VAT / non UK nationality

[Irish Rover]

AFAIK there is no such thing as EU residency, or EU citizenship - residency has to be in a member country of the EU - perhaps their country of citizenship?

If they cruise form the UK to France then Spain, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, Greece and back again, not spending more than a couple of months in each country, they can't qualify for residency in any of the countries they visit because they are not there long enough - so can't get residency in the EU.

I guess they might lose UK residency if out of the UK for too long - in which case do they revert to a citizen of their original EU country exercising FoM in Europe with no fixed abode? ... maybe this makes them liable for VAT?

The only sensible answer seems to be they are out of the UK for too long, UK residency is revoked, and then the default residency is in the country where they are a citizen regardless of how long they stay there? ... but then what happens to people with dual citizenship? I'm confused.

my post wasn't technically accurate in referring to EU residency. Actually I believe what you need to prove to the satisfaction of the customs authorities is that you are "established" outside the EU. From my experience you need all your i's dotted if travelling on an EU passport. You apply for TA in the country where you enter the EU and you can then travel freely within the EU. So there will be a record of when you entered. I'd hate to be trying to convince a Greek or Italian customs officer that I was established outside the EU when he has a clear record in his hand that I've been in the EU for 10 months on my EU passport. Maybe there's a way of doing this but I don't know what it is and I'd advise caution.

 

[nortada]

I’ve never bought the “we don’t know” argument - the rules have been in place for decades for EU countries, and decades for third countries and we are simply moving from one to the other unless special deals are made. All the rules can be looked up. And one part of that is clear both from rules and from practice that somebody on an extended cruise from their normal place of residence remains a resident in their normal place until they spend 183 days or more in one other country. Their citizenship never allows them to become resident in a place where they are not. I found this out as an Irish citizen when I wondered if I could get Irish residency without going there - impossible.

Buy what you like, I can only say it as I see it.

If all of this factual information is so readily available why do people come on here to argue the toss? I thought that was Lounge country?

Despite what some may think, I do not come on here for an argument. Rather to share what information is available and where possible help folk out; possibly based on my experiences.

This is what I understood Liveaboard Link to be all about.

 

[Graham376]

AFAIK there is no such thing as EU residency, or EU citizenship - residency has to be in a member country of the EU - perhaps their country of citizenship?

Oh yes there is My residence card clearly states I'm a "Citizen of the European Union". OTOH I will only be resident of one EU state/country and a citizen of none after 31/12.

 

[syvictoria]

Oh yes there is My residence card clearly states I'm a "Citizen of the European Union". OTOH I will only be resident of one EU state/country and a citizen of none after 31/12.

Absolutely! If you are a resident and/or citizen of an EU state, you are surely by extension also an EU resident and/or citizen? Much as a resident of England is also a resident of the UK, or even Europe or Earth, taking it a step further still!!!