Pisicuta

How do you all think Brexit is going to affect those of us living outside the UK? Anyone got any plans in place?

Azarel

The UK government certainly hasn't!

I guess it all boils down to what deal is struck and what dates are considered as 'cut off points'. If you've lived wherever you are for five years or more, you'll probably be fine as you can apply for permanent residency or even citizenship.

For those who've not been in their country for five years (be that five years up until the referendum, or up under the handing in of notice or up until the leaving date...whatever is decided) then I guess it'll be just like in the old days where you have to apply for permits like non-EU citizens have always done, which will probably mean, in most cases, finding a job, getting a work permit, then a residence permit. More or less of a hassle depending on the country in question.

The major lost advantage is that, as an EU citizen, you could live anywhere in the EU just by proving you have sufficient funds. In Romania, that amounted to about 50 quid! So you'd get a five-year certificate of residence just by showing them a bank statement with 50 quid in Lei, some kind of proof of healthcare, and a passport.

Non-EU citizens would have to have a job or be students, or prove they have a business which employs X amount of people, or have invested Y hundred thousand Euros in the country. After Brexit, it'll basically go back to that for UK passport holders.

As I've been here 13 years, I can get permanent residency easily enough, if needs be, or at a push, go for citizenship.

Pisicuta

Oh well! I guess we will just see what happens! I'm self-employed (I teach English online) so might be a problem for me- but again we don't know what kind of deal is going to be struck so I'm planning just to cross that bridge when the time comes!

Azarel

You might be able to find a teaching job here. There are some language schools but they generally don't pay to well and sometimes don't guarantee a sufficient amount of work to earn a decent living. However, if you're earning a living wage from online teaching, you could just take a part time teaching job at a local language school simply for the work and residency permits. If you aren't going to depend on the money or hours from the school (because of your online work) then it wouldn't be a major issue. Plus it's probably preferable for the school too to not have to worry about finding you enough work; so win-win. Anyway, it was just a thought - we'll have to see what happens.

tennesseestud

Hoping we will be able to interact with the DVLA (not having residency in UK means you're locked out of maintaining your DL, this was an EU law put in place 1997).

I'm considering contacting my local MP who's now Conservative to push this issue on Parliament to have it raised as something that can be actioned when EU law ceases to apply in Britain. If they can re-write the resident rule to be more accommodating to expats for me that's well worth my exit vote.

Why can't you change your photocard ID every 10 years like everyone else? The EU that's why.

Pisicuta

I hadn't even thought of this! Do our Driving licences expire quicker than those residing in the UK right now?

petitefrancaise

grab a coffee, sit back and laugh and get my USC. Idiots deserve what they're about to get.

Red_Wine_Fairy

A driving licence is the cheapest and easiest form of ID you can get in the EU and if you didn't do it already, then do it before Brexit. Licences in the EU are the same as in the UK - 10 years (allowing for a new photo to reflect how you actually look as opposed to how we once did. ) Unless you have green paper one, I'd be checking your pink photo licence right now to see if/when it expires. If you have a green paper (no photo) one, then I'd be looking into changing it before 2019.

Novocastrian

FFS, You've beem rabbiting on about this over several threads and forums.

You live in Tennessee. Tennessee and GB don't have a license swap agreement. You will/would have to pass a driving test in Tennessee whether or not your GB license was valid or even if it had never existed in the first place.

If you're fit to drive, just drive in a Tennessee test. Job done.

Garbatellamike

very wise, lots of posturing and fear mongering going on now - definitely better to wait and see how it pans out

tennesseestud

Missing. The. Point. When I return home I'll face 7 years of medical checks and fitness to drive tests for a condition that was misdiagnosed by the NHS.

I don't wish to drive in TN on my GB state licence ... Jeeesh!

I want my full licence back after being without it for over 7 years ... and because of that EEC Directive I'll have to return home to a revoked DL that I can't do anything about right now.

Paperwork issue. Not driving issue.