AliceCaroline

I've been thinking about what will happen if Britain leaves the EU. With polls giving a 50/50 result I think it's something I need to consider. It could go either way.

As we haven't yet moved to Portugal I'm guessing the main differences to us if the UK leaves the EU will be;
1) we would have to sort out a residency permit before we moved.
2) we would have to prove we had medical insurance.
3) our state pension, once we start to claim it, would not increase annually.

...anything else??

I'm going to have to research the move as if I'm a Canadian

The sooner the referendum takes place the better, I hate this uncertainty.

EsuriJohn

Why would think the pension would be frozen? There are a few countries mainly
Commonwealth that have frozen pensions but that is the failure of bi-lateral agreements. There are lots of others outside the EU where annual up rates are applied due to sound bilateral agreements. Before we joined there were pensioners who retired to Spain and the pension was up rated.

AliceCaroline

It's not on the list of countries that have an agreement with the UK to protect pension increases.
We have agreements with Canada and New Zealand for some things, but not pension increases.
So if we come out of the EU there may be no agreement in place, I really don't know where to find that out.
At the moment we are covered by being in the EU.


http://www.gov.uk/government/publica...-state-pension

AliceCaroline

Actually reading that again pension increases should be ok if we leave the EU because the gov.uk site says countries in the EEA get increases. It doesn't say EU.
I'm guessing if we come out of the EU we will still be in the EEA? International politics are beyond me.

But points 1 and 2 are still valid I guess.

moggsey

Hi i live in turkey at the moment and get the the increase on my pension so why not Portugal hope im right as we wont to move there sortly

macliam

In truth, who knows? The anti-EU lobby will try to convince you that the sun never set on the British Empire and all the foreign-johnnies will welcome you with open arms. The pro-EU camp will suggest that Brits would be left to die by the roadside and charged double for the privilege.

I'd rather not find out.....

But then, I'm Irish...... so apart from any further issues with the currency and my UK-based assets, I'm a spectator. This might be a good time to remember that you had an Irish Grannie!

AliceCaroline

Dammit, my grannies were English and Scottish

EsuriJohn

Is it really possible to get an Irish passport through grandfather rights? Both me and HID had Irish grandfathers but they left Ireland never to return around 1900. We now have an Irish granddaughter but I am not sure it would work that way round!

GeniB

I am STILL waiting for the British Government to publish a full report in the newspapers/online to inform people properly of what exactly is at stake in the event of Britain leaving the EU. John Major has been the only senior politicien with any knowledge who has talked about the consequences calmly and clearly . There's a lot of finger pointing at Brussels and ill informed nonsense talked about how much money goes in and out etc,but no actual attempt at concrete facts. None whatsoever from those who wished to leave about what exactly Britain will do,where the markets will be what the costs will be etc.It's all rhetoric and speculation

mfesharne

It can only be speculation simply because no country has ever left and there are no rules for leaving.

My guess is it won't affect most of us immigrants because we're already here and the country needs us and our money to stay here....... but that of course is only more speculation for the reasons mentioned above.

Red Eric

If it was a Leave vote, the effect wouldn't be instant. A deal would have to be negotiated under Article 50 and that would take up to 2 years (with the EU in charge of the timetable).

barlaventoexpert

If there was a yes vote, Europe will be in a mega mess.

Scotland would demand another independence referendum. Catalonia would fight even more for its independence from Spain.

Furthermore, acts have to be passed both in the Lords and Commons and it is quite possible that the Lords might block a bill to pull out of the EU. Then there is the issue of the land frontier between Ulster and the rest of Ireland.

Mr Cameron, may have been to Eton and Oxbridge, but he has got absolutely no understanding, in my opinion, as to the full implications in terms of British Constitutional Politics, European Politics nor International Relations as to what he has set in motion.

Lords Palmerston, Castlereagh, the Duke of Wellington, the Duke of Marlborough and Churchill must be rotating in their graves at a high rate of knots at the incompetency being shown by No 10 in compounding Britain's and Europe's problems at at time when collectively we face the biggest security threat since WWII.

As regards the future for Brits wanting to retire abroad, I suspect that, at least, Portugal, Spain, Cyprus, Malta and Greece will maintain the current regime given the value its adds to their economies BUT they will still want full reciprocity for their citizens to work in the UK!

What Britain needs right now in No. 10 is a steady cricketing Middle-England type with a calm hand on the tiller such as Sir John Major, re-asserting its place in the World and LEADING in Europe, not sitting on the sidelines throwing comments!

Moses2013

Here it is:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en...r_descent.html

macliam

AFAIK, because Ireland is a country of historic emigration, it is possible under Irish law. It's not as easy as it is being born to Irish parents either inside or outside the island of Ireland (32 counties, not 26), but if you can prove your connection to a grandparent and their birth in Ireland your application will be considered.

Check the web, the details are all there I think, and you'll probably find out things I don't know!

Adh mór ort!

Fredbargate

The same applies for the frontier between Gibraltar and Spain.

But I am sure the Spanish would close it as they did in 1969, and probaly before any ink had dried on the voting papers.

However I am still voting OUT