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spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

....and do your part to help wipe out Malta's debt at the same time:-)

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/12/21/world/europe/malta-citizenship-program/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 7:21 pm Post subject:

Tefl teachers of the non-EU world unite! You have a passport to gain, and just half a million Euro to lose!!

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I wonder how many TEFL teachers it would take to amass funds enough to buy one of them a Maltese passport....we could organize a lottery sort of thing...

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 8:16 pm Post subject:

I also wonder how many Marxist economists it would take to work out how long it would take for a TEFLer slaving away in the EU to earn back their initial passport investment : )

I suspect the answer runs into a couple of generations... I'll have to have my GosPlan boys look into it.

DrTongue · Joined: 08 Mar 2013 Posts: 29

As an American who spent several weeks in Malta earlier this year, I have to say I'd much rather obtain a passport the old fashioned way . . . by marrying one of the hot Maltese. Better yet, make that a hot Maltese with an extra half million Euro lying around.

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 8:28 pm Post subject:

With the rising costs of living in most of EUland these days, that half million Euro won't last long - and that is even before the iniquitous taxman grabs his royal share, grr hiss boo!

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

It can be a mistake to assume that marriage is a ticket to citizenship. It most certainly is not in the UK !

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

That's why I thought buying a passport was a pretty hot tip:-)

Marriage to an EU member citizen isn't an automatic ticket to citizenship in any EU country I know of, actually. It normally gets one the right to live/work in the spouse's home country (and perhaps that only after some legal hassles and wait-times) but it's not a free pass to the rest of EU-land by any means.

DrTongue · Joined: 08 Mar 2013 Posts: 29

Oh, I know that, though it's not a bad reminder considering how many people do think they can marry into unlimited EU freedom. My comment was meant as an expression of love for Malta where I would quite happily stay if I legally could. As it stands, I am a little short for the passport purchase program. Ah, well, I'm quite happy there on my holidays.

Come to think of it, my odds of scaring up a few hundred thousand euro are probably better than romancing a Maltese person, so maybe I should start shaking the sofa cushions for change.

sparks · Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 632

As far as I know, for Poland, at least, it's pretty much impossible to become an actual citizen of the country unless you are granted it by the President, are a refugee of some sort, have lineage, or are in some other unusual circumstance. The most anyone else can get is permanent residence, even through marriage.

delphian-domine · Joined: 11 Mar 2011 Posts: 674

No, not at all. Polish citizenship is a doddle to get - someone married to a Polish citizen merely needs to be resident for 3 years here, as well as passing a State Exam in Polish at B1 level. Nothing complicated.

Even those merely here for work can obtain citizenship after 7 years - 5 years of temporary residency, 2 years of permanent residency, the Polish exam at B1 and voila.

The Presidential route is for those who are needed as Polish citizens for some reason - for instance, a world-class footballer who offers to play for Poland.

As for marrying into EU freedom, it certainly is the case. Family members of an EU citizen have the absolute right to be with their EU family member in any EU country that they choose. The UK has imposed some illegal restrictions, but the Schengen countries all obey this.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Yes, we all have the right to live in the country where our EU spouse is living (whether that's his/her home country or not) but work permission is NOT automatic outside the spouse's home country.

delphian-domine · Joined: 11 Mar 2011 Posts: 674

Depends on the EU country really - Poland for instance allows non-EU family members the automatic right to work without a work permit. They still need residence permits, of course.