jewelz22

I hold both a UK and US passport but my American husband only has a US passport. If I move to any other EU country (e.g. France), I don't have to get a work visa, correct? Also since my husband does not hold an EU passport, must he get a work visa to get a job in England or Netherlands? Is it easy or is he relegated to the home as a househusband?
Thanks in advance for your responses,
Julianne

JAJ

You do not need a work permit in any EU/EEA country if you have a British passport.

You can sponsor your husband for an EEA family permit (whatever the local equivalent is) which will allow him to work.

But - if you want your husband to be able to become a citizen locally, you will need to seek local advice and depending on the country it may not be possible. Same applies to you.

If you sponsored him to the UK under the normal British rules, he would be able to get permanent residence and become a naturalised British citizen after three years. For sponsorship to the UK, visit http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk

You don't say if you plan to have children born in Europe. If you are British by descent (ie, you obtained British citizenship from a UK parent) then you need to be aware that children born in other EU countries will *not* automatically be British citizens. They might acquire the nationality of the country concerned (eg Ireland) but in most other states it's likely that they would not. It might or might not be possible to register the children as British, depending on circumstances.

If you have children born in the UK, they will be British citizens automatically.



Jeremy

Osamede

When you say an "EU/EEA residence permit" is that some document that is valid EU/EEA-wide? I know that each country has a residence permit that you can apply for locally to live there if you are married to a local from that country.

But are you then saying that there is some EU/EEA-wide document that you apply for if your wife/husband an EU/EEA national but currently living in an EU/EEA country that is not his/her home? And if so what office or bureau administers these?

Thanks...

Squirrel

You can get an EU family permit at the consulate of the country you wish to live in. So if you are French for example, and wish to live in the UK with your US citizen spouse, you go apply through the British Consulate. Actually, citizens of EU countries have more rights to bring their spouses to live in the UK that Brits do. Brits have to pay nearly $500 for a visa for US spouses to come and live in the UK with them, whereas if they are an EU citizen excercising atheir treaty rights the EU family permit is free. Also a Brit can have their spouse's visa refused if say, it is thought they will be a burden on the Government. An EU citizen cannot have their spouse refused for that reason.
Mind you, I have a feeling the EU family permit takes longer to get than the UK visa which is very fast indeed.

JAJ

In response to the earlier poster, an EEA family permit is issued under the law of the country in which you wish to reside.

So a French citizen with a US husband could obtain a British EEA permit for the husband to live in the UK. If they wished to move to Denmark, then the US husband would have to obtain a Danish EEA family permit.

While in some circumstances the EEA family permit may be easier/cheaper than the regular British permit, it does not lead to settlement (permanent residence) and possibility of naturalisation as a British citizen the way a regular spouse permit does. Further jumping through hoops would be required.

Jeremy

Osamede

So futher question: if an spouse gets a UK reidence via in this way (ie their spose is an non british but is an EU citizen living in UK), would that spousal visa cover the right to WORK in the UK, or only the right to RESIDE in the UK?

Osamede

Just to square the circle here, I did end up doing the EU family permit. It was super speedy and free. I went with my spouse to the British consulate on a Wednesday at noon (had to make an appointment in advance) we filled out the applicaton there talked to a guy for 5 minutes, left my passport for them to stamp and picked it up the next day same time. Beats any domestic UK visa process for sure!

Residency is possible after five years, versus three if you go the other route, but I didnt need that either way.

JAJ

Do you not want to be a British citizen? You will need permanent residence before you can think about naturalisation.

Osamede

No, I do not have any desire to be a british citizen. Not at the cost of spending six years here. Just wanted to pass through quicky for a couple of years.