Immigrating to the UK

[Lycanthrope]

Feel the same way but what has caught me off guard is that being a foreigner now, I feel more South African than ever before. Not in a longing to return way, I feel very much at home, but I’m very much a foreigner.

You'll always be part one thing, and part another when you have two (or more, I suppose) "homes".

There's also a perspective that you acquire after living abroad that people who have only ever known one country likely won't share.

Plus, there's a cooool factor of sorts having lived in and experienced different cultures, and to carry those experiences with you, I think.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Thanks! Not quite there yet - still have to go to the ceremony and get the certificate - but yeah, huge relief that it’s pretty much in the bag.

The ceremony is quite lovely, if you're into that sort of thing (I am ). You'll be able to bring up to two guests. Have them take pics when you accept your certificate!

There'll also be an attending guest of honour with whom you'll be able to do the photo thing, too.

I know it's silly advice, but enjoy the experience. You'll only become a citizen of the UK once, after all, and it's rather special.

The fun bit is up ahead: acquiring your British passport. They're more stringent about that than they are about naturalisation, and UK citizens don't have a 'right' to a passport.

Where with the naturalisation you needed two referees who met different criteria, with the passport application you'll need one who meets the following: https://www.gov.uk/confirm-identity-online-for-passport-application

For us, the friend of ours that they accepted for the naturalisation process they wouldn't accept for the passport application. We concluded that they must hate journalists

Our next choice was the director of a consultancy, which was nigh on instantly accepted. Rather glad for that, too, because he's sentimentally special to us, so it means a lot that he ended up being our referee and part of our citizenship application.

Our third choice was going to be husband's optician. After which the pickings were going to become extremely slim

Also, when you receive your Certificate of Naturalisation, be sure that it exactly states your place of birth on it (i.e. town and country).

For whatever reason, mine omitted the town. Much groaning ensued, along with a panic of having to deal with South African Home Affairs to get a birth certificate and the inordinate length of time that would take to arrive.

Thank ****, however, I anticipated that years beforehand and had one at hand. So the certificate was easily amended and corrected.

But yep. The relief is palpable. I'm happy for you!

 

[The Voice]

The ceremony is quite lovely, if you're into that sort of thing (I am ). You'll be able to bring up to two guests. Have them take pics when you accept your certificate!

There'll also be an attending guest of honour with whom you'll be able to do the photo thing, too.

I know it's silly advice, but enjoy the experience. You'll only become a citizen of the UK once, after all, and it's rather special.

The fun bit is up ahead: acquiring your British passport. They're more stringent about that than they are about naturalisation, and UK citizens don't have a 'right' to a passport.

Where with the naturalisation you needed two referees who met different criteria, with the passport application you'll need one who meets the following: https://www.gov.uk/confirm-identity-online-for-passport-application

For us, the friend of ours that they accepted for the naturalisation process they wouldn't accept for the passport application. We concluded that they must hate journalists

Our next choice was the director of a consultancy, which was nigh on instantly accepted. Rather glad for that, too, because he's sentimentally special to us, so it means a lot that he ended up being our referee and part of our citizenship application.

Our third choice was going to be husband's optician. After which the pickings were going to become extremely slim

Also, when you receive your Certificate of Naturalisation, be sure that it exactly states your place of birth on it (i.e. town and country).

For whatever reason, mine omitted the town. Much groaning ensued, along with a panic of having to deal with South African Home Affairs to get a birth certificate and the inordinate length of time that would take to arrive.

Thank ****, however, I anticipated that years beforehand and had one at hand. So the certificate was easily amended and corrected.

But yep. The relief is palpable. I'm happy for you!

Thanks for all the extra info! Expected the passport bit to be a breeze, guess I was wrong lol.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Thanks for all the extra info! Expected the passport bit to be a breeze, guess I was wrong lol.

The passport application proceeds very quickly. Husband's only took a week, but because I had to send my Certificate of Naturalisation back to UKVI to be amended (this is only after HMPO told me that it couldn't proceed without the certificate stating both town and country), it took around a month and a half.

They were also very friendly, helpful, and all the good things.

Compared to the deafening silence of the ZA Home Affairs abyss into which you send applications on a wing and a prayer, hoping that they've been received, actioned, and that you'll ever hear from them again.

Just think! You can soon freely travel around Europe without annoying visas!

Many congratulations again, Voice

 

[2026]

I'm curious how many of you folks will be voting in the South African elections this year.

Delighted to have learnt that we can now register to vote from abroad online: https://online.elections.org.za/voterportal/voter/registration/abroad

Last time I voted it was still when they had the ruddy form that needed to be filled in. Still remember travelling to the consulate in Copenhagen for that one.

Alas, I never bothered with the previous one. First (and so far only) time in my life I didn't vote in a South African election.

I won't be voting in the South African elections. I'm of the option that if I'm not living there, then I shouldn't have a say on how it's run.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Feel the same way but what has caught me off guard is that being a foreigner now, I feel more South African than ever before. Not in a longing to return way, I feel very much at home, but I’m very much a foreigner.

I think I felt the same the first year I was here but (and I think this may be large town instead of city related) once you are seen and heard around town and interact, you become more and more English to others and in your head.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I won't be voting in the South African elections. I'm of the option that if I'm not living there, then I shouldn't have a say on how it's run.

You guys break my heart.

Years of living in South Africa moaning about its issues while living through them, only to turn your back on it after you've left?

I mean, the UK is home, but South Africa is also home. You have friends and family there, presumably--people you care about. You know nothing will ever get better under the ANC.

I tend to figure that voting is in the realm of 'least you can do' in terms of trying to make a difference, even if it's on par with pissing into the ocean.

The pipe-dreaming idealist in me whinges and moans, as ever.

I certainly don't blame anyone for not wanting to vote, or having their reasons not to.

I'm just glad that they've simplified the process.

Oooooh well \o/

As a sidenote: I wonder if we could stick a poll in this thread (or perhaps create a new one) to see roughly where abouts in the UK everyone lives. I'd be keen to see the spread of where everyone ended up.

 

[Tman*]

You guys break my heart.

Years of living in South Africa moaning about its issues while living through them, only to turn your back on it after you've left?

I mean, the UK is home, but South Africa is also home. You have friends and family there, presumably--people you care about. You know nothing will ever get better under the ANC.

I tend to figure that voting is in the realm of 'least you can do' in terms of trying to make a difference, even if it's on par with pissing into the ocean.

The pipe-dreaming idealist in me whinges and moans, as ever.

I certainly don't blame anyone for not wanting to vote, or having their reasons not to.

I'm just glad that they've simplified the process.

Oooooh well \o/

As a sidenote: I wonder if we could stick a poll in this thread (or perhaps create a new one) to see roughly where abouts in the UK everyone lives. I'd be keen to see the spread of where everyone ended up.

I dont think thats entirely accurate. If I could vote via post (like I do in local elections) I certainly would.

Life goes on, people living in a different country are concerned with local issues affecting their lives.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I dont think thats entirely accurate. If I could vote via post (like I do in local elections) I certainly would.

Life goes on, people living in a different country are concerned with local issues affecting their lives.

I know. That's perfectly fair.

I just wish it weren't so ^^

Fear not, I shall relieve you lovely souls of my electoral crusade.

 

[AdrianH]

In other news:

Went a LOT quicker than expected - we only applied in October last year.

I'll be in touch for my wife end of this year

 

[Dave]

I'll be in touch for my wife end of this year

You’ll be in touch to get a wife from @The Voice???

 

[AdrianH]

Feel the same way but what has caught me off guard is that being a foreigner now, I feel more South African than ever before. Not in a longing to return way, I feel very much at home, but I’m very much a foreigner.

I think @Dave called me a foreigner once

 

[Dave]

I think @Dave called me a foreigner once

When was that?

You sure it wasn’t a fecker?

 

[The Voice]

You’ll be in touch to get a wife from @The Voice???

Ah, thought he was offering.

 

[AdrianH]

I think @Dave called me a foreigner once

When was that?

You sure it wasn’t a fecker?

You basically called me a foreigner LOL

and just to add, I’m not trying to pick a fight but it‘s pretty annoying when a Saffa who just happens to live in England starts lecturing British citizens (by birthright) what they should or shouldn’t complain about in the UK.

When you’re a guest in someone’s house its not really right to tell them they're wrong when they complain they don’t like the colour of their house...

You're likely to start putting people’s backs up, I’m sure @Spizz might agree with this sentiment as well.

 

[AdrianH]

Ah, thought he was offering.

Maybe I was

 

[Dave]

You basically called me a foreigner LOL

I didn’t though (fecker was likely more accurate imo ), and in my defence you were being an arse about brexit which to this day is still a shitshow. Even the most ardent supporters are saying so now, even Lord Nigel of Brexit has.

It's time to move on Dave! Democracy happened twice, Brexit has happened, Britain is not part of the EU.

Posting articles to constantly criticize pre-Brezit and post-Brexit is to achieve what exactly? Remainers will like your posts here or on Twitter, so what, doesn't change anything, and it's unlikely to change anything in the coming years.

Would you rather want Brexit to fail so that you can say you were right all along, but at the same time cut off you nose to spite your face? Or would you rather want Brexit succeed regardless if you agree with it or not, because a successful Brexit will be better for all of us living here rather than a failed Brexit?

 

[Lycanthrope]

[...]you were being an arse about brexit[...]

Everyone should be an arse about Brexit >: )

As someone with family and friends scattered about the continent, it annoys the shitbiscuits out of me.

Especially sending gifts across the channel. Not only is it a slightly more tedious process these days, but it sort of spoils the surprise when you have to list the contents of a package in excruciating detail.

'tis, of course, but a minor, pea-sized nuisance in a colossal wasteland of self-harm.

 

[Dave]

Everyone should be an arse about Brexit >: )

Adrian was being a pro-Brexit arse at the time (though I would say, I have no personal animosity towards him and am sorry if my posts did actually offend him).

I agree with your post 110%.

It still pisses me off badly just how much self inflicted damage Brexit has done.

 

[AdrianH]

Adrian was being a pro-Brexit arse at the time (though I would say, I have no personal animosity towards him and am sorry if my posts did actually offend him).

I agree with your post 110%.

It still pisses me off badly just how much self inflicted damage Brexit has done.

If it wasn't for Brexit, tax would not have been scrapped on sanitary products (tampon tax)

So basically the EU and by extension remainers are just sexists