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1. Inspired by @AlisonKMurray I'm going to tell you a story.
Something I see said a lot is that we don't need freedom of movement, "people moved abroad before FoM and they can still do that".
Well, yes they can, but it's much harder. This is just one story of how hard it can be.
Something I see said a lot is that we don't need freedom of movement, "people moved abroad before FoM and they can still do that".
Well, yes they can, but it's much harder. This is just one story of how hard it can be.
2. I moved to Germany in the early 90s. It took the best part of a year to get my "Aufenhaltsgenehmigung" - permission to stay - but this story isn't about that saga.
3. I married my ex-husband (for the purposes of this story, I'm calling him Klaus Müller) in 1993.
We wanted to get married, but we naively believed that marriage would end the bureaucratic nightmare for me.
We wanted to get married, but we naively believed that marriage would end the bureaucratic nightmare for me.
4. A year or 2 later Klaus was offered a job in a bank. We were made up, because we were living on a pittance at the time.
In Germany you are issued with a Steuerkarte (a tax card). The amount of tax you pay depends (if it's still the same) on your personal situation.
In Germany you are issued with a Steuerkarte (a tax card). The amount of tax you pay depends (if it's still the same) on your personal situation.
5. A married couple can change tax group, so that the person earning more pays a lower tax rate than the other person.
At the time this was something only available to married couples.
At the time this was something only available to married couples.
6. So one afternoon Klaus came home early, dressed in a suit and tie, and told me he was popping to the town hall to get his new Steuerkarte to pay the lower rate of tax. A very quick and easy thing to do.
I said goodbye, expecting to see him again in about half an hour or so.
I said goodbye, expecting to see him again in about half an hour or so.
7. 2 hours later the door of our tiny flat flew open and a very frazzled looking Klaus barked at me, "Get your passport and get in the car". He wasn't the sort of person to be fleeing the country, so I did what he said. In the car he just said that I needed to prove my identity.
8. Apparently the civil servant at the town hall had said that I wasn't registered as living in Germany. Klaus had told her that I definitely was, as he knew the amount of time and effort that had taken.
He also pointed out that he'd definitely just seen me in our flat.
He also pointed out that he'd definitely just seen me in our flat.
9. She then said that I'd only recently registered as residing at our address. He had then told her that that wasn't true, that I had registered several years earlier.
She said that she couldn't find me and could he bring me to the town hall with him.
She said that she couldn't find me and could he bring me to the town hall with him.
10. When we arrived I breezed in grinning. I held up my passport, pointed at Klaus and said, "hi, I'm me and I'm married to him."
The woman behind the counter looked relieved.
I handed her my passport and she started typing.
Fools that we were, we thought it was sorted.
The woman behind the counter looked relieved.
I handed her my passport and she started typing.
Fools that we were, we thought it was sorted.
11. The typing took a suspiciously long time and the woman looked stressed. Then she finally made a sort of positive noise that seemed to indicate that it was finally sorted. That relief didn't last long.
12. She was happy because she had found the reason why she couldn't find me.
At this point I should mention that I had kept my name when we got married.
At this point I should mention that I had kept my name when we got married.
13. The civil servant explained that Klaus was indeed married to Nicola Müller, but that Nicola James was unmarried.
I made a joke about this being my chance to get away. We all laughed.
The laughing stopped when I then said, "Well, change it."
I made a joke about this being my chance to get away. We all laughed.
The laughing stopped when I then said, "Well, change it."
14. Things then took a bizarre turn. The woman said, "I can't. I need a death certificate for Nicola Müller."
I pointed out that there was no Nicola Müller in our marriage. She said that the computer said there was. (Luckily I'm not the jealous type)
I pointed out that there was no Nicola Müller in our marriage. She said that the computer said there was. (Luckily I'm not the jealous type)
15. So I then said, "So what you are saying is that we have to leave here, find a doctor, who will accept a bribe to issue a death certificate for a woman who has never existed, in order for you to correct this admin mistake?"
16. She said, "Yes."
17. We spent a further 2 hours in the town hall with a very stressed civil servant, who I should add was heavily pregnant* at the time. Apparently she chose to serve Klaus because he looked smart and she thought it would be a simple thing to deal with.
18. Finally at the end 2 hours the poor woman said, "Sod it, I'm just going to change it." We won!
This is just 1 story of many. It's stressful and hard to move abroad without FoM, especially if like me you aren't wealthy.
Next time I might tell you the health insurance one.
This is just 1 story of many. It's stressful and hard to move abroad without FoM, especially if like me you aren't wealthy.
Next time I might tell you the health insurance one.
19. Unlike some other recent Twitter stories this one is true. In my experience there is no need to invent anything about being UK in EU, as reality is usually bizarre enough.
The end.
*I like to think that the civil servant named her child after Klaus or me :)
The end.
*I like to think that the civil servant named her child after Klaus or me :)
