Dutch woman told to leave Britain after 24 years
A Dutch woman with two British children has been told she must leave Britain after 24 years, the Guardian said on Wednesday.
Monique Hawkins decided to apply for British citizenship following the Brexit vote because she was worried she may have fewer rights. The paper said European citizens who marry British nationals do not automatically qualify for British citizenship, so Hawkins decided to apply for permanent residency, then citizenship.
The British immigration department rejected her application because she did not include her original passport as required and sent her a letter which ignored her right to live in Britain as a European.
‘As you appear to have no alternative basis of stay in the United Kingdom you should now make arrangements to leave,’ the paper quoted the letter as saying.
Hawkins has now resubmitted her application for permanent residency.
The paper says her story highlights the practical difficulties faced by millions of EU citizens concerned that they will not have the right to stay in Britain post-Brexit.
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