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Posted 2 months ago

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A different kind of advent.

Earlier tonight, I realized that in 30 days, I am eligible to start the process to become a naturalised citizen and subject of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth.  

I have to say, it feels pretty monumental.  Much more monumental than when I got my spousal visa or my permanent leave to remain (greencard).   It kind of caught me off guard how emotional I feel about it.  It’s a funky combination of “Huzzah!” and “Homesick!”   I guess it’s my usual feeling of “this is so final!  there is no turning back!” cranked up a notch or two is all. 

I think it’s going to feel pretty awesome to be able to vote again.  The whole taxation without representation thing is funny to joke about, but it is really annoying after a few years to live in a community where you must pay taxes (and you must pay the Home Office a big fat fee for your visa every year) but are not allowed a voice in the rules.

Of course (of course!) the paperwork fee is stupidly high again.  £836 ($1311), thankyouverymuch.  This is why immigrants are poor.  Seriously.  They make you prove you have money before you come so that they can take it all away.  (I know the other expats on my list are nodding their heads and frowning right now.  Holla!)  So, to never having to pay another stupid visa fee, I say Hallelujah!

Being naturalised will not only make me a British citizen, but it will also make me an EU citizen.  I don’t expect to live or work in other european countries in the future, but I never expected it in the past, either and ended up doing it anyway.  It feels very interesting to know that door is about to open.

And I guess, too, that there has always been some quiet little voice in my head that says I don’t have the right to be here.  Mostly, I don’t pay it much attention but there is always the odd Daily Mail reading type who wants to spout off about what their Britain looks like and how the immigrants take all the good jobs and etc.  They creep up where you least expect them.  Whatever… people like that are the same in every country, I know, believe me, how I know!  But it hits a nerve sometimes, especially when I’ve given the government my entire savings account, when my professional qualifications don’t transfer, when my (future and imaginary kid) wants to call me Mum instead of Mom,  when I can’t figure out what the hell this recipe means when it says coriander, when I’m paying the same council tax as this bigoted idiot but only one of us gets a voice. On those days, it’s pretty hard to tune them out. I feel like this is what I needed to finally be able to turn to those people and laugh*.

* The laughing will commence after I get done crying through my naturalisation ceremony.  Betcha my immigration fees that I do.

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  1. erinmargrethe said: Congrats! This is me next year. And it used to really freak me out thinking that if I had kids, I would be “mum” and they would have Aussie accents. Thankfully, we’ve decided to have only a dog so that shouldn’t be an issue anymore. ;)
  2. mashburger said: Congratulations! I can’t believe the arduous process you’ve had to go through - while I was in the process of applying for my visa I discovered that I was eligible for citizenship through my dad - saved a nunch of time and money!
  3. inteawetrust posted this

 

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