Muahahahaha…
"However British you may be, I am more British still."
- Henry James (the archetypal American-turned-Briton)
The passport has definitely made it feel a lot realer than the (admittedly lovely) citizenship ceremony. (*)
It's really quite a strange thing to go to bed every night for 39 years being American . . . and then one morning wake up also being British. But, then again, it's been a long road (viz and viz, just for two samples (*)).
I especially like that 'British Citizen' bit there, under my name. I also quite like this. Do not mess with Her Britannic Majesty.
Not my favourite passport photo of all time; but, then, hardly anything compares to this classic of the terrorist genre:
"Five words: Randomly selected for additional screening."
Where, yes, I sang 'God Save the Queen' with everyone else.
By my count, let's see, if you count as separate applications the applications I had to resubmit, I've now been through . . . eight application processes, for four different levels of immigration status (HSMP, limited leave to remain, indefinite leave to remain (aka settlement), and citizenship). I've probably paid, at a guess, maybe £2000-some in application fees? Also had some heart-stoppers when the rules were radically changed mid-game, and I basically had to earn a solid year's salary in a half year in order to get enough immigration points to qualify to stay . . .
