Questions regarding giving up my British citizenship

I am a dual UK/Irish citizen, with a British birth certificate and Irish passport. I am from Wales, and obtained my Irish passport through descent. I need to give up my British citizenship so that I can apply for an EEA family permit for my non-EEA wife to join me here in the UK (dual UK/Irish citizens are no longer eligible to apply for an EEA family permit, and I don’t meet the financial threshold to instead apply for a UK spousal visa for my wife).

I have found the application form for renunciation of citizenship on the UKBA website. I am uncertain of a few things, and I would be most grateful if somebody could answer the following three questions for me:

1) Once my British citizenship has been officially renounced, will there be any formalities/legalities that I will need to take care of relating to remaining in the UK as an Irish citizen?

2) I am in receipt of certain Government benefits and am on the social housing list. Will these things be affected by giving up my British citizenship?

3) Will my wife be refused an EEA permit if I give up my citizenship just for immigration purposes?

Thanks very much for your answers.

Have you heard of SURINDER SINGH CASE.

Read it as it might save your from renouncing your British Citizenship.


This was on BBC yesterday:

The Britons leaving the UK to get their relatives in.

Thanks for your answer. I am aware of the Surinder Singh case, but I don't want to go down that road of moving to another EU country. I've decided I need to give up my British citizenship, and then remain here in the UK with my Irish citizenship. I just need to know if there are any formalities/legalities I will have to sort out once my citizenship has been officially renounced, and if so, what they are. Any help regarding this matter would be much appreciated.

Have you ever held a British passport?

There have been several posts on this matter (just search for renouncing in the forum). See for example:

Northern Irish. Renounce british citizenship. Non eu spouse.

Northern Irish...EEA2.

No, I have never held a British passport. I just have a British birth certificate, and have an Irish passport. I am not from Northern Ireland though, I am from Wales. One of my parents is Irish, which entitled me to my Irish passport.

Well, this is a classic example on how the latest changes in EEA regulations don't make sense (same as the Dutch family mentioned here - also British, only British.

I suspect this thread will turn to a long debate about the act of the HO. In practice, to renounce you need to fill in a form and pay a fee (see renouncing BC) but I'm not sure it is required in your case.

Did you ever live somewhere else in the EU?

No, I've never lived anywhere in the EU except the UK. I've only lived in the UK and outside the EU.

I have found out on another forum that I will need to notify my regional benefits centre and local housing association of my plans to renounce my citizenship, and then they can process it and decide how it affects my benefits/entitlements.

The only remaining two questions I have are:

1) Is it possible my wife could be refused an EEA permit on the grounds that I gave up British citizenship just for immigration purposes?

2) What will happen to my National Insurance number and NHS number once I give up my citizenship? Will I lose these numbers?

hello i would like to ask a question im from morocco and my wife got dual nationality irish and british
in order to apply for eea resident card she has to give up her british citizenship she is getting housing and benefits and universal credit
if she give up british citizenship will she lose all benefit even she got an irish nationality
and will her insurance number change
and the last question will my application will be refused because she is applying for that for immigration rules