Effects on UK citizens/family living in Europe?

I am a British citizen, married to a Turkish citizen and living in Germany. I am just wondering how it might effect me and my wife if the UK decides to leave the EU? Especially for her as she is allowed to live here under EU rules about family members of EU citizens.

Also, how long after the referendum would it be before such changes could take effect on us?

Noz03 wrote:I am a British citizen, married to a Turkish citizen and living in Germany. I am just wondering how it might effect me and my wife if the UK decides to leave the EU? Especially for her as she is allowed to live here under EU rules about family members of EU citizens.

Also, how long after the referendum would it be before such changes could take effect on us?

Consensus seems to be at least 2 years.

Noetic wrote: Consensus seems to be at least 2 years.

So if my wife wants to renew her EU family member residence at the beginning of next year it should be fine right? Or will they start shutting down applications for long term visa/residence permits in advance?



And after 2 years I guess it is up to the country we are living in? Which knowing Germany will be big trouble....

Firstly, calm down. The odds of the UK leaving the EU are rated by bookmakers at about 15-20%, so highly unlikely.

Secondly, if the UK were to vote to leave the EU, that would trigger a process, which, as Noetic has pointed out, takes two years. The UK remains an EU member for those two years. So, assuming that we vote to leave, your wife will still be treated as the spouse of an EEA citizen.

Conversely, if we vote to remain, stricter rules on the Surinder Singh route will be implemented. If that is something you are looking at, you need to keep an eye out for that.

Thirdly, the EU will likely have to develop a policy on what happens to the UK citizens still living in the EU. That will likely state that the ones already in the EU will continue under the old rules.

So, in conclusion, you have nothing to fear.

As an aside, have you registered to vote in the referendum? British citizens resident overseas, but who have been registered to vote in the UK any time in the past 15 years, are eligible to register to cast a postal or proxy vote in the EU Referendum.

secret.simon wrote:Firstly, calm down. The odds of the UK leaving the EU are rated by bookmakers at about 15-20%, so highly unlikely.

Secondly, if the UK were to vote to leave the EU, that would trigger a process, which, as Noetic has pointed out, takes two years. The UK remains an EU member for those two years. So, assuming that we vote to leave, your wife will still be treated as the spouse of an EEA citizen.

Conversely, if we vote to remain, stricter rules on the Surinder Singh route will be implemented. If that is something you are looking at, you need to keep an eye out for that.

Thirdly, the EU will likely have to develop a policy on what happens to the UK citizens still living in the EU. That will likely state that the ones already in the EU will continue under the old rules.

So, in conclusion, you have nothing to fear.

As an aside, have you registered to vote in the referendum? British citizens resident overseas, but who have been registered to vote in the UK any time in the past 15 years, are eligible to register to cast a postal or proxy vote in the EU Referendum.

Thanks, that is a big relief. Unfortunately I can't vote as I left the UK at a young age.

secret.simon wrote: Secondly, if the UK were to vote to leave the EU, that would trigger a process, which, as Noetic has pointed out, takes two years. The UK remains an EU member for those two years. So, assuming that we vote to leave, your wife will still be treated as the spouse of an EEA citizen.
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Nothing could prevent Germany from imposing restrictions on British citizens before the end of the re-negotiations. How could Britain take Germany, or any other state, to the European court of justice if it is no longer a member?