Current events continue to demonstrate the importance of clarifying your identity, especially in the context of citizenship, residence, and documentation.
1. It can determine if you will be allowed to leave a country.
Non-Chinese passport holders are allowed to depart China to avoid the coronavirus.
Chinese passport holders, even children, are not allowed to depart China.
2. It can determine if you can stay where you are.
Brexit will affect the citizens of the European Union (EU) and the citizens of the United Kingdom (UK) who reside in a country that is not the country of their citizenship. If they have not resided abroad long enough to establish residency, they may not be able to obtain permission to continue to reside in that country.
3. It can determine under what circumstances you will be allowed to enter a country.
Brexit will soon require the citizens of the remaining 27 EU countries and the citizens of the UK to deal with customs and passports should they wish to cross the English Channel. No acceptable documentation, no entry.
a. Timing is everything!
Brexit has an implementation period that ends on 31 December 2020. During this period, UK citizens will be able to continue to benefit from EU rights as before as will EU citizens in the UK.
However, on 1 January 2021, Brexit will be in full effect which means the loss of rights previously enjoyed by UK citizens in EU countries and EU citizens within the UK such as freedom of movement and residence.
Any decisions should be made promptly as time is of the essence. One month of this year has already passed and you only have 11 more months during which to act. “He who hesitates is lost.”
b. Location, Location, Location!
Citizens of the UK who relocate to an EU country during 2020 may be able to retain some of their EU rights and benefits as outlined in the withdrawal treaty. But, you do have to be physically in your country of choice (EU or UK) before 1 January 2021.
c. Knowledge is Power!
This guidance from the Government of the United Kingdom for UK citizens living in the EU, provides a summary of key points that many will appreciate in lieu of reading the Withdrawal Agreements itself. However, death is in the details, so if Brexit actively affects your residence plans or other interests, it would be worth reading the 541 page “Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community.”