EU referendum, brexit and the aftermath

You'll be fine. I, on the other hand, have to persuade Cycliste to marry me if I want to spend more than 90 days at a time in Switzerland. Haven't managed to in 25 years. Can't see the odds improving.

What's the most affordable route to an EU passport, asking for a friend?

Not sure these days. Ireland used to be a good option, but Cyprus seems popular with Russian oligarchs looking for an EU passport. Malta is another option I think.

They close the M20 and park lorries on it (Operation Stack) when there are strikes and the like.
Probably adapt that a bit.
Who needs motorways for travel when you can just use them as a glorified car park?

Edit: Operation Brock is the new version for Post-Brexit world.
This is all leaving though, not coming in, AFAIK

I can see Manston 'Airport' being used an HGV park/freeport style
truck park,
as there just isn't the space down in the docks at Dover.

Malta:-

"
In Malta, for example, they require the main applicant to contribute €650,000 to the National Development and Social Fund (and €25,000 each for a spouse and minor children). This is a donation that you will not get back.

Plus, you must purchase a house with a value of €350,000 or rent for five years with an annual minimum of €16,000. Finally, you must invest at least €150,000 in government-approved financial instruments – stocks, bonds, etc.
"

Not very affordable for the average person.

https://www.astons.com/residency-by-investment/spain/

I understand the long game is still available if you don't have a million behind the sofa.

Move to your EU country of choice before the end of this year and get a job/register with the local authorities. Keep your nose clean for about 5 years and apply for citizenship.

I was looking at this too, I've got a Swiss grandparent so thought I may be able to use that but they changed the law in 2017/2018 so I've missed the boat.

Swiss != EU

Yeah but still gets visa free travel in the Shengen area

One benefit of being from the north west is that virtually everyone has an Irish grandparent.

A digression, but I wondered for a while whether there will be services offered at some point to trace ancestry back with a view to getting a passport.

For example, I remember reading somewhere that you can claim Italian citizenship on your paternal side with no limit on how far back you go - something like that must worth some investigation for a large number of people (and presumably each EU country has different standards).

I keep meaning to looking into mine - I can only trace it as far as Scotland for my grandparents, which in itself might be worthwhile in a couple of years time.

There is the possibility of citizenship by descent / registration.

Not very affordable for the average person.

Well, no. I think that's the idea. If it was affordable, everyone would be doing it.

I've got Czech ancestry and dug around a little to see if I could get nationality that way but it is complicated by my grandmother not returning after WWII and the communists revoking her citizenship for being a splitter. My grandfather joined the British army in WWII and got killed which means his citizenship was never revoked so that might be a path.

Before WWI my grandfather was a subject of the Austro-Hungarian Empire which I think means I'm eligible for Hungarian citizenship by descent too but I would need to learn some basic Hungarian.

Both routes probably require finding and paying an in country agency to guide me through the process and since I don't expect to ever live in the EU27 there doesn't seem a lot of point. I'd kind of like it for my kids though on the off chance they ever want to leave North London.

I would need to learn some basic Hungarian.

give up now, it's not worth it.

half price compared to UK

Or, set-up as a freelancer (costing €75) and pay 3 months social security at about €67 per month, and get the residency that way. Maybe add in €150 for someone to arrange the appointments for you and avoid some stress.

We landed here in May 2019, had residency in October, because we took a while deciding which option to take (there are others, all more expensive).

Only a few hours to go before the next stage of us being royally fucked. Yay.

You can't get a passport until you have nationality after 10 years though. Looks like I read it wrong and you can't get a passport through the golden visa either, tough break.

Still free travel within Schengan zone though.

2021 is going to be the year of the chaos Brexit gods :/

You also have to actually live there for 6 months of each year, if you're buying an EU passport you probably don't want to have to be present in that country, you want to be on your yacht.

you want to be on your yacht.

On the yacht owned by a BVI-registered company with shareholders in Jersey and directors in Panama that you just happen to have available for your use...

Ah yes sorry, "your" yacht.