Australia

[Mon]

HI,

I have a question... I work in London (have been for the past 4 years) and am here on a Portuguese passport. I was born in South Africa and therefore an a holder of a S.A passport too... I know am wanting to go and work in Oz for a while but am finding it difficult... I have had a look on their immigration website and neither S.A. nor Portugal seem to have a reciprocal agreement with OZ for a working Holiday visa!!!!! AAARRRGGGHHH :bigcry:

Would anyone know what I could do to gain a visa? I do not think that I am eligible for a skilled migrant working visa either...the only option I can see is that I be lucky enough to find a company who will be willing to sponsor me (I work in finance)

As I am in the UK on my Portuguese passport, would I be able to apply for Brithish Citizenship on the back of my S.A. passport (even if I have to relinquish my S.A. passport) Am going to call the S.A. House today, but am a bit "scared" as youo know how helpful they can be!!!!

[John01]

Mon, how long have you lived in the UK?

You need to apply for SA permission before naturalising. That permission seems to be freely given and allows you to keep SA citizenship. (There are standard forms available, it seems no big deal.)

[Mon]

HI John01,

I got off the phone with the S.A. house and they advised me that I would need to apply to keep my citizenship. I also saw on the UK home office website that as a EU member I can apply for Indefinite leave to remain i.e. permanent residence and then apply for citizenship. The only thing that I am confused about is that the guy on the phone told me that I can apply for it after having lived in the UK for 4yrs (which will be in June 06) but the forms I printed from the internet for permanent residence states 5 yrs...He said that after 4yrs you apply and then you have a restriction time of 1yr and then you can apply for citizenship....

I will have to call back and clarify this....

[Hagar]

Hi Mon

SA allows you dual nationality as they have informed you, as long as you apply for that before applying for the second passport (dual citizenship). Have you not already done this if you already hold a Portuguese passport?

As far you already having a Portuguese passport, that might mean having to give that up if you want a British one. For as far as I know and stand to correction, EU citizens are only allowed one EU passport.

If this is the case why and what are your reasons for wanting a second or different EU passport?

As I thought about the same having a SA and Irish passport, now living in Germany. Thought about relinquishing my Irish for a German one, but as an EU citizen already, the ONLY advantage it would give me having a German one. Is being allowed to vote for the national government. As I/we already have a vote in our local authority and the European Parliament.

With your EU citizenship (Portuguese passport) what are the reasons or advantages for applying for a British one? Think you should first consider this question before going through the expense and mountains of admin.

oapbox: :luck:

[Mon]

I spoke to immigration this morning and the women was very helpful! She told me that the UK allows an individual to hold multiple citizenship(s) provided that the other countries allow it! She also said that I would be eligible for British citizenship after having exercised my european treaty rights in the UK , which is having lived in the UK for 5yrs. It used to be 4, but they changed the rule to 5 as of the 30 April 2006 ( I missed it by 2 weeks)

I then need to apply for indefinite leave to reamain (which for a EU cirizen is free of charge...phew else £500 id non EU) then I have an mmigration restriction of 1 yr where I need to remian in the UK and once that is over, I can apply for citizenship in the form of naturalisation! It is a lengthy process, but it is definitely worth it! I do know that I need to apply to keep my S.A. citizenship before I apply for the UK....