne is asked;
What is the phone number of your prospective Mother in Law?
Quick in a flash Joanne replies;
"Speed dial 3 on my phone."
"That was not the question! What is the number?"
Cue floods of tears and angst.
I had to bite my tongue, hard.
Interview terminated, the two agents go into conference, one comes back and asks for Joanne's phone, she doesn't have it, she's standing their in her Wedding Dress, no pockets Nd no bag!
I'm escorted to my car to collect it.
It's password protected, Joanne has to tell an agent the password to prove that it's her phone.
Phone unlocked, Speed dial 3 is pressed and a phone rings from within the waiting crowd, it was Mother in Law.
And that was Joanne's wedding breakfast!
Now about those RIB bots crossing the Channel?
Grianan
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That’s shocking. Total disgrace
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It’s not just immigrants that get questioned, my daughter got married in a registry office this year and both her and future husband had to attend separately to answer questions about each other. The fact that they are both British and have a house and child didn’t seem to count!
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sorry for the funny, but it just proves the nonsense of some things
Yes ,same here + you have to have an encylopeadic knowledge of spanish history on which you will be questioned.
It actually got far harder to obtain long before brexit, as though they didn't want anyone to obtain it. unless of course you had a spanish friend/relative with clout.
A disgusting scenario in light of your last sentence.
Ridgeway
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To be able to have dual nationality there needs to be an agreement between both countries, for some you can adopt your new nationality if you give up your old one, UK and Australia famously and bizarrely have such an agreement.
For other you need to check country by country. Then as to achieving nationalisation, that’s 100% local and specific but as others have said usually requires some minimum number of years of residing in that country.
It does mean you have to keep up 2 passports (if you chose to have both?) and the expense etc.
What reason do you need another passport for ? For most it’s because they are trading up but if you already have a UK passport then you have already one of the best out there already.
For other you need to check country by country. Then as to achieving nationalisation, that’s 100% local and specific but as others have said usually requires some minimum number of years of residing in that country.
It does mean you have to keep up 2 passports (if you chose to have both?) and the expense etc.
What reason do you need another passport for ? For most it’s because they are trading up but if you already have a UK passport then you have already one of the best out there already.
Don’t know what happened there I didn’t intend to quote your post
Max and I got married this year and we had to go into a room individually with the registrar to answer questions about each other and each other’s parents.
Then on the day we were interviewed again before the ceremony. The registrar was lovely but it just seemed rather strange.
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OP
OP
I think the German gov are currently debating lowering the min residency period that you need to have lived there from 8yrs to 5yrs….in future I was hoping to be able to spend more than 3 months in Schengen if I wanted to without getting a visa and having to go in/out via France or whatever. We also have a house there that my wife inherited from her parents.
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Bolti
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Is your wife German? If she is a German passports holder you can travel with her for however long she is in the EU.
Also if you wife has German citizenship it will be easy to obtain EU residency but not nationality.
OP
OP
Yes she is, both. As far as we understand it (from both embassy websites) only my wife and son are legally allowed to spend more than 90 days at a time in Schengen but not me.
I could go to Germany and apply for residency but that won’t help us if ,for example, we all wanted to go to Spain for in excess of 3 months - they could, I can’t.
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Any requirement to give up British Nationality/Citizenship, rather than just a passport, is a nonsense, because if one was born in UK one can walk into a British Consulate the next day and request a new British passport.
Bolti
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There is an EU ruling that EU citizens can travel with there spouses and not be limited by the 90 day rule.
Will try to dig out the details.
Just search on here. Been covered in multiple threads.
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OP
OP
Yes , thanks- I think my answer lies in the ‘Schengen confusion’ thread from late November.
EU Directive 2004/38 EU is what you are looking for, just google and read. 
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Yes you can, if you are accompanied by your EU spouse you can travel around EU countries for as long as you like, plenty of info on here if you use the search function, it is very clearly documented on the EU website
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As said they are wrong & you can travel with an EU spouse indefinitely .It is extremely annoying when those being paid good money to know the rules state & post incorrect info
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DrDeath
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Says a next of kin can apply for residency, I can’t see it covers motorhoming?EU Directive 2004/38 EU is what you are looking for, just google and read.
Says a next of kin can apply for residency, I can’t see it covers motorhoming?
There is no ‘next of kin’ language used anywhere in that document? You need to read it all… the bit your looking for is right to roam and EU citizens with their spouse and immediate family. It’s VERY clear!
DrDeath
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Schengen, residence and citizenship are 3 entirely seperate but related things.
I think that almost every EU country has it's own but similar rules.
In my case I can travel with my spouse (EU citizenship) in any EU country. My spouse has the right to reside in the country as EU citizen.
However, as a UK citizen I am governed by residence law of the actual country I am in. Where I am now the law states I must apply for residency within 4 months(continuous time) of arrival with my spouse. If we leave the country for 24hours the 4 months is reset.
To obtain citizenship and therefore be entitled to a passport I have to have been granted residency for 5 years.
I think that almost every EU country has it's own but similar rules.
In my case I can travel with my spouse (EU citizenship) in any EU country. My spouse has the right to reside in the country as EU citizen.
However, as a UK citizen I am governed by residence law of the actual country I am in. Where I am now the law states I must apply for residency within 4 months(continuous time) of arrival with my spouse. If we leave the country for 24hours the 4 months is reset.
To obtain citizenship and therefore be entitled to a passport I have to have been granted residency for 5 years.
When my wife and I booked our wedding at the end of the last century with the registra in Chichester we were interviewed in a similar fashion to the other couple. Perhaps as the law had been recently changed regarding marriages.
It was quite a surprise but the registra understood our surprise as we we not young people.
It was quite a surprise but the registra understood our surprise as we we not young people.
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