h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Apart from applying for German Nationality, I have had to had my British passport extended, as it expires in Feburary. I sat down and went online to do it just after Christmas. Everything is now centralised and as I sent my Passport off to Liverpool I was extremely nervous for a couple of days because by law you have to carry ID with you at all times in Germany and all I have is my passport. I've only ever been asked for it a couple of times in the 40 years I've lived here, but Sod's Law dictates.....

Although theoretically something like that shouldn't have a season, I expect most people's passports have dates early in the summer when they would have applied for them to go abroad for their summer holiday. So I was banking on not having to wait the full 4 weeks given for the application to go through.

But I didn't expect it to be this quick:

27 December - filled in application online. This was brilliant, no hassle, just had to give my date and place of birth, no of passport, and upload the photo. Then send off passport by registered mail.

3 Jan - automatic e-mail from Liverpool that they had received my passport.

7 Jan 8.33 am GMT - further automatic e-mail that my application had been approved.

7 Jan 1 pm GMT - received an e-mail saying my new passport was on its way.

It should arrive today or tomorrow. I am seriously impressed! The advantage of being ordinary and having nothing special to put on the application is not to be sniffed at. However, in 10 years' time I will have to answer differently at the point where they ask if I have another passport.

I now have to hope that my application for German Nationality and the subsequent issue of ID card and passport will continue to go equally smoothly. And all be done and dusted before Brexit.

This must carry some emotional turbulence... can you keep both nationalities?

The general opinion (and with Brexit, we have nothing more than conjecture) is that after Britain leaves the EU, it will no longer be possible to have both. This is from the German side, where dual nationality is only possible if the 2nd passport is from an EU country.

Unless, of course, a subsequent agreement is reached to the contrary. But I'm most probably within the time limit and will be sorted by 31 March. Watch this space!

how are you feeling? I can't bring myself to complete the forms even though I did the Immigration test and have all the other paperwork ready to go...

I am boilingly angry at having to do this

Actually I am sort of resigned to it. As I said when I filled in the form: "I'm still *me*, really, aren't I?"

Are they forcing your hand by voting for Brexit?

In a way. Despite several attempts to petition for allowing the expats to vote in the referendum - there are at least 1 million Brits living permananently in other EU countries - this was refused us.

I've noticed that many elderly Brits have retired to Spain, taking advantage of the nice climate and reasonable cost of living. Likewise some elderly Germans. This has had the effect of inflating the number of centenarians in Spain, to the detriment of Britain and Germany.

(Someday science may discover a way to customize local climate so people don't have to move away from their places of origin )

By the way - forgot to mention that the German nationality has now come through. We will be ceremoniously handed our certificates on 12 Feb.

Congratulations



Google translate says that the right German word/phrase is

Herzliche Glückwünsche

Congratulations and happy travels with your new papers.
I know quite a few people in Sho's situation = furiously angry and with the papers ready to go, but still on the kitchen table.

Welcome back to the EU. Glad to have you!

I would rather see the U.K. change its mind and go back to the Eu, but I realize that i have no influence whatsoever in the matter.

Exactly Theresa May's thoughts.

i'm happy not t be Theresa May. Whom I so often mistakenly think of as Elaine May.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKL1tNv__kU

Elaine May, thanks for introducing her to me! Obviously a classic!

Here we have Imelda May http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhogVvwbwkw

Lustymonthof May is also noteworthy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZA4jnvdYog

(Okay, I'll go quietly now )