Passports

[Roger Hughes]

I think to be aboriginal one has to have one eighth aboriginal blood. That makes all Anglo saxons living in the UK more or less a choice of whatever nationality they want. Whatever country you are a citizen of that should be your nationality . My nationality is Australian now and not British I consider my British passport secondary to my Australian one. Colour means absolutely nothing to me , in fact if someone asked me I would say I am colour blind as well as being almost blind due to waiting for a simple operation... cheers JS

Nothing to do with the thread . If you consider yourself to be Australian , why have you still got a British Passport as well as an Australian one ?

[j.sabourn]

The British one is well expired now. But can be renewed if necessary.. is a government ruling as it applies to most Commonwealth citizens. Australian citizens had at one time and maybe still do found long waiting periods getting through immigration mainly at Heathrow . And was advised by same if had British passport to use. Believe me I do not find any advantage otherwise possessing a British passport in this day and age. JS.
Maybe is because if I go around pillaging and looting I can be sent back.God forbid. JS

[Doc Vernon]

Likewise with me JS
I have maintained my South African Passport (However also now Expired) for the same reasons as you , on Entry to South Africa , makes it fast to get through Customs there.
So Exit n Australian, Enter on South African and Vice Versa coming back.
Only one thing wrong with doing this,is that id anything should happen in South Africa there is no cover from Australian Government as far as i am aware?/
Cheers

But to be honest the last time i only used my Australian one ! Much safer LOL
Cheers

[j.sabourn]

#2... I can’t afford at the moment the renewal of the British one . So if ever go back to visit will renew . Incidentally it comes from NZ. And not the UK when applying for. Some born and bred Australians were telling me years ago they went on a group tour of Europe, and whilst in Paris they were getting blank stares until the locals found they weren’t English but Australians . Then found their tongues. I admire the 5 pound poms or was it 10 pounds ? Those that stayed and saw it out. Think a lot of them if went back from all those years ago would soon realize it was worth the effort. JS

[Rodney Mills]

I emigrated to the USA in 1962, as did some one, by chance on the same day, though we didn't meet for three years after arrival, we have been the best of friends ever since, both of us from London. I became an American citizen just as soon as I could, he never did. I took pride in my American passport and never reapplied for a British one. My friend naturally has a British one after living here 58 years and having an American wife and American children. The US has a dual citizenship arrangement with the UK, you can have both passports if you wish as a citizen. I do not, though there is no chance of Britain and the USA going to war or having anything else other than "A Special Arrangement". I think it's wrong...You can't be a little bit pregnant. You are a citizen of one country and if you live there, wherever it is for any amount of time you should be offered the choice of citizenship or an exit visa and return to the country you came from if you choose not to become a citizen of that country. No split loyalties.

Rodney

[Doc Vernon]

Just to clarify in case!
I am a full blooded Aussie Citizen and very proud to be given that right.

I only held my SA Passport for Entry convenience sake.
As said i dont use it any longer and shall not again, its in the Drawer gathering dust. A keepsake non the less.
Cheers

[j.sabourn]

#5 I think although may be wrong that you had to be a permanent resident for two consecutive years to apply for Australian citizenship and think it took me four years for the consecutive bit as I was in and out of the country with still being at sea, didn’t give me that scope until had the 2 years in. I agree with your sentiments you can’t give equal loyalty to two countries . Probably if that rule was taken away I would be better off financially, as the pittance which is the old British OAP which hasn’t increased since 2002 for me at least if taken away would receive the Australian full one. However the Australian Government insists you apply for it so they can reduce your Australian pension and also tax your British small one. JS

Rodney I was on the short list for a shore job in Newfoundland in 1966 but the wife would not go. As it turned out a Canadian Shipping Company offered me a job back at sea which I couldn’t refuse. To get into Canada in those days was apparently a lot harder than what it is today, the medical alone would have knocked a lot back, so I assume I entered Canada on an immigration permit. The same as entering Australia years later with the added medical bills of being tested for Aids. The first one into Canada was paid for by the shipowner , the second one by myself , and was all under my own steam , even down to finding by own employment and I was 54 by this time. When you are young and single is a lot easier than when you get older .There was none of this come and help me I’ve arrived business. In fact I had to sign a paper saying I would not be a burden on the State. Cheers JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Passport users beware if you leave the country on one and attempt to arrive on another.

Told to me by a neighbor who works at Tullamarine airport.
You may hold as many passports as you wish, I have now only the Australian one but could hold British as well if I wished.
My wife also has the Australian but can also hold the British and Irish should she wish.

But if you leave here from Oz to say UK on your Australian passport you must present that when you arrive in UK.
If you attempt to pass the queue by presenting a British one it will not say where you left from, a breach of international law regarding nationality.

As my neighbor told me he has heard of a couple who attempted it only top cop a fine of $5,000.

[j.sabourn]

John every time I have been back to uk have landed on British passport after leaving Oz on the ozzy one.Have never been pulled up. It must be you don’t look honest you may have got my old title of suspected train robber. JS

[happy daze john in oz]

John every time I have been back to uk have landed on British passport after leaving Oz on the ozzy one.Have never been pulled up. It must be you don’t look honest you may have got my old title of suspected train robber. JS

Maybe, but this is what I was told by my neighbor who worked at that time worked in security, maybe some get away with it others not so lucky.

I did once meet Reggie Kray though, would that count??