Brexit and Irish passport holders 21 January 2019 at 5:37PM in N. Ireland 9 replies 1.2K views

gerdo

The UK are implementing a scheme whereby all EU citizens living in the UK must apply for "settled status" once we leave the EU.

I was wondering how that will affect all the Irish passport holders in NI, will they have to apply for this? Or will everyone have to hold both UK and Irish passports?

Alter_ego

I heard the Irish were exempt.

RikM

If they are british citizens (regardless of whether they hold a passport) then they are british citizens... If they are not british citizens then, "settled" or not, they can't hold a british passport...

But it's true the Irish have had a special status in the UK (not just NI) all along - no one has suggested that's changing.

qwert_yuiop

Irish citizens can vote in UK elections, due to the Ireland Act of 1949, where it's not seen as a foreign nationality. That meant Irish citizens were able to vote for Brexit. Strangely, the Manx resident in the UK can vote in British elections, despite their island not being in the EU.
To change the rules for Irish would open a serious can of worms. We've opened a bad enough one already.

Tammykitty

gerdo wrote: »

The UK are implementing a scheme whereby all EU citizens living in the UK must apply for "settled status" once we leave the EU.

I was wondering how that will affect all the Irish passport holders in NI, will they have to apply for this? Or will everyone have to hold both UK and Irish passports?

There is no requirement to hold a British Passport to be a British citizen.
NI residents (assuming born to N Irish parents etc) have a legal right to dual nationality, just because some people choose no to hold a passport in both of these nationalities, doesn't mean they aren't British or Irish Citizens.


Regardless of this Irish Citizens are not treated as foreign in the UK, so someone from the South of Ireland, does not even need to apply for settled status.

gerdo

Thanks all.

qwert_yuiop

Well all those who voted for brexit because they don’t like immigrants are not going to get what they wanted. Looks like those foreigners are getting to stay (if they want).

tacpot12

qwert_yuiop wrote: »

Well all those who voted for brexit because they don’t like immigrants are not going to get what they wanted. Looks like those foreigners are getting to stay (if they want).

Those who voted for Brexit are have at least ensured that no more foreigners can come to the UK from EU, and that all the jobs done by the EU foreigners are going to have to be done by foreigners who come from outside of the EU. Way to go!

qwert_yuiop

tacpot12 wrote: »

Those who voted for Brexit are have at least ensured that no more foreigners can come to the UK from EU, and that all the jobs done by the EU foreigners are going to have to be done by foreigners who come from outside of the EU. Way to go!

Either way, brexit will not be reducing the number of Portuguese in dungannon.

tacpot12

qwert_yuiop wrote: »

Either way, brexit will not be reducing the number of Portuguese in dungannon.

It might increase it though! With settling in the UK no longer an option, I guess the Portuguese will have to consider Dungannon. :rotfl: