EU nationals who have settled in Britain are facing a dilemma as Brexit looms: pack their bags, apply for citizenship or stay put and hope for the best. In Manchester, northwest England, German national Melanie Moerbe has just become a British citizen at an official ceremony. “I felt quite emotional,” said the 38-year-old, who arrived in Britain in 2003 to study nursing and now cares for people with psychological disorders. “I love Britain and my whole life and my best friends are all here. I am planning on staying,” she said. A few months ago, she discovered that Germany does not accept dual nationality with a country outside the European Union — as Britain will become after March 29. “If I didn’t get my British citizenship before the official Brexit date… I would have to give up my German passport to get the British one,” said Moerbe. The entire process costs £1,500 ($1,970, 1,700 euros), with £250 of the fee sourced from crowd-funding. “The rest is eating a big hole in my credit card,” she said. Romeo Manciu, 37, is full of optimism and is also planning to seek British nationality one day. “I came to follow my dream: to work in an airport,” said the Romanian, who arrived in August. “Where is the biggest airport in Europe? Heathrow! It had to be Heathrow,” he said, with a big grin on his face. Despite having no experience, he quickly found a job as an airport ramp agent: the people who direct planes after they have landed, and remove the luggage. Manciu wants to bring his family to settle permanently in London. “Brexit is not a problem,” he said. “Everyone that comes here before March 29 can apply for pre-settled status, that is the reason I came before Brexit.” Residential status can be claimed after five years and a British passport after six. “If you read all this information, why not be happy?“ Things are not so sunny for Barbara Lovatt, 44, a Polish national who has lived in Birmingham, central England, with her British husband and her 21-year-old disabled son for a decade. “I applied for permanent residency twice for me and my son and I was refused twice,” she said. “Even though my husband works and supports us financially, they said I can’t support myself because I receive benefits as a carer.” Lovatt feels uneasy in Britain, especially so after losing her job at a brewery visitor center in July. She and her husband Martin have decided to quit life in Britain. “Next year we will be leaving for Cyprus, where we bought a house,” she said. Martin feels certain of finding work as an electrician in the former British colony where English is commonly understood. “And it’s much, much cheaper,” said Barbara. Joan Pons Laplana, 43, is a Spaniard who works in Britain’s National Health Service. Published in Daily Times, November 11th 2018.