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I thought there were no citizens of UK. Aren't they still the Queen's subjects?
Don't know about those toadies and hangers-on like Canadians and Australians and NZers - probably them too.
My passport notes that I'm a citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. What was your question?
My passport notes that I'm a citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. What was your question?
Your passport is (probably) lying to you.
Everything in UK happens at Her Majesty's pleasure, courtesy of the so-called "unwritten constitution".
BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Are we subjects or citizens?
Quote: Here's the tricky bit for the UK: When you search for the piece of paper explaining exactly when we stopped being subjects and became citizens, you won't find it, although admittedly passports now use the word citizens...So while we are legally "subjects" because there isn't a single piece of paper that says otherwise, the sweep of history essentially finds that we are citizens, albeit in constitutionally different ways to other nations.
Your passport is (probably) lying to you.
Everything in UK happens at Her Majesty's pleasure, courtesy of the so-called "unwritten constitution".
BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Are we subjects or citizens?
Quote: Here's the tricky bit for the UK: When you search for the piece of paper explaining exactly when we stopped being subjects and became citizens, you won't find it, although admittedly passports now use the word citizens...So while we are legally "subjects" because there isn't a single piece of paper that says otherwise, the sweep of history essentially finds that we are citizens, albeit in constitutionally different ways to other nations.
You really want to get into telling a Brit what being British is all about? Whether or not my passport is "lying" to me or not, as long as it affords me passage to where I want to go I've no issues with it. Anything to offer where the thread subject is concerned?
I've been a GC holder for 7 years now and at this point I'm content with that. My main reason to not apply for citizenship is because my country of origin does not allow dual-citizenship. I would need to renounce my country of origin citizenship to be a US citizen and I'm not ready yet to let go.
I love living and working in the US - I've been here for 14 years since I originally came here as a college student. But in a sense, my country of origin's citizenship is like a safety net. I have a GC due to my marriage to a US citizen, and if something were to happen to my husband, I would probably go back to my country to be with my parents and extended family. I feel like I have more support system back there.
If my country of origin legalize dual citizenship (there has been talk), then I will definitely apply for US citizenship.
I think that this is a big reason for many GC holders. My father has not become a citizen even though he has lived in the US for over 40 years. My mother however became a citizen because she was allowed to have duel citizenship. One of my goals is now to get citizenship in my mother's country so that I can gain access to UK and EU citizenship, not sure what I would do with it but it seems like it could one day be useful.
You really want to get into telling a Brit what being British is all about? Whether or not my passport is "lying" to me or not, as long as it affords me passage to where I want to go I've no issues with it. Anything to offer where the thread subject is concerned?
It was a sidebar. I help misguided people everywhere without regards to nationality
I notice you didn't say you were not a subject of Her Majesty.
Well the question will become a little Mute for some 5 million undocumented that crossed our borders illegally.
Seems Obama will offer/pass a free immigration bill covering all those who broke US laws while crossing into Texas and Ariz.....citizenship...probably not but a Green Card would be in the making without a doubt.
A slap in the face to all those standing in line doing the LEGAL process.
I've been a GC holder for 7 years now and at this point I'm content with that. My main reason to not apply for citizenship is because my country of origin does not allow dual-citizenship. I would need to renounce my country of origin citizenship to be a US citizen and I'm not ready yet to let go.
I love living and working in the US - I've been here for 14 years since I originally came here as a college student. But in a sense, my country of origin's citizenship is like a safety net. I have a GC due to my marriage to a US citizen, and if something were to happen to my husband, I would probably go back to my country to be with my parents and extended family. I feel like I have more support system back there.
If my country of origin legalize dual citizenship (there has been talk), then I will definitely apply for US citizenship.
Here is a tax reason to become a US citizen.
If you are a US citizen and your spouse dies, tax on the portion of the estate that you receive is deferred until you die. If you are not a US citizen and your spouse dies then tax on the estate becomes payable immediately.
So, a green card holder has the same rights as a citizen. He pays taxes the same way, finds a job, travels, owns a car/house etc just like a citizen. Why do green card holders bother to apply for citizenship then?
Because green cards are never permanent and you get no vote and your not represented official at all. Citizens can not be deported. Even a minor offense not a felony can result in deportation.
Your passport is (probably) lying to you.
Everything in UK happens at Her Majesty's pleasure, courtesy of the so-called "unwritten constitution".
BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Are we subjects or citizens?
Quote: Here's the tricky bit for the UK: When you search for the piece of paper explaining exactly when we stopped being subjects and became citizens, you won't find it, although admittedly passports now use the word citizens...So while we are legally "subjects" because there isn't a single piece of paper that says otherwise, the sweep of history essentially finds that we are citizens, albeit in constitutionally different ways to other nations.
The bottom line - it is a UK passport with its rights and responsibilities.
UOn 1 January 1983, upon the coming into force of the British Nationality Act 1981, every citizen of the United Kingdom and colonies became either a British citizen, British Dependent Territories citizen or British Overseas citizen.
Use of the term British subject was discontinued for all persons who fell into these categories, or who had a national citizenship of any other Commonwealth country. The category of British subjects now includes only those people formerly known as British subjects without citizenship and people born in Ireland before 1949. In statutes passed before 1 January 1983, however, references to British subjects are interpreted as if they referred to Commonwealth citizens.
British citizens are not British subjects under the 1981 Act. The only circumstance where a person may be both a British subject and British citizen simultaneously is a case where a British subject connected with Ireland (s. 31 of the 1981 Act) acquires British citizenship by naturalisation or registration. In this case only, British subject status is not lost upon acquiring British citizenship. The status of British subject cannot now be transmitted by descent, and will become extinct with the passing of all existing British subjects.
British subjects, other than by those who obtained their status by virtue of a connection to Ireland prior to 1949, automatically lose their British subject status on acquiring any other nationality, including British citizenship, under section 35 of the British Nationality Act 1981.
In 2010, around 3,500 British Subject passports were issued each year, with the number steadily declining over time.
In the Q&A to that bbc article the author grudgingly notes that the 1981 Act refers to citizenship, after having noted that the distinction in the article was her subjective interpretation.
But it's (1) semantics anyway for all intents and purposes and (2) irrelevant to the thread.
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