- Home » Expat News » UK consulates in Europe finlly gearing upp to help expats
UK consulates in Europe finlly gearing upp to help expats
| Published: | 4 Dec at 6 PM |
Want to get involved?
Become a Featured Expat and take our interview.
Become a Local Expert and contribute articles.
Get in touch today!
Become a Local Expert and contribute articles.
Get in touch today!
One no-no as regards emigrating to Europe is the perception that UK consular officials don’t want to know about seemingly unsolvable problems experienced by UK expats.
According to reports of a recent British Embassy meeting with campaigners for UK expats in the EU, the British consular service has been cranking up its services in a number of favourite UK expat destinations. Brexpat: Hear Our Voice campaigner Paul Hearn told local media a consular service representative had insisted the current trend was to move away from helping British tourists in trouble to aiding UK expats in Europe who’re fearful over the effect of Brexit on their chosen lifestyles.
Putting aside the fact that the consulates have been aware since just after the Brexit vote that Britons in Europe would be in danger of losing everything due to the EU/UK divorce, Hearn said the European consulates were now increasing their staff by some 40 per cent in order to be better equipped to deal with queries. They’ve finally realised, he said, that they’ve rarely had to support British expats in Europe over the past 40 years, but must now pick up the reins and concentrate on supporting Britons who desperately need answers or even practical help.
Over the past several decades, the UK has been downsizing its consular services in Europe in an effort to concentrate on providing them further afield, even although expats in far-flung destinations across Asia haven't yet noticed any improvements. As part of the essential restructuring in Europe due to Brexit, the consular service has finally realised there’s a need to reach out to Brit expats without internet access, whatever the reason. Consular staff in France are now meeting with local mayors in order to identify vulnerable Britons in need of support, with notices being displayed in doctors’ surgeries, vets’ animal clinics and also in the English and French language press. UK expats in France who're having difficulty applying for their cartes de sejour should immediately contact the consulate for advice and assistance.
According to reports of a recent British Embassy meeting with campaigners for UK expats in the EU, the British consular service has been cranking up its services in a number of favourite UK expat destinations. Brexpat: Hear Our Voice campaigner Paul Hearn told local media a consular service representative had insisted the current trend was to move away from helping British tourists in trouble to aiding UK expats in Europe who’re fearful over the effect of Brexit on their chosen lifestyles.
Putting aside the fact that the consulates have been aware since just after the Brexit vote that Britons in Europe would be in danger of losing everything due to the EU/UK divorce, Hearn said the European consulates were now increasing their staff by some 40 per cent in order to be better equipped to deal with queries. They’ve finally realised, he said, that they’ve rarely had to support British expats in Europe over the past 40 years, but must now pick up the reins and concentrate on supporting Britons who desperately need answers or even practical help.
Over the past several decades, the UK has been downsizing its consular services in Europe in an effort to concentrate on providing them further afield, even although expats in far-flung destinations across Asia haven't yet noticed any improvements. As part of the essential restructuring in Europe due to Brexit, the consular service has finally realised there’s a need to reach out to Brit expats without internet access, whatever the reason. Consular staff in France are now meeting with local mayors in order to identify vulnerable Britons in need of support, with notices being displayed in doctors’ surgeries, vets’ animal clinics and also in the English and French language press. UK expats in France who're having difficulty applying for their cartes de sejour should immediately contact the consulate for advice and assistance.
Comments » No published comments just yet for this article...
Feel free to have your say on this item. Go on... be the first!
