Has Anyone Swapped their British Passport for a European One?

[JtB]

My British passport expired sometime last year and given that one of my parents is Irish then I’m planning on applying for an Irish passport in a nice shade of burgundy. Just wondering if there would be any downside to making this my only passport. I know that entitlement to a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is based on UK Residency (not Nationality) and Irish passport holders don’t need to apply for “indefinite leave to remain”, but would there be any downside to not also applying for a new British passport?

 

[Cycleops]

Both Ireland and Britain allow dual nationality so you can have both.

 

[Once a Wheeler]

Take a lesson from the Jews, the Kurds, the Russians, the Armenians… the list is almost endless but the lesson is the same:
Get every passport you can possibly qualify for — you never know when the revolution is coming.

 

[aferris2]

My sister is applying for one as our grandmother was Irish. It isn't a quick process...
Without looking through old emails, I think she has trying to process this for close to a year and there is no end in sight yet. As stated above, you can have British and Irish, so might make sense to renew the British one if you are hoping to go anywhere soonish.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

My sister is applying for one as our grandmother was Irish. It isn't a quick process...
Without looking through old emails, I think she has trying to process this for close to a year and there is no end in sight yet. As stated above, you can have British and Irish, so might make sense to renew the British one if you are hoping to go anywhere soonish.

The passport process should only take 6 to 8 weeks, is your sister still going through the citizenship application (foreign birth register)? FBR applications were paused for a while as Ireland was in level 5 of covid restrictions.

 

[Tenkaykev]

I have both a British and an Irish Passport. My mum was from Dublin so my passport application was fairly straightforward ( I needed copies of her birth and marriage certificates)
My daughters are currently applying for Irish citizenship, but that’s more convoluted.

 

[aferris2]

The passport process should only take 6 to 8 weeks, is your sister still going through the citizenship application (foreign birth register)? FBR applications were paused for a while as Ireland was in level 5 of covid restrictions.

Yes I think so. It would explain the delay.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Yes I think so. It would explain the delay.

Pre-covid the processing time was 6-9 months. You can expect double that now.

 

[Tenkaykev]

One daughter has lived in Edinburgh for quite a few years. It’s possible that she will be able to apply for a Scottish passport in a few years time…

 

[Drago]

Take a lesson from the Jews, the Kurds, the Russians, the Armenians… the list is almost endless but the lesson is the same:
Get every passport you can possibly qualify for — you never know when the revolution is coming.

Although strangely, being able to travel on a country's passport does not make you a citizen of that nation or even grant you automatic right to reside there.

It merely allows you to travel under the protection of the diplomatic arrangements of that nation, and benefit from international law and treaties as they apply to that nation.

Folk that have lived here for decades and suddenly find themselves being deported invarably complain to the Guardian about how they have a British passport - that makes no odds. The passport determines the protections under which you travel, not where you are entitled to reside, work, or start a hand car wash.

 

[Archie_tect]

Friend who's going through Irish citizenship has spent a lot of time and money so far.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Although strangely, being able to travel on a country's passport does not make you a citizen of that nation or even grant you automatic right to reside there.

It merely allows you to travel under the protection of the diplomatic arrangements of that nation, and benefit from international law and treaties as they apply to that nation.

Folk that have lived here for decades and suddenly find themselves being deported invarably complain to the Guardian about how they have a British passport - that makes no odds. The passport determines the protections under which you travel, not where you are entitled to reside, work, or start a hand car wash.

My Irish Passport states that I, the bearer, am a citizen of Ireland.

 

[Cycleops]

An Irish passport enables you to travel internationally and serves as evidence of Irish nationality and citizenship of the European Union. It also facilitates the access to consular assistance from both Irish embassies and any embassy from other European Union member states while abroad.
You can also live and work in Ireland and in European Union states

 

[fossyant]

Irish grandparents here, but why bother. I live in England, been to Ireland once. Unlikely to be going overseas anyway.

 

[welsh dragon]

I have dual nationality. Irish is one of them. Got my Irish passport about 3 years ago now. I am not a British citizen and never have been. It comes in handy if identity is needed