Dual Citizenship?? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

Leavin'Quick · 07-01-2004, 11:16 AM

So the paperwork is finally in the mail for my Irish citizenship!

Just wondering if anyone has any info on how it really works? The EU is kind of a mystery to me, so I'm wondering if the citizenship lets me live and work just in Ireland, or in the whole of the EU. I'm born-and-raised in America, and now that the dual-citizenship is coming through, I'm thinking of planing my great escape. (Especially if Bush wins again in August...

)

**voyd** · 07-01-2004, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Leavin'Quick@Jul 1 2004, 06:16 PM
I'm thinking of planing my great escape. (Especially if Bush wins again in August... * )

No shyt, join the club! How hard is it to get EU citizenship, anyways? Lead us thru it?

**space virgin** · 07-01-2004, 11:29 AM

depends on the country. Usually you have to have one parent or grandparent born in a certain country, then you are eligible to apply for citizenship. But the process can be a bitch.

**voyd** · 07-01-2004, 11:33 AM

^ Err, scratch that. What about just regular single EU citizenship? Or Canada?

**space virgin** · 07-01-2004, 11:48 AM

nope, you'd have to be a citizen of a specific european union country, more's the pity.

I think it's pretty hard for US citizens to defect and get canadian citizenship, but you can maybe look into getting a live/work visa. try here and here for a start. They're law firms' websites about canadian immigration but it might be a good place to start out.

I'll keep digging...

Leavin'Quick · 07-01-2004, 12:03 PM

Not sure about the whole process... I just found out recently that I could get it as a second generation from Ireland (Both grandparents on my dad's side were born there). I filled out some of the paperwork, but most of it I had to pawn off on the folks to finish, since I don't have stuff like my grandparents social security #'s on hand

Not too sure how you'd go about getting a citizenship from scratch, though...

**voyd** · 07-01-2004, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by space virgin@Jul 1 2004, 06:48 PM
nope, you'd have to be a citizen of a specific european union country, more's the pity.

I'll keep digging...

Thanks! But I meant just a single citizenship to any single EU country (not the whole continent)?

**space virgin** · 07-01-2004, 12:27 PM

haha! okay, so I was beginning to wonder about you for a minute there... lol.

That's what I had *originally* meant, in any case-- citizenship for a specific country, not just in respect to the EU. does that make sense?

**omisan** · 07-01-2004, 12:57 PM

Hrmmm.. would my sister was born in the UK - I wonder if that'd help at all. Or the fact that I have family there. Must.. form.. contingency plan!

**Wyzfen** · 07-01-2004, 06:16 PM

Quite a few countries have that after you've worked / lived there legally for a time (about 4-5 years usually) you can apply for citizenship - the downside of that route is that you may have to renounce your original citizenship.
I'm not sure if thats as much of an issue as it sounds, as you could probably go back to your original country and say you've made a mistake and love your original country etc etc.

Oh - and once you've got an EU passport / citizenship, you can live and work in any EU country (often have to let the officials know you're there but thats it).

The easiest way is probably to do what zylah did - marry someone who already has an EU passport - according to the Shengen (sp?) treaty, spouses can accompany their EU passport holding partner and live / work there.

Wyzfen

**omisan** · 07-01-2004, 06:19 PM

Quote:

marry someone who already has an EU passport - according to the Shengen (sp?) treaty, spouses can accompany their EU passport holding partner and live / work there.

Yeah - my co-workers keep asking why I keep going to Europe on vacation.. duuuuh! To find me a wife!

**space virgin** · 07-02-2004, 09:33 AM

^ well that explains a lot.

**TheWills** · 07-04-2004, 02:24 AM

ok well this topic I can help you on
I have a dual citizen ship, Canada-Germany My folks are german but i was born here. Anyways, it works like this if you have a passport of any EU nation you can work there and live there etc... with out much hassle its like being part of the commonwealth, so with my Canadian pass I can go to any common wealth country and have little trouble gettin a work visa and with my German pass I can work in any EU nation, now that dosnt include England or Sweden cause they are not a part of the EU.the requirements for pass vary from nation too nation I know its very tight laws in Germany at least one of your parrents has to be german, and I dont think it counts if your grandparents were, you should go too the local embassy or consulate and get some more info if your wonderingwhat the requirements are. Anymore questions on this just ask
Will

**MolsonGirl** · 07-05-2004, 06:14 AM

I have Canadian and British Dual Cit and I know for a fact that it is VERY hard to get cit in England. I only got it cause both of my parents (and every last branch on my family tree) is British... (in Harry Potter terms I'm a pure breed) Even then it was quite hard for my parents to get me the passport. Even though I have that I'm in England working somewhat illegally cause I don't have a national insurance number yet.. I have a meeting to get one.. but the number itself still has to be assigned...

Take home Message... VERY HARD TO WORK IN EUROPE IF YOU'RE NOT BORN THERE.

**beergal** · 07-13-2004, 05:19 PM

tee hee i love being an eu citizen even if the majority of my country doesnt!