Little did I know at the start of this year and this blog that Harry and Meghan would provide a real world case study on moving your family to another country, modifying your identity, and living as a foreign national.
Read on to learn about the issues they will face.
Summary on the Travelling Sussexes
In case you are one of the few people on the planet who not yet heard, Prince Harry and Meghan are leaving the royal firm, striking out on their own, moving abroad, and going to become financially independent. This is not normal British Royal Family behaviour.
Situation
It appears their lives as working senior royals was not working for them.
They decided they needed to make major changes to their lives and took action.
Goals
They determined their priorities and established goals.
Their stated goals include:
· Stepping back as “senior” members of the Royal Family
· Working to become financially independent
· Balancing their time between the United Kingdom and North America
· Providing their family with the space to focus on the next chapter
· Launching of their new charitable entity
Identity
Prince Harry and Meghan had to determine if they would remain working senior royals.
They decided they would not, so they will no longer retain the titles of His/Her Royal Highness (HRH) and any privileges and rights associated with that standing.
Citizenship
A very important issue for the Sussex family or it will be if it is not on their radar yet.
There is no country for which all three family members share the same citizenship:
Prince Harry is a British citizen.
Meghan is an American citizen.
Archibald is a British and American citizen, or at least should be eligible for either or both citizenship through both parents.
Documents
Their official government issued documentation is going to be critical to the feasibility of their plans. Passports, birth certificates, visas, permits; if they were not awash in documentation before, they will be out of necessity.
Residence
The ease of moving to a new residence will be complicated by the family’s citizenship statuses.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will live in both the United Kingdom and North America. The vagueness of the term “North America” suggests it could mean Canada, or the United States, or both. Probably not Mexico, although it is part of North America.
Canada
Harry, Meghan, and Archibald are not Canadian citizens. They may need to obtain a temporary residence permit if they intend to stay longer than six months. Harry may not need a visitor visa for visits under six months. Meghan may not need a visitor visa as long as she is carrying her U.S. passport.
Harry may also need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly into Canada and a temporary resident visa solely to enter the country.
Canadian immigration requirements vary depending on specific criteria including citizenship and purpose of visit.
United States
They would face a different situation in the United States as Meghan is a U.S. citizen. Harry is not and would need a residence permit to live in the United States. He would need a visa to enter the U.S., the nature of which would depend on his specific need for entry.
Britain
Harry retains his British citizenship. Meghan is not a British citizen and remains a foreign national there.
Employment
It appears that Harry and Meghan are changing their sources of financial support by declining public moneys. In the future, they intend to be financially independent in some yet unstated manner.
Their citizenship statuses will complicate their ability to work and earn income. Their need for work permits will depend on the precise nature of their work, duration in country, and current citizenship.
In Canada, Harry and Meghan will probably need work permits.
In the U.S., Meghan would not need a work permit. Harry may need a work permit.
In Britain, Harry would not need a work permit. Meghan may need a work permit.
Note: As a U.S. citizen, Meghan will pay taxes to the U.S. regardless of where she lives or works.
If Harry and Meghan can make the time to evaluate their lives and plan a change so can anyone else.
In essence they:
Evaluated the quality of their lives.
Decided what needed to change: identity, residence, and profession.
Made a plan and implemented it.
If doing the same, remember to consider:
Your identity
Your citizenship
Your residence
Your employment or financial support
Your documents – current and future
Disclaimer: This content is purely informational and largely derived from media reports and government websites. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information. I am not an attorney and the information provided should not be interpreted as legal advice.