Sitting on the Fence – Will Brexit Curb Immigration from Hungary?

On June 24, 2016, I woke up to acknowledge the verdict of the UK electorate: the Leave supporters outnumbered the Remain campaigners, demanding the United Kingdom ends its membership of the European Union. After the first shock, the obvious question: what will change for me, a Hungarian citizen in London?

What joining the EU meant for the Hungarian?

For my Hungarian contemporaries born in the eighties, EU membership is not a ‘given and forever existing’ reality as it might be for Millennial Hungarians or citizens of the founding Member States. We still have vivid memories of living in ‘the olden days’, Hungary having joined the EU a little more than ten years ago.

We still remember how excited we were, looking at the giant clocks set up in the major squares of Budapest, counting down to May 1, 2004, the day of accession. On this day, a new world began for us: besides the obvious political and economical changes, being part of the EU means:

• being able to visit our friends abroad without having to request permits and waiting for hours at the border;
• studying in prestigious schools all over Europe thanks to the Erasmus Scholarship; and
• working abroad, in a multicultural environment, without having to wait in line for a residence and work permit.

• Will we have to leave if the UK decides to leave the EU?
• Will we be required to prove that we were legally residing and working in the UK in order to continue doing so? Will we be able to prove this?
• Will we have to apply for residence or work permits?
• Will those working in industries with skills shortages find themselves in a more advantageous position?
• Will our children have the opportunity to study in the UK, or will their options depend on the discretion of a visa officer?

On the other hand, it seems likely that even more Hungarians will hit the road to the UK within the next two years, before the borders shut down, availing themselves of their right of free movement while they still can.

What will change for us? We don’t know yet. What we do know is that we will continue seeking an answer to our questions – whether living in the UK or on the other side of the fence.

Should you have any question in relation to immigration solutions for EU nationals, please contact your Fragomen representative for a consultation.