peter28

OMG.....I looked at the Dutch citizenship and I would have to go there in person to attend the ceremony. I have worked extremely hard all my life but I am not a wealthy man, I just want to retire with my wonderful British wife who also has toiled extremely hard all her life working with children with disadvantages. We only want to see our children and grandchildren grow up. I likely don't even have that many years left in my final chapter of life. It doesn't look promising though and it might end up with her and her children in England and me living alone in Canada. It could very well end our beautiful marriage and leave us destined to live apart with our heartache till the end. How sad. I don't really know what to say anymore.

BritInParis

You would rather get divorced than attend a naturalisation ceremony?

peter28

Of coarse not, it's just a simple matter of money. We have to start all over again in England which means finding a place to rent, furnish it maybe getting a cheap car etc.etc. I don't know if we can afford all of those things. Once there for a while we might be able to get there. Anyway, there is always a solution. We will have to put a plan together.When she moved here she was allowed to live here and apply here without leaving. It took about ten months to get her PR and around $4000. Having to leave after six months etc. could be a problem. But, like I said, we will just have to figure out a way and no I never want to lose her, breaking up our marriage is the worst case scenario.

SanDiegogirl

?????? .....


Flying from Canada to Amsterdam is around 800 USD depending on when you want to go. Really cheap compared to your wife having to sponsor you for settlement visa. Most people looking to emigrate to the UK would jump at the chance to get European citizenship

Also, if you are intending to retire to the UK (ie. leave Canada on a permanent basis) and you don't want to go down the route of Dutch citizenship, do you have savings/investments, sale of property to use to meet the financial requirements, if your wife is not going to be able to get a job earning 18,600 GBP to sponsor you.

peter28

Yes, of coarse you are right,we will look at all those options when she gets back in a couple of weeks. She is there taking care of her old mum and getting her placed in a proper care home. I must thank you again for your help and interest, you are truly a kind person.

SanDiegogirl

As said before you can't apply for a settlement visa from within the UK if a visitor.

If you are intending to start up again in the UK, do you not have possessions in Canada which you would, presumably, sell to provide you with a nest egg to set you up in the UK?

If you go down the route of the settlement visa you are going to be horrified by the cost of applying for the visa.

BritInParis

As a Dutch citizen you wouldn't have to leave. That's the whole point. You apply for Dutch citizenship via the option procedure and naturalise as a Dutch citizen before you leave Canada. There are Dutch consulates in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver where you can attend a naturalisation ceremony. Once a Dutch citizen you can apply for and receive your Dutch passport meaning you can simply travel to the UK and just stay. You are very lucky to have this possibility; most Canadian spouses would have to jump through all the financial hoops and spend $000s on fees as previously outlind. The move itself will, of course, cost money but if you can't afford it then why start a thread on the topic?

BristolUK

This needs emphasising.

You could look at past threads where non EU spouses are involved. That will make your hair curl. If you have any.

peter28

Thank you, I will do that. Is there a prompt where I can fast track to such threads? I'm new to this whole forum concept. Thanks.

Novocastrian

I'd just point out one other way in which your circumstances are *extremely* lucky. After you become a Dutch citizen your British wife will be able to retain her rights as the spouse of an EU citizen even after this catastrophic Brexit business has devastated most other British peoples rights.

BristolUK

It's not the thread I was hoping to find but here's a good starting point

HKG3

Your wife may also wish to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions for the years that she was in Canada. This can increase the amount of UK state pension she will get when she retires.

https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-nationa...-contributions

HKG3

The OP will need to remember that as an EEA national staying in the UK based on being self-sufficient, he will need to buy comprehensive sickness insurance during his time in the UK.

BritInParis

That is true prior to Brexit, but CSI will not be required to apply for settled status.

feelbritish

May I add my agreement to this! I am a Canadian Citizen going through a spouse visa as we also came back to retire here. At the end of this procedure we will probably have spent in the region of £7500! Get your Dutch citizenship pronto, your wife her Canadian and then move! You are indeed a lucky chap!