EU citizens are rushing to apply for citizenship

TWICE as many EU nationals in Hinckley are applying for British citizenship than before the referendum.

Exclusive figures obtained from a Freedom of Information request to the Home Office show that the number of EU nationals applying for British citizenship has considerably increased since the Brexit vote.

In Hinckley, the number of citizenship applications by EU nationals increased from 50 in 2015, to 100 in 2017.

In 2015, EU applicants made up 11 per cent of the total applications, while in 2017 they made up 24 per cent of all applications.

Meanwhile, the number of applications by EU citizens refused by the Home Office has decreased across Hinckley.

In 2015, five applications were refused compared to none in 2017.

A spokesperson for the3million - a not for profit organisation formed after the Brexit referendum to protect the rights of EU citizen living in the UK - said: “I’m not surprised by the statistics - but despite the decrease in refusals, I think the Hostile Environment is alive and kicking (out).

“Those Europeans who apply for citizenship already have Permanent Residence - which means they fulfill most criteria for citizenship already.

“These will be people who have been in the UK for many years and whose cases are pretty straightforward.

“More people who have Permanent Residence and qualify currently apply so that drives down the refusal rate.

“It is the quality, not the quantity of applications, that will drive the rejection and refusal rate.

“Hundreds and thousands of people are currently barred from taking the first hurdle to citizenship - to qualify for Permanent Residence.

“This disproportionately affects stay-at-home carers, selfemployed, students, disabled and elderly people.

“The figures show that people who can easily get Permanent Residence are increasingly applying for British citizenship, often as an insurance policy as their rights are still not guaranteed.

“So those who can afford the high fees and jump through all the bureaucratic hurdles will go for citizenship.

“At the same time, the Hostile Environment - or “death by bureaucracy” as one commentator called it - grips those who don’t qualify for Permanent Residence under current Home Office rules.”