# Desperate to move back to the UK



## Lisa Edgar (Jan 16, 2013)

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anybody could offer me some advice. Before I get to my question, I’ll explain my situation (I’ll try to keep it brief!). I am a UK citizen, I have been living in the USA with my husband (a US citizen) for the past 2 years. Our plan was to stay here while he attended University and then once he had finished we would move back to the UK… or so we thought. 

We then found out about the changes to the UK spouse visa rules, which became effective in July 2012 and like so many other couples and families, we realised that moving back to the UK together was going to be almost impossible, as we couldn’t meet the savings requirement and I didn’t feel there was much chance of me being able to secure a job back in the UK from the other side of the Atlantic. I have always worked in administrative roles and I think the chance of a UK company hiring an office assistant/administrator that is unable to attend a face-to-face interview is slim.

Anyway, about a month ago I was trawling this site, as I often do, and I came across a thread about the Surinder Singh route. Within a few days we were planning our trip to Ireland and researching all of the necessary paperwork we would need to fill out before making the move and exercising our EU Treaty Rights. Then last night while I was talking to my mum (who is still in the UK), she had an idea that I think could work…

My mother was born in Ireland, however she has lived in England since she was a child, she was also an Irish citizen at the time of my birth, I checked on the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration website and it said that under these circumstances I am considered an Irish citizen. So, my question is this, if I apply for an Irish passport, will UK immigration view me as an EU national, who has every right to bring my non-EU husband to the UK to live with me? Or will the fact that I also hold a UK passport be problematic? I have never lived in Ireland (never even visited in fact), will this be risky? I would be extremely grateful if any of you have advice or can see a flaw with this plan!

Thanks in advance,

Lisa


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Your British passport supersedes any other passport you have for UK immigration purposes.

If holding a British passport you have to apply for spouse visa for your hubby if moving from US to UK.

However, with the British passport you can use the Surinder Singh route going to the UK via an EU country.


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## Lisa Edgar (Jan 16, 2013)

Crawford said:


> Your British passport supersedes any other passport you have for UK immigration purposes.
> 
> If holding a British passport you have to apply for spouse visa for your hubby if moving from US to UK.
> 
> However, with the British passport you can use the Surinder Singh route going to the UK via an EU country.


I have been reading up on renouncing my British nationality (I can claim it back at a later date apparently) and using an Irish passport to try to enter the UK with my husband, but I am just wondering what the repercussions of doing that might be? Do you know?


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Lisa Edgar said:


> I have been reading up on renouncing my British nationality (I can claim it back at a later date apparently) and using an Irish passport to try to enter the UK with my husband, but I am just wondering what the repercussions of doing that might be? Do you know?


Yikes ...... that's a bit radical. Sorry, don't know what repercussions that might cause.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Lisa Edgar said:


> I have been reading up on renouncing my British nationality (I can claim it back at a later date apparently) and using an Irish passport to try to enter the UK with my husband, but I am just wondering what the repercussions of doing that might be?


One repercussion is that it's somewhat expensive to recover British citizenship. Another is that you could jeopardize the British citizenship(s) of future children. You'd also have more difficulty pursuing certain British government positions. And your husband would have at least a much longer path to acquiring British citizenship through you.

I wouldn't recommend it. And that last part is alluding to the likely preferred option. From what I've read you and your husband could land in Ireland, and, assuming you document your Irish citizenship, he could apply for naturalization as an Irish citizen after as few as 3 years of legal residence in Ireland. His Irish citizenship would then give him the right to exercise independent EU treaty rights throughout Europe.

Note that you can visit Great Britain from Ireland frequently if you wish. Ireland and Great Britain comprise the Common Travel Area.


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## Preston City (May 21, 2019)

Hi
I have a Kiwi partner and a baby. I’m living in NZ but would like to return back home to the UK. I’m born and bread in the UK and hold a British passport, my partner holds a New Zealand passport.

Just reading this back door route through Ireland how would
She qualify living in the England? Would she need to stay in Ireland for a x number of months?

All help greatly appreciated.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

This is a pretty old thread - and things have changed quite a bit in light of Brexit and all. I've moved your other post to the UK forum.


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