I got a possible insight last week into the difference it might make when we become 3rd country migrants, rather than ressortissants britanniques.
I had a planned 2 day hospital stay, so all documents sent in advance and clearly told to turn up with nothing but carte vitale and toothbrush. Which I did. But on arrival they asked for another identity document and the only thing I had with me was my carte de séjour. Big mistake. I was immediately grilled on my migrant status, and had to explain several times that if they looked they could see it was a european CdS. It’s possible the people I was encountering had never seen one before.
Anyway all sorted, and the 2 days passed without further event. However on Wednesday this week got a phone call from the hospital demanding more details of my migrant status as the hospital stay has to be have cleared with the intentional convention. A very long circular conversation as woman I was talking was convinced I was a 3rd country migrant as I had a CdS!
I wait to see what will happen to hospital bill, but fully expect that this is not the last chapter in this tale.
It will be interesting to see what changes in attitude there are post B@#£&t. And may make decision about applying for nationality (although have applied for German nationality and not sure one can have 3).
You will always be a ressortissant britannique, you just won’t be a ressortissant de pays membre de l’UE. You can have several nationalities according to the legislation in each country concerned, I was born with British and French and can add German too.
Incidentally… for those of us in receipt of a UK State Pension…
I asked another Brit if he had applied for French Nationality. His answer gave me pause for thought.
He had considered it, but could not get it through all the channels before Brexit. Then he thought about his pension… from the UK…
Anyway, more or less as he put it - " I have decided that the UK govt is a load of XX$$++** and do not want to give them any reason to cancel my pension. Wouldn’t put it past them to say - Oh well this chap has taken French Nationality therefore we owe him nothing !! "
and, on reflection - I must admit I do not want to risk my pension either… This Govt has no morals - sad to say - but I believe that is how they are.
Just a question relating to “taking French nationality”.
Are not nationality and citizenship different entities? My reasoning is that nationality applies to one’s place of birth. The word nation has the Latin root natum (birth) at its heart.
Citizenship refers to one’s status as a citizen, and has the root civis and civitas (the state) at its heart. It is a civic, administrative or political title.
Thus it seems to me to be proper to use acquiring citizenship of the host country when making a political claim, rather than claiming to be a national.
Hi Peter … here in France, the word Nationalité is used and is linked to Citoyenneté. You can gain Nationalité Francaise by various means - one of which is being born in France…
and you can keep your British Nationality if you apply and get French Nationality since France allows Dual N.
One can be a French Resident, with no need to take French Nationality.
However, one CANNOT be a French Citizen unless one first acquires French Nationality.
Any UK pension accrued through NI contributions is paid regardless of nationality. Many foreign nationals work in UK and retire back to their home countries with their UK pension.
Poppy… my friend fears that should the UK Govt need money, they will look around to see where they can get it from … and this lot do not need any excuse to behave badly (in my opinion)
Incidentally, @Peter_Goble our Maire addresses us as “Citoyens/Citoyennes de XXXXXX” at the various local functions - regardless of Nationality - but that is because we certainly are citizens of our commune…
I think he is overthinking and creating a worry unnecessarily . If it did ever come to pensions being restricted I feel very confident that those already in payment would not be affected.
For him and for me, Nationality will not be granted in less than 3 years anyway (due to the bureaucracy, according to a reply from the Minister of the Interior)
and, I always felt confident that Brexit would not ever actually happen…
wasn’t there something on the uk govt website which committed to increase pensions by inflation upto 2019/20. If EU domiciled UK pensioners had their pensions frozen after this time it would be pretty dire. given how quickly inflation erodes.
Thinking about the State Pension, I think I am right in saying that it was a right, based on our NI contributions. However, a few years ago, the government rebadged it as a “Benefit” and I am now considered as someone who is “in receipt of benefits”, which annoys me considerably.
However, what is more concerning is the government attitude to all benefits. I’m afraid that, unless there is a massive change in the UK government, and given the likely fiscal problems post-Brexit, the government will be looking to cut all benefits. I doubt if dual nationality would affect that, although residence overseas might well…
Just my two-pennorth and of course I could be completely wrong. I hope I am…
It’s just a shame that the word “benefit” has somehow got associated with scrounging.
There shouldn’t be anything wrong with being in receipt of benefits or “on benefits” if you are in a situation where you are entitled to them. Why should people be made to feel ashamed of not earning much money, or of having lost their job through no fault of their own, or of having got to pension age? It’s a sad reflection of the country’s culture where it sets up a social security system and then attaches a stigma to the people who that system was designed to benefit.
a payment made by the state or an insurance scheme to someone entitled to receive it.
“part-time jobs supplemented by means-tested benefits”
synonymes : social security payments, social security, state benefit, unemployment benefit, government benefit, benefit payments, public assistance allowance, welfare, insurance money, sick pay, pension; Plus
Of course the state pension is a benefit, there is nothing wrong with that.
Hi
I have just had my German citizenship confirmed (after 2.5 years!) and I am waiting for my Passport. One slight fly in the ointment is that I’ve just read you cannot hold German citizenship if you also hold a non- European citizenship. I don’t know if this means the continent of Europe or the EC. If it does mean the EC, does that mean that Oct31st will be the deadline for applying for German citizenship if you want to retain UK citizenship?
PS The reason it took me so long to get my German citizenship was my lack of documentation - the staff at the German Consulate were superb.
That’s interesting as I’m in the process of applying for mine. And I will be so completely pissed off if I get to the point of being given it only to find I can’t have it unless I renounce UK citizenship! Mind you the way I feel about the UK right now I think I’d choose German, not British…
Did you apply in France as a French resident, or in the UK as a British citizen?
(I also have missing documents…so no doubt equally long)
Good explanation! Moh and I , born American (but no longer feel like we are) have cartes de residents. We once thought about citizenship, but after seeing how much paperwork was involved, decided “never mind”. The only thing we would have to gain is ability to vote in French elections.
Hi Jane
My advice would be to make application now with as much evidence as you have, including old German Passports and evidence from anything else official- naturalization records, death certificates- even POW records. It’s all about building a case and the Immigration Section of the German Embassy were very helpful, even if they can’t always give you a definitive yes or no- the final decision is made in Germany.
Good Luck!
You’re almost spoilt for choice… 
