Entrepreneurs ? Have you got your second passport yet ?
It seems thousands of UK passport holders have already taken the plunge and the favoured second passport is an Irish one.
A Rush for Irish Passports
More than 160,000 UK citizens, living in England and Wales, now also hold an Irish passport, the Daily Telegraph reports.
This compares to a mere 26,000 in 2011.
The rush for Irish nationality has been put down to a post-Brexit desire to hang on to European benefits.
Avoid the Long Queues
All you need is at least one Irish parent or grandparent. If you are successful in getting an Irish passport you will still be able to live and work anywhere in the European Union.
At the very least, Irish-passport holding entrepreneurs from the UK will be able to avoid the long queues at immigration when going to Europe for business.
Changes Afoot
As it stands, a UK passport holder can spend a mere 90 days in Europe every six months.
Next year, travel to Europe is set to become more complicated.
The planned European Travel Information and Authorization System will mean all non-EU citizens will have to pay a fee for an electronic pass .
France a favourite
Meanwhile people pick up their second passports.France is the second most favoured passport choice for Brits trying to keep one foot in Europe and 24,600 took it up.
Other dual popular second passports are Germany, taken by 22,600. Interestingly, a German passport can be applied for on grounds aside from parentage. You can apply on the grounds that your family members were victims of Nazi persecution.
Poland, 22,100 and Italy 18,800 are also popular.
The most powerful passport in the world, as ranked on the Henley Index, is that of Singapore. If you are a Singapore passport holder you can enter 192 countries and territories- out of 277 – without a problem.
Maybe it is time to check out your family tree.
