Job Discussion Forums

[Crazy Eagle]

I heard something the other day: if one of your grandparents were born in a country in the EU, then you are eligible for an EU passport and can work in any of the EU countries.

My grandparents were born in England, and I was born in Canada. If I can prove where they were born, is it true I can work in the EU as a teacher? Does anyone have any experience with this>

Thanks!

[ls650]

I used to work with a teacher whose mother was born in the UK. This teacher, although born in Australia, was somehow able to get a UK passport and work in Europe.

Dunno the details, though...

[dyak]

I'm not sure but I think it has to be your parents that were born here in order for you to apply, but I could be wrong. You'd need to look into applying for a British Passport as 'EU Passports' don't really exist. Each member state has their own passport that allows freedom of movement within the EU, but severe red tape if you do anything more than move.

Try this site: http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk/ind/en/home.html

[Celeste]

For England, I believe that your parents can get the passport and that you can only get a working visa. My in-laws did this some time ago, and from what I remember, my Father-in-law (Canadian born with a British born father) was able to get a passport for the UK, but my sister-in-law was only able to get a work visa for England (though with considerable ease).

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

I heard that it's parents only for a British passport, too. If, however, one of your grandparents was from Ireland (I don't think it matters which, but I'm not sure), then you could get an Irish passport.

[JDYoung]

Each country in the European Union makes their own rules about who they wil grant citizenship, and thus a passport to. For the UK you can be registered as a UK citizen and get a UK passport if you were born in the UK or one of your parents was born in the UK. You will need the appropriate birth certificates to prove this.

Again, for the UK, if one or more of your grandparents were born in the UK but neither parent was, you can then apply for a UK Ancestry Visa. With a UK Ancestry Visa you can live and work in the UK but you do not become a UK citizen or get a UK passport unless you live there for 3 (I think) years.

I had hoped that since all four of my grandparents were born in the UK that might give me more ooomph to get UK citizenship without actually having to live there but no such luck. My mother got her UK citizenship as a child of parents born in the UK but that doesn't give me any more pull.

[go_ABs]

My initial response to this was the urge to say "Well, go ask your local British Embassy," but then I remembered when I did just that. The ridiculous language they used in their forms made things just about impossible to understand. Typical example:

"If you are a British Overseas Citizen living abroad, but not a British Overseas Citizen living in a British Overseas Territory, British Commonwealth Country or British Protectorate, then complete form FB twice, and send three to your Uncle George. However, if you are a British Overseas Citizen applying to Overseas Citizenship, Overseas residence permits or other guff, then DO NOT complete form FB on pain of disembowlment." etc

The upshot was that I could get a British passport despite being New Zealand born and bred. Why? Because my father and his parents were English born. My girlfriend could not get a British passport. Why? Because her grandmother was English born, and females don't count.

For New Zealanders applying for British passports there is a severe paternal bias. I of course don't know about in Canada, but I would suspect it would be the same.

My girlfriend can, however, get a Grandparent Home Residence visa, (or similar) which allows her to work in the UK for four years, on the basis of her English grandmother.

In any case, check with your embassy and ask around. You never know until you try.

PS My last experience with the British Embassy in NZ was a good one: when I applied for a passport renewal they charged me $60, renewed my passport, then gave me my $60 back. No explanation, or anything. I didn't mind

[joe-joe]

The above post regarding Irish nationality is true. As long as one of your grandparents was born in Ireland you can obtain an Irish passport. This is what I did. But one word of warning regarding getting passports for some other EU countries; if you are male, and still young/healthy enough, you may be liable for conscription into the military. This might be appealing if you fancy the outdoor life, and free food, but I would imagine to many it's not.....

[Crazy Eagle]

thanks for the info. The upshot seems to be that I will be able to work in the UK if one of my grandparents was born there.

But, my real motivation for asking the question was with regards to working in the EU, not just Ye Olde England.

So, does anyone have any insight into this? Thanks!

[ShrewsburyPie]

You need a passport in an EU country to work anywhere in the EU. About a year ago, I was deciding if I should get citizenship from an EU country (not the UK or Ireland but I dont want to say what country) or just a work permit. My mother is a citizen of the country so it wasnt an issue.

I went with citizenship because I wanted to move to the UK but now I have to lay low until I turn 30. Otherwise, I could get drafted.

But if you can get a work permit for the UK thats good enough. Just get a job as a normal teacher there if youre qualified. Or supply teaching even. And if youre not qualified, you can probably take classes there toward that.

Also, if you live there long enough (about five years, Id guess) you can probably apply for citizenship and then move wherever you want in the European Union. Or getting married to a British woman (or maybe even man) would certainly speed the process along. This is assuming youre a guy, of course.

Check the embassy site for better information. http://www.britainusa.com/