Encounter with IO at Gatwick Airport yesterday - ILR warning!

I've had ILR for nearly 5 years, and have always answered the same type of questions upon returning to the UK from overseas trips, which have been - how did I get my ILR (answer=work permit route) and who was I currently working for.

However, yesterday, I faced a very different set of questions:

IO:  (Looking at my ILR sticker in my passport, then at me):  "Do you know about what is happening with ILR?"
Me:  "Yes, and I'm applying for my British citizenship next week."
IO:   "Why are you doing that?"
Me:  (Thinking it best to avoid TMI):  "Well, I've been here nearly 9 years, so I think it's time."
IO:  "Do you know what the status would be with regards to your current (US) citizenship?"
Me:  "Yes, I know that I am able to retain my US citizenship upon becoming a UK citizen."
IO:  (Stamps me in and waves me through.)

It seemed nice of him to make sure I was aware of upcoming changes, because if I wasn't on UK-Y and otherwise had my head buried in the sand, I might be caught off guard later in 2009.

I did get a bit paranoid when he asked about retaining my US citizenship though - it made me think that maybe further changes could be afoot whereby the UK could one day decide to revoke UK citizenship from anyone who also holds other citizenship!  I know that was a very paranoid thought, but after everything I've been reading on this forum lately, it did cross my mind!

Now that is paranoia! 

Believe me, your average IO has probably less of an idea of what is coming down the pipe then we do.  These are people who have insisted there is no such thing as a fiancée visa.  The legislation has yet to be laid before Parliament, the draft legislation just re-peeked it's head up and the grandfathering is unclear at best (and something we are going to fight for).

The IO not knowing the US Citizens are perfectly fine accepting another citizenship shows, though they are probably in the coffee room speculating on what it will mean to the large number of Indian immigrants they see who have ILRs but cannot take up British Citizenship without losing their Indian one.  Little do they know the there were provisions in the draft legislation that ensure that they would not have to give up their other citizenships, that will persist into the final legislation, though they will likely have to prove it would cause an issue.

I don't envy an IO, because they tend to get even less information then those like Garry and Vicky who are on the front lines of the Advocacy and Immigration work front.

Thanks for your insights, kitsonk - very interesting.

BTW: The paranoia doesn't start or end with this - I was so worried about my citizenship application's safety in case we might have got broken into or the house burnt down whilst on holiday that I carried the completed application and Life in the UK test results around in my daypack (backpack thingy) all over Tunisia for the past two weeks!   Wish I could have applied before my holiday but it wasn't to be - the application is still safe and sound back here with me in the UK though, and my NCS appointment is next Tuesday the 6th!

Another bored jobsworth IO.



Vicky