Timmy wrote: ↑Tue Nov 12, 2024 9:45 am
Noggin wrote: ↑Mon Nov 11, 2024 9:01 pm
I kinda have to be ok with that scenario. Without open borders I wouldn't be where I am - the happiest I've ever been.
I get from the tone of your posts about France that you are settled there. Genuine question, why not become a citizen of the country? I don't see anything wrong with a country saying that if you've been there for 5-10-15 yrs that if you 're not a citizen you have no right to stay. Also, being able to speak the language should be a fundamental requirement for moving to a different country.
I first came out here in Dec 2010 and fell in love with the place. Couldn't speak French but smiled a lot and the locals kinda liked the mad smiley pink haired English bird!!
In 2016 I bought an apartment.
I moved out here permanently in October 2017 and set up a French company.
The requirements for starting an application for citizenship are 5 years proven residency with taxes etc to show you can support yourself.
My major block to starting this was the failure of my first shoulder operation causing me not to be able to work as much as planned, the failure of my business due to the shoulder issues and covid, and a couple of other health issues.
Also, due to not understanding all the systems for moving countries because when I planned it it was all a bit easer due to being in the EU, I didn't actually register as resident 'properly' - I did set up a business in France, paid taxes etc and in the health system, but apparently there were some boxes not ticked by the accountant. Not a major issue as due to injury, rehab, covid and other stuff, I couldn't actually fulfil the requirements to apply.
However, by the end of this year I should have all the necessary things sorted and be able to start my application. Having a permanent contract will also help that (another stress added to the course I've done!). I do already have a French driving licence and am basically fully integrated (apart from the apparently obligatory French partner!
). I am basically fluent in the language whilst the pronunciation isn't perfect, I can communicate with almost anyone.
When I tell my French friends I want to apply for citizenship they are surprised and don't see the need (I'm Irish officially, so EU). But as DefTrap said above, if LePenn or similar ends up as President then it will be divisive and I would definitely prefer to have a French passport for the security - mostly because I'm here alone and just don't need the added stress.
I remember talking to a German friend in the UK who had lived there over 20 years, was married an Englishman and had a teenage daughter. She had years of stress after the Brexit vote because she hadn't applied for citizenship, her daughter even asked her one day if she would have to leave her and her Dad and move back to Germany (another pupil at school had told the girl this - probably heard from it's parents
). She didn't need to - she was in the UK legally and married to a Brit. There was no need to change. But all of a sudden she thought she had to choose between her nationality that she wanted to keep and changing to the nationality of the country she chose to live in but was making it seem that she was no longer welcome.
I decided to move here before Brexit, planned it during and moved here after vote (but before the actual separation). I lived in Bristol for a few years and was there during the vote and have never heard such appalling language about foreign countries/foreigners before then. Not just the the ones from the middle east, but anyone that wasn't English/British.
For me it's no question - I'll apply and hopefully get French citizenship. I have no love for my English heritage. I am part Scottish and part Irish, because I have an Irish passport, I tell people I'm Irish, not English. (It'll take, on average 2-5 years to process. A bit quicker now as finally it can be done online)
At the moment I can still keep my Irish passport to connect to my Celtic roots (my BDad's side of the family)! I can actually keep my English one too - but will probably only do that to be able to have access to the uk in the case of closed borders because I have parents and a sibling I would want to be able to see if necessary.
Timmy wrote: ↑Tue Nov 12, 2024 9:45 am
Noggin wrote: ↑Mon Nov 11, 2024 9:01 pm
But, since the uk has reduced the open border policy there doesn't seem to be less rhetoric about immigrants, despite many 'going home' after 2016 - so as there is now a closed border, was that really the issue?
Immigration in the UK is higher than ever. In 2022/2023 the UK accepted 1.4 million legals. It's a major issue if you want the essence of a country to remain imo. It's not immigration that I am personnally against, it's the scale of it.
As for not watching the news and ignoring it all, that's all well and good until you can't ignore it anymore.
It's not the immigrants that people should have issue with. It's the politicians allowing the rules to be that open. But nothing changes and in fact since a vote to shut the borders and prevent immigration, the figures show it's higher than ever. There has to be a reason, especially if it's legal. And then, if the reason is that these legal people can work and be needed, what's causing that?
I don't understand any of it to be honest, but if the rules allow immigration legally, that shouldn't be an issue. If it is, the find politicians that can change it. But I suspect no one will because no one has!
