Children by a foreign bride

[Ryenwine]

Greetings from England.

I came across your forum recently, and I think it is very good.

Here is a potential problem that was brought to my notice by one of the newspapers here. There is a man in Yorkshire (north England) who has been living with a German woman for some years, but without formalising the marriage. ie no marriage certificate. They have a daughter. Recently, they tried to get her a passport, so the family could travel. But they were told that, as her mother is not legally married to the father, she does not qualify for British citizenship. According to the law, the girl has her mother's nationality (German). The father now has to get British citizenship for his daughter, at a cost of £500, so she can have a British passport.

Here in England, this is a problem that could easily come up, as we are close to Europe, and part of the European Union. We also get many people coming here from both within and outside the EU--to work, or as students. I've known some personally. For example, I once knew a female student from faraway Mongolia! We didn't have a romance, though.

If you are in an unlicensed marriage with someone not a citizen of your country, you need to find out what the citizenship of any children you have, may be.

 

[mrscottyl]

This actually makes me think about something that has to do with what goes on over here across the pond. In the US, we are all states, and have one Federal government. It seems to me the EU is moving slowly at setting everything up with that in mind over there as well.

Was she born in the UK? If a person is born here in the US, they automatically have citizenship here. The other question I have is can the man just go and get her a German passport? That would seem to me to be easier and cheaper.

Scott

 

[Ryenwine]

It seems to me the EU is moving slowly at setting everything up with that in mind over there as well.

I'm sure you're right. My feeling is that a "United States of Europe" was the goal from the outset, but our leaders have conviced themselves that that is not the case. At present, the Eu is more a confederation of independent states. Some EU countries are more assiduous in obeying the EU "directives" than others.

Was she born in the UK? If a person is born here in the US, they automatically have citizenship here.

Born in the UK, I believe. German nationals have the right to live and work here, of course, but they cannot vote in our elections, carry a British passport, and getting welfare involves another level of bureaucracy.

The other question I have is can the man just go and get her a German passport? That would seem to me to be easier and cheaper.

That's what I'd do! You may have seen on TV one of the BBC news journalists, Matt Frei, who is based in the US. He speaks beautiful english, but he is in fact German, and carries a German passport. His father still lives in Berlin. He appeared with his Dad in a TV doc about Berlin.

It is not unlikely that I may acquire a partner who is a national of another country, it is the sort of thing I can see happening. I also have a brother, who is in that position now (or soon will be.) Hence my interest

---Ryenwine

 

[mrscottyl]

From what I understand, as being one from the US and not Europe, it is easier to have a European passport to travel around than having say, a US passport. I know that they now place RFID chips in the US passports, for tracking purposes, which is why I have been loathe to obtain one myself.

You may have seen on TV one of the BBC news journalists, Matt Frei, who is based in the US. He speaks beautiful english, but he is in fact German, and carries a German passport. His father still lives in Berlin. He appeared with his Dad in a TV doc about Berlin.

I have seen him but was not aware that he was German.

Scott

 

[Isabella]

Since all EU Nationals are treated pretty much the same outside of the EU, getting a German passport should not be a problem with regards to travelling outside of the EU. It might only cause her problems as an adult if she wants to claim certain benefits for herself, but depending on the status of the mother, she might end up getting UK citizenship in the end.

It is less of a problem in the States at least.