Santander no longer offers paper statements so am hoping that will be okay, Will try and look into how much one needs to make to spnsor a wife. I'm hoping DLA will still make up for it.
I have never seen anyone do a follow up video about getting citizenship so this was really interesting. It is so good that it made you feel more accepted and more settled. I know you had to work through a lot of stuff to get here so it must feel good not to ever have to worry about it again.
Diolch yn fawr iawn/ Thank you for becoming a UK citizen. I hope that you are here for ever, we are fortunate to have you here. May I refer to the drinking water comparison in your other video. On a Florida USA trip I drank out of the tap, via my cup, and it was so horrible I spat it out. There was a guy standing next to me who said in a broad Floridian accent "From the UK, I guess?"😊 yep, he loved the UK tap water and was amazed that it could be drank when compared to USA tap water. Our subsequent conversation, for a hour over coffee, was very much a compare and contrast, as you have done in your videos. Conclusion = what you gain on the swings you loose on the roundabouts. All the very best.
As a Canadian with a Scottish mother, I got "British Right of Abode" 30 years ago (permanent right to live and work in the UK). I was called a "Yank" by a policewoman in Edinburgh, which is the ultimate insult to a Canadian. They changed the law to allow British Citizenship by mother, and I got British Citizenship and Passport within 2 weeks of applying. I was the only person at the Citizenship Ceremony, and photos were not allowed inside the British Embassy (South America). I am as British as the Queen (King), but I expected slightly better treatment as it was one of the most important days of my life.
As a retired immigration officer i can answer the passport one for you. If you are a UK citizen and have more than one citizenship you either use a UK passport or a certificate of entitlement of right of abode unless your second citizenship is irish because then you can use either passport.
I did get bounced back on the 3 yr clause at one point. It felt very strange and arbitrary, but you can restart the process immediately. My ceremony was online so that was even more anticlimactic. Glad to hear I'm not the only one who was wildly relieved about not having to squirrel away decades worth of random paper records. Finally being able to get rid of old rental agreements, work pay stubs, and utility bills was an incredible feeling.
Ah man, I'm sorry yours was online! Congratulations to you as well though and glad you can relate to the paperwork relief after having it all done. I actually get rid of most things now just because I can - such power. :)
Congratulations on two years of citizenship! I missed your ceremony coverage, when no guests were allowed till afterwards. Keep it up, for you're doing a splendid service for your country, still!
if you're travelling round trip to the US, then basically you would book the airline line tickets with your British passport, enter the US on your American passport and re-enter the UK on your British passport. That's how I've always done it (also a dual UK-US national).
I've been around since way before you became a dual US & UK citizen. Love all of your videos both now and then. Loved some of your adventures traveling. Especially a hike you did in the UK - can't remember where. Keep 'em coming. Kate in California. 🌴
It's really interesting to hear your experiences of living in the UK after living in the US for so long. Must be great not having to queue as a foreigner in either country!
Still around from the original version of your channel. UK citizen who has never been to the US (which is why I find your old content as fascinating as the new).
I think I started following your channel during one of the COVID lockdowns and I'm still here and still enjoying your videos. In fact, I think your recent 'deep dives' have been even more entertaining than your old videos.
Yes, I definitely know we go pretty far back Roger! Always love having you watching. I love the deep dives. Coming up is the house numbering video I talked about, as well as a history of the UK postbox!
😊 Of course I've been excited to follow your citizenship journey and I'm so proud of how your channel and your business has grown. You really do seem more settled and content - driving, ice skating, living your UK life. Many hugs, my sweet friend. ☺️
Thank you for explaining the passport situation! I’m working on getting dual-citizenship through my Oma and dad and I was stressed out about traveling with 2 passports! lol. (I also suggest that if people are interested in dual-citizenship to look onto your family ancestry and the laws in different countries. Apparently, there are millions of American citizens who are eligible and don’t even know it. I’m eligible for both German and Italian.)
Yes! I so wish I had ancestry visa eligibility - enjoy that perka and definitely get as many citizenships as you can, that's what I think! I would never give up my American one though, so if the UK one required that I do that, I wouldn't have. Thanks for watching. :)
Apply for the Italian one, but not the German one. Germany does not allow dual citizenship (except possibly in other EU countries, but definitely not the US or Canada).
@@LoveClassicMusic0205 By your statement, it seems that you are saying that Canada doesn't allow Dual Citizenship. That is certainly not true. Canada will even allow Triple Citizenship. for example, if each parent is from a different country, and you were born in Canada, or in my cousins case, she was born in the USA, her dad was Canadian, and her mom was English. The US begrudgingly allowed her to have dual, so she chose US and British. (she can still get a Canadian passport at any time, though) If I mistook your statement, I apologise, but it seemed you were saying that the US and Canada are like Germany, in only allowing one citizenship.
@@dougwilson4537 No, what I meant was that if she tried to get German citizenship, she would have to renounce any other citizenships before Germany would grant citizenship via naturalization. It's not worth it. Italian citizenship doesn't have this limitation and is still part of the EU like Germany. That's why I said get Italy and not Germany.
@@LoveClassicMusic0205 I do not need to renounce any citizenship to get dual German citizenship. It is through the recent Stag 5 law that was put into place to combat gender discrimination from the past as German women would lose their German citizenship if they married a foreigner - but this did not happen to men. So the men could then pass on citizenship to their children and the women could not. Also, Germany will soon become more friendly to those applying for citizenship and will allow people to keep their current citizenships without needing to renounce. This should come into effect this year. It would easily take me 7+ years to get my Italian citizenship with how bad and inefficient their government is. This is why my son and I are getting German citizenship.
Happy second anniversary. I can't believe it's well over two years since we saw you stressing about the final stages of getting your UK citizenship. I hope you feel a lot more secure here now, but I doubt you would have needed to worry about getting deported.
Great video, it's so interesting to hear about your history in the UK and what your journey was, I'm glad you were able to obtain citizenship in the UK. One thing I would advise not to do is try to avoid referring to yourself as an expat, because expat implies a temporary move of five years or less. An immigrant is someone who moves to another country to become a citizen or permanent resident, and there is nothing wrong with being an immigrant, it means you've built a life here and have committed to becoming a part of the country and that is awesome!
I am British and now American too. I have been here in the states for 20 years. I am concerned whether I would have any problems settling in the UK again if I needed to. If my American wife died or something I would definitely consider moving back to the UK. I have no idea now what the laws are in the UK now regarding returning expats.
I wouldn't have thought so if you have retained your British citizenship. After all, that's what a passport means: you have the right to live and work in that particular country. I'd be very surprised if I was wrong.
Your citizenship is forever unless you actively renounce it. If you haven't had a British passport in a while, you might have to do some digging for documents proving your citizenship, but you don't have to worry about losing it just because you haven't lived there in a long time. I would recommend applying for a UK passport even if you don't think you will need it. It would definitely be useful if you ever had to go back, even just for a quick visit. I don't know about the UK, but US citizens are required to use their US passport whenever entering the country, no matter how many other citizenships they may hold.
I remember having a conversation with an American on Quora once about dual nationality. His view was that anyone who got dual nationality was "gaming the system". I tried to point out that neither the UK or Australian government, friends and family had any issue with my step daughter having dual nationality, but he was convinced that people only did it if they were trying to be 'devious' or 'fraudulent'. He was of the opinion that Americans should be forced to give up American citizenship if they wanted to get it in another country.
Thanks for the interesting video! I'm trying to decide if I want to go for citizenship as I have settled status and have been here 12 years...definitely not having to deal with what could change in the future is my biggest focus. And being able to throw out paperwork! 😂
welcome to the uk kaylin my wife is from botswana and i know what you mean with all the visas there exspensive my wife has been here since 2020 and she has the leave to remain visa as im her sponser weve got to renew it this year which is another 6 grand.
This is so helpful, thank you! 🙏 I’m working toward this, but wondering if anyone has insight into a particular situation: If I have to go back to America for short periods to care for my aging mother, does this count against me for the 3 years? I think there’s a certain number of days I could go, but your mention of holidays makes me wonder. Thanks again!
My daughter, born in AZ has dual UK / US citizenship. When we arrived in the US many years ago we handed 5 UK passports + one US passport to immigration. He looked at them carefully and then said "Who is the good guy? Who is Clare?" It made the day for my daughter who was about 5 years old at the time.
Congratulations on your British citizenship. I've watched your videos over the years. I have dual citizenship in New Zealand and Australia, which I guess is more like having Canadian and US passports.
🇨🇦 Interestingly, Britain allows citizens from any Commonwealth country like Canada to vote and have other privileges not allowed to those from other Commonwealth countries, but Canada does not allow citizens from the UK to vote here or hold any kind of public office without having taken out Canadian citizenship. I’m not sure about the laws in other Commonwealth countries such as Australia or NZ.
Yep it’s the same everywhere just the uk treats all commonwealth citizens as British when they live in the uk. So you can vote and have the same rights as people of the uk in the uk you can also use British embassies overseas as last resort.
I'm so glad you have it 24 months behind you now, as it almost is more than strenuous, now! It was so different when I had my turn, in the mid-90s, to naturalise in the UK via my dad's citizenship and five year's indefinite leave, plus indeed no access to welfare benefits. I'm from South Africa originally, and have returned to there after twenty five years in England, which I still identify with!😊 We have something extra as British when we're at home and not abroad: being subjects of the King. Barely matters but it comes with citizenship of the UK. I was super glad when Brexit happened, and I agree with those who say that it is working for the better. Keep up the good work, Kaylan!
I was there two or three years ago when you went through all the palaver of getting visas and finally citizenship. Nice to hear that you still think it was a good idea... Now back to the weird stuff :-)
That's interesting, I am a dual British/Australian citizen, but if I travel OS (from Australia) I can only use one or the other as the passport has to have matching departure and return stamps.
The citizenship certificate and ceremony were introduced a few years ago because getting your citizenship was a bit of an anti-climax previously. But they aren't actually needed for official purposes.
I am a Brit, who has lived in the US since 1982 (except for 3 years in Australia and 3 years in Hong Kong for work). I am a Permanent Resident, with a Green Card. At the time I got my green card, they did not expire, and are therefore good - supposedly - forever! However, whenever I come back to the US from any type of trip outside the US, including Canada, almost none of the immigration officers know about this, and it causes so much hassle. I now carry a printed out form from the US Govt. that states that my card has no expiry date, and that the officer needs to add a 0 to the number when typing it in to the system. I can't tell you how much stress this has caused me, as often this is considered as be being a know-it-all - and as recently as this week, I was fingerprinted as I re-entered the US from the UK. I am also asked constantly by Immigration why I haven't become a citizen after living here for so long. I find that to be incredibly invasive, and none of their business. There is no rule that says that you need to become a citizen after a certain amount of time. I know that I can hold dual citizenship - but if I choose to remain British, either tell me that I need to renew my card or educate your immigration officers as to the rules. I have owned a home, and a business here in the US, employed many US citizens, put my son through University here at my expense, and have done nothing that would jeopardize my being a "visitor" here. This last encounter at customs/immigration has made me fearful of leaving/returning here as it was so upsetting. My husband has exactly the same green card as we came at the same time, but as a Canadian, he is not hassled. My son is also Canadian, but as he came here as a minor, he has a different type of Green card, which he does have to renew.
It makes a Change to hear foreigners not calling the UK . ( I don't think your a Foreigner Just an English speaker with a different accent) Of were not used to different Accents in Britain 😂. But im so pleased for you , I really enjoy your honest opinions. because im not under the impression that we do everything Correct. Ive travelled all over Europe and seen plenty of things.ive thought ho thats a good Idea .Your vote is Private Love .only the voting Booth and you will know that.
Congratulations on the two year anniversary! I still remember going through the spousal visa process for my wife, thankfully finished 5 or 6 years ago. The sheer amount of paperwork & money involved in the visa application -> FLR(M) -> ILR -> Citizenship process still haunts my dreams! And many people still somehow think it's easy to immigrate.
Yes - you have to declare taxable earnings as an American citizen no matter where you live. But you do not have to actually pay the tax up to a certain point if you've already paid in another country if there is an agreement in place (there is one between the UK and US). But once you go over that threshold (very high - around 112,000 USD currently), you'd be double taxed on the money above that amount.
Congrats on 2yrs ! Yes I remember your vid about the ceremony. Didn't they mess or mix your name up? Or something went weird? Anyway you said 'Gotten!' Really Kaylin?!😉😁...Seriously, we Brits brought over some Middle English in the 1600s and I sware 'Gotten' was one that us modern Brits have simplified to 'Got'. And the 'Real ' in real estate also down to us Brits. Thats another video idea💡: Middle English vs Miriram-Webster 🙂
I think it is a little bit easier actually due to a few different rules and less time required before you're eligible, but the greencard and ultimately citizenship process has been known to take longer overall than the UK process where in the UK process they actually give you your maximum amount of time you'll have to wait - in the US, you could be waiting any number of different lengths of time before getting that first greencard and it's more uncertain in that aspect.
@@GirlGoneLondonofficial Thanks. My brother has been living in Boston for 12 years and he still isn't a US citizen, although I'm not totally sure whether he actually wants to be one.
Interesting! I think it's 3 years on the right visa to be a US citizen so it may be he doesn't want to be one - and doesn't need to be. I could have stayed in the UK under the indefinite leave to remain visa without ever needing to be a citizen, but I felt being a citizen would be the better route for my long term certainty.
Hiya. Yep, been with you since the start and you even used to disappear every now and again back then. Think it was to do with a travel website and book??? Anyway, hope you'll stay around a tad longer this time. Stay safe. All the best to you.
So do you do take both passports that was my 1st Question So you choose the one that benefits you the most ? What if you’re in another country, do you choose the passport where that country treats you nicer? Say your in China and they don’t like Americans (not sure why they wouldn’t we’re awesome)so you use your British one that kinda thing. Do certain nationalities get perks or things cheaper?
Thinking about it I have no idea how I came to be watching your videos but I did and have done ever since, including the citizenship video you talked about. I guess I should just google it but does the citizenship mean you can now claim unemployment benefits and no longer have to pay the nhs surcharge?
How does dual citizenship affect your taxation? It's my understanding that if you're a US citizen, you pay US taxes wherever it is earned. The thing about citizenship ceremonies is rather baffling, but it propably comes down to a British trait - understatement. The same reason we don't feel it necessary to fly Union flags on our houses!
Thank you for watching! I still have to declare taxes in the US and "file", but I don't have to paid taxes to them unless I make over $112,000 USD equivalent in a year which I do not! So I am protected by a UK/US treaty against double taxation up to that point, but I still have to declare to the US what I earn in the UK, if that makes sense!
Appreciate an in-depth video FOR Americans that are hoping to BECOME British citizens to escape this garbage fire that used to be the flagship of the free world. TH-cam just keeps constantly giving my search videos on the exact *OPPOSITE!*
Nice to get an update about how gaining your citizenship has affected your life. It must be so much simpler and less stressful in many ways. Now- back to the REALLY important stuff - House Numbers- bring it on!😂
For certain types of financial investments you will still be asked if you are a citizen of the USA, so there may be some restrictions, or reporting to USA, because of this.
Things have changed over the years and my impression is for the worse. My mother, a German, married my father in 1947 and they came to this country to settle down. As far as I know my mother wasn't quizzed or took an oath but she received a UK passport solely because she was married to my British father. My wife is Guyanese and she arrived in UK via Canada and 6 years later swore an oath at a notary and became a citizen. Today it all seems much more complex and unreasonable.
@@cosycoffeee It appears that I qualify for German citizenship as a birth right but the issue is that under the regs I can have dual nationality in UK but I would have to renounce my UK citizenship to get the German one - that will not happen.
@@clivewilliams3661 if you qualify under the new stag 5 law then you don’t have to renounce. They also just voted this year on allowing people (in general) to keep their citizenship when applying. This should go into effect within the next few months.
@@cosycoffeee Thank you for that. I Googled it and the answer was that to take citizenship under the Stag5 provisions I would have to renounce my UK nationality as UK is no longer in EU. However, I am unlikely to even consider dual nationality status as there is no advantage. A friend of mine many years ago had dual German/British nationality and during his young adulthood he was fearful of going to Germany lest they called him up for conscription! That would definitely not apply to me although at the time two of my cousins were conscripted!
@@clivewilliams3661 I don’t know where you are seeing that you need to renounce, but that’s simply not true. I’m looking at the German website and it states that you do not need to renounce for stag 5 unless your current citizenship country does not allow dual citizenship. But the UK does. I, for example, have U.S. citizenship (which is obviously not in the EU) and I don’t need to renounce that when I obtain German citizenship. Also, Germany got rid of conscription in 2011. I personally think having an EU citizenship after Brexit would absolutely be worth it. EDIT: Also I just looked up more into conscription and, even if it ever came back, it would not apply to (and never did apply to) German citizens who live/lived outside of Germany.
I have been with you all the time and I am pleased you are now settled and happy. Do you now buy English clothes or do you still need to have US clothes?
@@GirlGoneLondonofficialIndeed, you're quite right; yet, that suggestion would have to be 1st OF January 2023, to make sense. But, I use both 'dates' all the time:....we're not really divided by a common language, are we?😂🎉
My Wife and I have watched all your videos from before you became "One of us", and kept checking to see if any new ones came up when you stopped posting for a while. We noticed when you did restart, you have stopped wearing your wedding ring - should we infer something from this? Or are things the same as before, and you just don't wear the ring any more? Or are we being too nosey!? Brian and Rhona.
Hello Brian and Rhona and thank you so much for watching! So glad to have you as part of the community! Haha, that's funny that you noticed - I took it off when we went on holiday with a lot of snorkeling and swimming activities a few months ago and have just left it in the box for now - no real reason. Still married. :)
Typically, we play as the home nations in football or soccer as you call it. I think we only play a women's football team at the Olympics. In the Rugby League World Cup we also send a Great Britain team. In the Ryder Cup in golf, the UK plays as part of the European team. England can be drawn to play the USA at the football World Cup
I remember your videos from 2 years ago and when you got your indefinite leave to remain. I used to work with an American lady from Georgia who got it around the same time. She has been living here about 11 years now and I couldn't believe the amount of study and money involved! You probably know more about British history than most Brits. Its ironic how you put in all that effort and money to not get deported while we have the small boat people allowed to do whatever they want .
Totally agree with the gist of your post, but it's a pity you felt it necessary to add a snide and totally inaccurate statement about people in small boats.
Commonwealth and Irish citizens legally ordinarily resident in the UK are entitled to stand and vote in local and Parliamentary elections. These are rights not confined to British citizens.British citizens ordinarily resident abroad (apart from those posted abroad on official government business), lose the right to stand and vote in elections. Don't worry about “gotten”. It is perfectly acceptable English. The word is frequently used in phrases such as “ill-gotten gains” (those obtained by deceit or disreputable actions), or “my only begotten son”. I have been watching your You Tube submissions for years. They are always excellent. On house numbering, please remember that in the UK, there are anomalies, such as no numbering at all, and group numbering, where groups of (usually terraced) houses on the same side of the road are numbered consecutively (not odd and even according to the side of the road they are on) within a street, for example “3 Church Terrace, Vicarage Lane, Bowdon“, where Vicarage Lane is the name of the street, and the house is the third in a block of terraced houses somewhere along the street.
I remember very well the good old days of when there was a mixture of anxiety and nerves and excitement as you started and completed this journey of becoming a citizen. They were always involving and were full of moments of shared frustration and yet lots of fun as well. In the end once that had died down. I guess being cynical all it meant besides the fact that it is practically far easier now to travel in and out of the Country. Is that one failed system and Country looks much like another. Interesting that you don't necessarily feel any added connection culturally. That does make sense. Does that mean you still have the American 'can do spirit 'as opposed to the British ' Can't be bothered' one. It may just be the British Winter weather when every day is a storm and it's dark by the time you put on the last winter layer of sweaters. But forget the culture. Have you got used to the cold and dark. Yes I know the States has it all and worse. But if you come from a sunnier place, the gloom is what can hit many hard. I always look forward to the future weirder reflections and comparisons......Now where can I go to get a visa to leave the planet.
I've watched your video's for years, and you have become more British over time, esp with the way you talk, eg "gotten" a totally British word and it's in the OED. But because it happens to you slowly you do not notice, unless you go back to your early video's.
@@GirlGoneLondonofficial Ouch! As a British Ex Pat living in the ROI glad that I don't have to file a UK one but can vote in Irish elections but not UK ones as let that slip as forgot to renew the right, has to be done before more than 15 years out of the country. Found that out before the Brexit vote. Never thought about becoming a joint UK/ROI citizen.
How do you handle the US tax laws. It's my understanding that you, as a US citizen, you have to pay US taxes or has that changed now you are a UK citizen.
Hmmm, I would say American I think still! But I would explain I have dual citizenship. I think because I grew up in the US and lived there fully for 20+ years and have still lived here for less time, I still feel American. :)
“Gotten” uh ohhhhhhhh…… 🫣🫣🥴🥴😁😁😁- naughty naughty tsk tsk (need a wiggly finger emoji) - an exclamation that would have had my mum saying through gritted teeth and with a fierce expression “no, if you have something, you have GOT it!” (But hearing or reading the familiar USA wordage “y’all” is very irritating for me and I find myself saying “no, you mean YOU ALL 😡😡) - yes, I watched your “original” citizenship blog - IIRC Evan Edinger got his around the same time? Happy two years being “a dool citizen” of the two lands 😀🥂*waving the flags for you 🇬🇧🇺🇸*
Original citizenship video is here! th-cam.com/video/pP-HPd2NC68/w-d-xo.html
Santander no longer offers paper statements so am hoping that will be okay,
Will try and look into how much one needs to make to spnsor a wife. I'm hoping DLA will still make up for it.
Great to have you as a UK 🇬🇧citizen - you are an asset to our country and to TH-cam. I enjoy your channel and hearing your thoughts and observations.
Thank you so much for your kind words and for watching!
Ditto
I have never seen anyone do a follow up video about getting citizenship so this was really interesting. It is so good that it made you feel more accepted and more settled. I know you had to work through a lot of stuff to get here so it must feel good not to ever have to worry about it again.
Thank you so much for your comment and for watching - definitely feels good and am in a much happier and settled place now!
Diolch yn fawr iawn/ Thank you for becoming a UK citizen. I hope that you are here for ever, we are fortunate to have you here. May I refer to the drinking water comparison in your other video. On a Florida USA trip I drank out of the tap, via my cup, and it was so horrible I spat it out. There was a guy standing next to me who said in a broad Floridian accent "From the UK, I guess?"😊 yep, he loved the UK tap water and was amazed that it could be drank when compared to USA tap water. Our subsequent conversation, for a hour over coffee, was very much a compare and contrast, as you have done in your videos. Conclusion = what you gain on the swings you loose on the roundabouts. All the very best.
As a Canadian with a Scottish mother, I got "British Right of Abode" 30 years ago (permanent right to live and work in the UK).
I was called a "Yank" by a policewoman in Edinburgh, which is the ultimate insult to a Canadian.
They changed the law to allow British Citizenship by mother, and I got British Citizenship and Passport within 2 weeks of applying.
I was the only person at the Citizenship Ceremony, and photos were not allowed inside the British Embassy (South America).
I am as British as the Queen (King), but I expected slightly better treatment as it was one of the most important days of my life.
As a retired immigration officer i can answer the passport one for you. If you are a UK citizen and have more than one citizenship you either use a UK passport or a certificate of entitlement of right of abode unless your second citizenship is irish because then you can use either passport.
Crazy. Those two years have flown by - I can still remember the old video intro! Thanks for sticking with us Kaylyn, and thanks for the video
I did get bounced back on the 3 yr clause at one point. It felt very strange and arbitrary, but you can restart the process immediately.
My ceremony was online so that was even more anticlimactic.
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who was wildly relieved about not having to squirrel away decades worth of random paper records. Finally being able to get rid of old rental agreements, work pay stubs, and utility bills was an incredible feeling.
Ah man, I'm sorry yours was online! Congratulations to you as well though and glad you can relate to the paperwork relief after having it all done. I actually get rid of most things now just because I can - such power. :)
Congratulations on two years of citizenship! I missed your ceremony coverage, when no guests were allowed till afterwards. Keep it up, for you're doing a splendid service for your country, still!
if you're travelling round trip to the US, then basically you would book the airline line tickets with your British passport, enter the US on your American passport and re-enter the UK on your British passport. That's how I've always done it (also a dual UK-US national).
Congrats on your Citizenship and a (belated!) welcome!! We're lucky to have you. Enjoy!
I've been around since way before you became a dual US & UK citizen. Love all of your videos both now and then. Loved some of your adventures traveling. Especially a hike you did in the UK - can't remember where. Keep 'em coming. Kate in California. 🌴
Aw thank you so much Kate!! I think I went on a hike in Scotland that I filmed...maybe!
It's really interesting to hear your experiences of living in the UK after living in the US for so long. Must be great not having to queue as a foreigner in either country!
Still around from the original version of your channel. UK citizen who has never been to the US (which is why I find your old content as fascinating as the new).
So glad you are back making these videos. You are an amazing person and all are interesting content x
Thank you so much for watching!
I think I started following your channel during one of the COVID lockdowns and I'm still here and still enjoying your videos. In fact, I think your recent 'deep dives' have been even more entertaining than your old videos.
Yes, I definitely know we go pretty far back Roger! Always love having you watching. I love the deep dives. Coming up is the house numbering video I talked about, as well as a history of the UK postbox!
😊 Of course I've been excited to follow your citizenship journey and I'm so proud of how your channel and your business has grown. You really do seem more settled and content - driving, ice skating, living your UK life. Many hugs, my sweet friend. ☺️
Thank you for explaining the passport situation! I’m working on getting dual-citizenship through my Oma and dad and I was stressed out about traveling with 2 passports! lol. (I also suggest that if people are interested in dual-citizenship to look onto your family ancestry and the laws in different countries. Apparently, there are millions of American citizens who are eligible and don’t even know it. I’m eligible for both German and Italian.)
Yes! I so wish I had ancestry visa eligibility - enjoy that perka and definitely get as many citizenships as you can, that's what I think! I would never give up my American one though, so if the UK one required that I do that, I wouldn't have. Thanks for watching. :)
Apply for the Italian one, but not the German one. Germany does not allow dual citizenship (except possibly in other EU countries, but definitely not the US or Canada).
@@LoveClassicMusic0205 By your statement, it seems that you are saying that Canada doesn't allow Dual Citizenship. That is certainly not true. Canada will even allow Triple Citizenship. for example, if each parent is from a different country, and you were born in Canada, or in my cousins case, she was born in the USA, her dad was Canadian, and her mom was English. The US begrudgingly allowed her to have dual, so she chose US and British. (she can still get a Canadian passport at any time, though)
If I mistook your statement, I apologise, but it seemed you were saying that the US and Canada are like Germany, in only allowing one citizenship.
@@dougwilson4537 No, what I meant was that if she tried to get German citizenship, she would have to renounce any other citizenships before Germany would grant citizenship via naturalization. It's not worth it. Italian citizenship doesn't have this limitation and is still part of the EU like Germany. That's why I said get Italy and not Germany.
@@LoveClassicMusic0205 I do not need to renounce any citizenship to get dual German citizenship. It is through the recent Stag 5 law that was put into place to combat gender discrimination from the past as German women would lose their German citizenship if they married a foreigner - but this did not happen to men. So the men could then pass on citizenship to their children and the women could not. Also, Germany will soon become more friendly to those applying for citizenship and will allow people to keep their current citizenships without needing to renounce. This should come into effect this year. It would easily take me 7+ years to get my Italian citizenship with how bad and inefficient their government is. This is why my son and I are getting German citizenship.
Happy second anniversary. I can't believe it's well over two years since we saw you stressing about the final stages of getting your UK citizenship. I hope you feel a lot more secure here now, but I doubt you would have needed to worry about getting deported.
Great video, it's so interesting to hear about your history in the UK and what your journey was, I'm glad you were able to obtain citizenship in the UK. One thing I would advise not to do is try to avoid referring to yourself as an expat, because expat implies a temporary move of five years or less. An immigrant is someone who moves to another country to become a citizen or permanent resident, and there is nothing wrong with being an immigrant, it means you've built a life here and have committed to becoming a part of the country and that is awesome!
I am British and now American too. I have been here in the states for 20 years. I am concerned whether I would have any problems settling in the UK again if I needed to. If my American wife died or something I would definitely consider moving back to the UK. I have no idea now what the laws are in the UK now regarding returning expats.
I wouldn't have thought so if you have retained your British citizenship. After all, that's what a passport means: you have the right to live and work in that particular country. I'd be very surprised if I was wrong.
Your citizenship is forever unless you actively renounce it. If you haven't had a British passport in a while, you might have to do some digging for documents proving your citizenship, but you don't have to worry about losing it just because you haven't lived there in a long time. I would recommend applying for a UK passport even if you don't think you will need it. It would definitely be useful if you ever had to go back, even just for a quick visit. I don't know about the UK, but US citizens are required to use their US passport whenever entering the country, no matter how many other citizenships they may hold.
I remember having a conversation with an American on Quora once about dual nationality.
His view was that anyone who got dual nationality was "gaming the system". I tried to point out that neither the UK or Australian government, friends and family had any issue with my step daughter having dual nationality, but he was convinced that people only did it if they were trying to be 'devious' or 'fraudulent'.
He was of the opinion that Americans should be forced to give up American citizenship if they wanted to get it in another country.
Congratulations, you are very welcome here.👍👍👍
Glad you are "onboard" officially!! Other TH-camers and ex pats do find the whole Visa thing ultra expensive and highly stressful!!
Thanks for the interesting video! I'm trying to decide if I want to go for citizenship as I have settled status and have been here 12 years...definitely not having to deal with what could change in the future is my biggest focus. And being able to throw out paperwork! 😂
Throwing out that paperwork is 100% worth the hassle of getting citizenship, I promise you, haha!
welcome to the uk kaylin my wife is from botswana and i know what you mean with all the visas there exspensive my wife has been here since 2020 and she has the leave to remain visa as im her sponser weve got to renew it this year which is another 6 grand.
Congratulations on your 2yr UK citizenship anniversary!
This is so helpful, thank you! 🙏 I’m working toward this, but wondering if anyone has insight into a particular situation: If I have to go back to America for short periods to care for my aging mother, does this count against me for the 3 years? I think there’s a certain number of days I could go, but your mention of holidays makes me wonder. Thanks again!
Dont worry about "Gotten". I have read that this is a proper English word in common use when the American Colonies were settled.
The General Election is likely to be on 2nd May. You'll also have the Mayoral election in London.
Re voting! Check out if you need to register to vote …because you’ll need a polling card and photo I’d ( uk passport’ driving licence etc)
My daughter, born in AZ has dual UK / US citizenship. When we arrived in the US many years ago we handed 5 UK passports + one US passport to immigration. He looked at them carefully and then said "Who is the good guy? Who is Clare?" It made the day for my daughter who was about 5 years old at the time.
Congratulations on your British citizenship. I've watched your videos over the years. I have dual citizenship in New Zealand and Australia, which I guess is more like having Canadian and US passports.
I remember viewing your citizenship video - and a shame you had to be alone at the last step - but 2 years have flown by😀
Love your videos. This one is really interesting
Thank you Jeannette! Hope you stick around for more videos!
@@GirlGoneLondonofficial of course I will, I've been following you for a long time now (pre-citizenship)
🇨🇦 Interestingly, Britain allows citizens from any Commonwealth country like Canada to vote and have other privileges not allowed to those from other Commonwealth countries, but Canada does not allow citizens from the UK to vote here or hold any kind of public office without having taken out Canadian citizenship. I’m not sure about the laws in other Commonwealth countries such as Australia or NZ.
Didn't know this, thanks so much for sharing!
Yep it’s the same everywhere just the uk treats all commonwealth citizens as British when they live in the uk. So you can vote and have the same rights as people of the uk in the uk you can also use British embassies overseas as last resort.
Regarding voting, I think you still have to register with the Electoral Register office to allow you to vote?
I'm so glad you have it 24 months behind you now, as it almost is more than strenuous, now!
It was so different when I had my turn, in the mid-90s, to naturalise in the UK via my dad's citizenship and five year's indefinite leave, plus indeed no access to welfare benefits. I'm from South Africa originally, and have returned to there after twenty five years in England, which I still identify with!😊
We have something extra as British when we're at home and not abroad: being subjects of the King. Barely matters but it comes with citizenship of the UK.
I was super glad when Brexit happened, and I agree with those who say that it is working for the better.
Keep up the good work, Kaylan!
I was there two or three years ago when you went through all the palaver of getting visas and finally citizenship. Nice to hear that you still think it was a good idea... Now back to the weird stuff :-)
That's interesting, I am a dual British/Australian citizen, but if I travel OS (from Australia) I can only use one or the other as the passport has to have matching departure and return stamps.
Congrats on your 2 years Brit anniversary. I remeber the quiz you did, I don't think I would score well on it and I am a native
The citizenship certificate and ceremony were introduced a few years ago because getting your citizenship was a bit of an anti-climax previously. But they aren't actually needed for official purposes.
I am a Brit, who has lived in the US since 1982 (except for 3 years in Australia and 3 years in Hong Kong for work). I am a Permanent Resident, with a Green Card. At the time I got my green card, they did not expire, and are therefore good - supposedly - forever! However, whenever I come back to the US from any type of trip outside the US, including Canada, almost none of the immigration officers know about this, and it causes so much hassle. I now carry a printed out form from the US Govt. that states that my card has no expiry date, and that the officer needs to add a 0 to the number when typing it in to the system. I can't tell you how much stress this has caused me, as often this is considered as be being a know-it-all - and as recently as this week, I was fingerprinted as I re-entered the US from the UK. I am also asked constantly by Immigration why I haven't become a citizen after living here for so long. I find that to be incredibly invasive, and none of their business. There is no rule that says that you need to become a citizen after a certain amount of time. I know that I can hold dual citizenship - but if I choose to remain British, either tell me that I need to renew my card or educate your immigration officers as to the rules. I have owned a home, and a business here in the US, employed many US citizens, put my son through University here at my expense, and have done nothing that would jeopardize my being a "visitor" here. This last encounter at customs/immigration has made me fearful of leaving/returning here as it was so upsetting. My husband has exactly the same green card as we came at the same time, but as a Canadian, he is not hassled. My son is also Canadian, but as he came here as a minor, he has a different type of Green card, which he does have to renew.
It makes a Change to hear foreigners not calling the UK . ( I don't think your a Foreigner Just an English speaker with a different accent) Of were not used to different Accents in Britain 😂. But im so pleased for you , I really enjoy your honest opinions. because im not under the impression that we do everything Correct. Ive travelled all over Europe and seen plenty of things.ive thought ho thats a good Idea .Your vote is Private Love .only the voting Booth and you will know that.
Thank you for watching! Definitely great ideas across the globe we should all be sharing!
Exactly @@GirlGoneLondonofficial
Congratulations on the two year anniversary!
I still remember going through the spousal visa process for my wife, thankfully finished 5 or 6 years ago. The sheer amount of paperwork & money involved in the visa application -> FLR(M) -> ILR -> Citizenship process still haunts my dreams! And many people still somehow think it's easy to immigrate.
So as an American citizen, doyou still have to pay tax there? I'veard that is the case even if you don't live there
Yes - you have to declare taxable earnings as an American citizen no matter where you live. But you do not have to actually pay the tax up to a certain point if you've already paid in another country if there is an agreement in place (there is one between the UK and US). But once you go over that threshold (very high - around 112,000 USD currently), you'd be double taxed on the money above that amount.
Is there a stigma in the USA if you give up your USA citizenship?@@GirlGoneLondonofficial
Congrats on 2yrs ! Yes I remember your vid about the ceremony. Didn't they mess or mix your name up? Or something went weird? Anyway you said 'Gotten!' Really Kaylin?!😉😁...Seriously, we Brits brought over some Middle English in the 1600s and I sware 'Gotten' was one that us modern Brits have simplified to 'Got'. And the 'Real ' in real estate also down to us Brits. Thats another video idea💡: Middle English vs Miriram-Webster 🙂
Good memory!!! I think they did say my name wrong, haha!! Great video idea, thank you!
@@GirlGoneLondonofficial 🙂👍
Do you think it's easier for Americans to get citizenship in the UK than vice versa?
I think it is a little bit easier actually due to a few different rules and less time required before you're eligible, but the greencard and ultimately citizenship process has been known to take longer overall than the UK process where in the UK process they actually give you your maximum amount of time you'll have to wait - in the US, you could be waiting any number of different lengths of time before getting that first greencard and it's more uncertain in that aspect.
@@GirlGoneLondonofficial Thanks. My brother has been living in Boston for 12 years and he still isn't a US citizen, although I'm not totally sure whether he actually wants to be one.
Interesting! I think it's 3 years on the right visa to be a US citizen so it may be he doesn't want to be one - and doesn't need to be. I could have stayed in the UK under the indefinite leave to remain visa without ever needing to be a citizen, but I felt being a citizen would be the better route for my long term certainty.
Hiya. Yep, been with you since the start and you even used to disappear every now and again back then. Think it was to do with a travel website and book??? Anyway, hope you'll stay around a tad longer this time. Stay safe. All the best to you.
Oh God! We got to you!
So do you do take both passports that was my 1st Question So you choose the one that benefits you the most ? What if you’re in another country, do you choose the passport where that country treats you nicer? Say your in China and they don’t like Americans (not sure why they wouldn’t we’re awesome)so you use your British one that kinda thing. Do certain nationalities get perks or things cheaper?
So having dual citizenship, how often do you have to renew your passports?
I remember the intro being loving in the uk for nearly 10 years. So not a golden oldie but not I noob
Thinking about it I have no idea how I came to be watching your videos but I did and have done ever since, including the citizenship video you talked about.
I guess I should just google it but does the citizenship mean you can now claim unemployment benefits and no longer have to pay the nhs surcharge?
Greetings from Hampshire, have you done much exploring outside London?
I have, yes! Not too much in Hampshire, but definitely have been around the country quite a bit. Want to explore more though!
How does dual citizenship affect your taxation? It's my understanding that if you're a US citizen, you pay US taxes wherever it is earned. The thing about citizenship ceremonies is rather baffling, but it propably comes down to a British trait - understatement. The same reason we don't feel it necessary to fly Union flags on our houses!
Thank you for watching! I still have to declare taxes in the US and "file", but I don't have to paid taxes to them unless I make over $112,000 USD equivalent in a year which I do not! So I am protected by a UK/US treaty against double taxation up to that point, but I still have to declare to the US what I earn in the UK, if that makes sense!
Ah, thanks for that - could you renounce your US citizenship & simplify things?@@GirlGoneLondonofficial
Would've thought you would keep your citizenship paperwork with other important paperwork like birth certificate and the like?
Appreciate an in-depth video FOR Americans that are hoping to BECOME British citizens to escape this garbage fire that used to be the flagship of the free world. TH-cam just keeps constantly giving my search videos on the exact *OPPOSITE!*
Nice video my fellow Brit.
Nice to get an update about how gaining your citizenship has affected your life. It must be so much simpler and less stressful in many ways.
Now- back to the REALLY important stuff - House Numbers- bring it on!😂
For certain types of financial investments you will still be asked if you are a citizen of the USA, so there may be some restrictions, or reporting to USA, because of this.
Ooh I have another Q if you had a baby would you want them registered as British or American? Or can they also have dual passports?
Things have changed over the years and my impression is for the worse. My mother, a German, married my father in 1947 and they came to this country to settle down. As far as I know my mother wasn't quizzed or took an oath but she received a UK passport solely because she was married to my British father. My wife is Guyanese and she arrived in UK via Canada and 6 years later swore an oath at a notary and became a citizen. Today it all seems much more complex and unreasonable.
I think you might be eligible for German citizenship through the new stag 5 law (depending on other dates and when you were born).
@@cosycoffeee It appears that I qualify for German citizenship as a birth right but the issue is that under the regs I can have dual nationality in UK but I would have to renounce my UK citizenship to get the German one - that will not happen.
@@clivewilliams3661 if you qualify under the new stag 5 law then you don’t have to renounce. They also just voted this year on allowing people (in general) to keep their citizenship when applying. This should go into effect within the next few months.
@@cosycoffeee Thank you for that. I Googled it and the answer was that to take citizenship under the Stag5 provisions I would have to renounce my UK nationality as UK is no longer in EU. However, I am unlikely to even consider dual nationality status as there is no advantage. A friend of mine many years ago had dual German/British nationality and during his young adulthood he was fearful of going to Germany lest they called him up for conscription! That would definitely not apply to me although at the time two of my cousins were conscripted!
@@clivewilliams3661 I don’t know where you are seeing that you need to renounce, but that’s simply not true. I’m looking at the German website and it states that you do not need to renounce for stag 5 unless your current citizenship country does not allow dual citizenship. But the UK does. I, for example, have U.S. citizenship (which is obviously not in the EU) and I don’t need to renounce that when I obtain German citizenship. Also, Germany got rid of conscription in 2011. I personally think having an EU citizenship after Brexit would absolutely be worth it. EDIT: Also I just looked up more into conscription and, even if it ever came back, it would not apply to (and never did apply to) German citizens who live/lived outside of Germany.
I might’ve miss it but do you still need to pay taxes in America every year
Cant wait for yor voting comparison video when that happens. They should be a general election this year!
Have we made you a fan of kettles yet ?
Yes!!! Except I don't drink tea really, but do use it for boiling water quicker for other things!
Congratulations again.
And you said "gotten".
I know that's a tad rude but.at least the algorithm will like it.
I have been with you all the time and I am pleased you are now settled and happy. Do you now buy English clothes or do you still need to have US clothes?
There'd be precious little difference in most instances I would have thought.
I shop in the UK - the sizing is different to the US but I know my size in the UK now. :)
Presumably, if/when we rejoin the EU/restore free movement - the UK passport may become a great deal more useful.
11:58 Naughty, naughty! January 1st 2023? When you have your British head on it is 1st January 2023. 😃
See this is where you can't take the American out of America that easily!!
@@GirlGoneLondonofficialIndeed, you're quite right; yet, that suggestion would have to be 1st OF January 2023, to make sense.
But, I use both 'dates' all the time:....we're not really divided by a common language, are we?😂🎉
My Wife and I have watched all your videos from before you became "One of us", and kept checking to see if any new ones came up when you stopped posting for a while.
We noticed when you did restart, you have stopped wearing your wedding ring - should we infer something from this? Or are things the same as before, and you just don't wear the ring any more?
Or are we being too nosey!?
Brian and Rhona.
Hello Brian and Rhona and thank you so much for watching! So glad to have you as part of the community!
Haha, that's funny that you noticed - I took it off when we went on holiday with a lot of snorkeling and swimming activities a few months ago and have just left it in the box for now - no real reason. Still married. :)
It was so much easier 24 years ago. All you had to do was show there would not be recourse to public funds. There was no minimum salary requirement.
If Britain plays America at sport, who do you support?
Interesting question! Probably the US...depends on how I feel on the day, haha!
Typically, we play as the home nations in football or soccer as you call it. I think we only play a women's football team at the Olympics. In the Rugby League World Cup we also send a Great Britain team. In the Ryder Cup in golf, the UK plays as part of the European team. England can be drawn to play the USA at the football World Cup
I remember your videos from 2 years ago and when you got your indefinite leave to remain. I used to work with an American lady from Georgia who got it around the same time. She has been living here about 11 years now and I couldn't believe the amount of study and money involved! You probably know more about British history than most Brits. Its ironic how you put in all that effort and money to not get deported while we have the small boat people allowed to do whatever they want .
Totally agree with the gist of your post, but it's a pity you felt it necessary to add a snide and totally inaccurate statement about people in small boats.
@@philroberts7238 snide means not up front, dishonest. Mass illegal immigration is ruining Britain. Fact.
Godbless,
Welcome to becoming a UK citizen
Commonwealth and Irish citizens legally ordinarily resident in the UK are entitled to stand and vote in local and Parliamentary elections. These are rights not confined to British citizens.British citizens ordinarily resident abroad (apart from those posted abroad on official government business), lose the right to stand and vote in elections.
Don't worry about “gotten”. It is perfectly acceptable English. The word is frequently used in phrases such as “ill-gotten gains” (those obtained by deceit or disreputable actions), or “my only begotten son”.
I have been watching your You Tube submissions for years. They are always excellent.
On house numbering, please remember that in the UK, there are anomalies, such as no numbering at all, and group numbering, where groups of (usually terraced) houses on the same side of the road are numbered consecutively (not odd and even according to the side of the road they are on) within a street, for example “3 Church Terrace, Vicarage Lane, Bowdon“, where Vicarage Lane is the name of the street, and the house is the third in a block of terraced houses somewhere along the street.
9/1/2038 I’m moving.
I remember very well the good old days of when there was a mixture of anxiety and nerves and excitement as you started and completed this journey of becoming a citizen. They were always involving and were full of moments of shared frustration and yet lots of fun as well. In the end once that had died down. I guess being cynical all it meant besides the fact that it is practically far easier now to travel in and out of the Country. Is that one failed system and Country looks much like another. Interesting that you don't necessarily feel any added connection culturally. That does make sense. Does that mean you still have the American 'can do spirit 'as opposed to the British ' Can't be bothered' one. It may just be the British Winter weather when every day is a storm and it's dark by the time you put on the last winter layer of sweaters. But forget the culture. Have you got used to the cold and dark. Yes I know the States has it all and worse. But if you come from a sunnier place, the gloom is what can hit many hard. I always look forward to the future weirder reflections and comparisons......Now where can I go to get a visa to leave the planet.
I've watched your video's for years, and you have become more British over time, esp with the way you talk, eg "gotten" a totally British word and it's in the OED. But because it happens to you slowly you do not notice, unless you go back to your early video's.
This is so interesting! I definitely haven't noticed. Thanks for watching all this time. :)
Do you still have to file a US Tax Return?
I do, yes! Sadly!
@@GirlGoneLondonofficial Ouch! As a British Ex Pat living in the ROI glad that I don't have to file a UK one but can vote in Irish elections but not UK ones as let that slip as forgot to renew the right, has to be done before more than 15 years out of the country. Found that out before the Brexit vote. Never thought about becoming a joint UK/ROI citizen.
How do you handle the US tax laws. It's my understanding that you, as a US citizen, you have to pay US taxes or has that changed now you are a UK citizen.
Don’t forget to get on the electoral register in your local borough!
Will do! I think I did already, but good point, need to check...
Didn't you quit youtube? I swear I commented on your goodbye video.
TH-cam goodbyes are rarely forever.
FYI: Gotten is an old English word 😀
@sailingby It's been for'gotten'. 😁😁
Just arrive in Dover via a rubber boat and wham, you're in.
You'll get your chance to vote twice this year, then. Once in the US presidential election and the UK general election
You can vote in our General Election this year.
you will need to register to vote.
Wonder which military will try to conscript you first for World War III...
The question is. Do you say you are British or American when asked now? While you said you still feel American.
Hmmm, I would say American I think still! But I would explain I have dual citizenship. I think because I grew up in the US and lived there fully for 20+ years and have still lived here for less time, I still feel American. :)
@@GirlGoneLondonofficialand if Mango Mussolini says anything offensive, you tell people you're Canadian 😅
You could have just paddled across the Channel and claimed asylum.
Might be worth popping back to the US to vote against Trump 😂
She can vote from abroad
Its not anything special is it?
Vote Labour
“Gotten” uh ohhhhhhhh…… 🫣🫣🥴🥴😁😁😁- naughty naughty tsk tsk (need a wiggly finger emoji) - an exclamation that would have had my mum saying through gritted teeth and with a fierce expression “no, if you have something, you have GOT it!” (But hearing or reading the familiar USA wordage “y’all” is very irritating for me and I find myself saying “no, you mean YOU ALL 😡😡)
- yes, I watched your “original” citizenship blog - IIRC Evan Edinger got his around the same time?
Happy two years being “a dool citizen” of the two lands 😀🥂*waving the flags for you 🇬🇧🇺🇸*