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The day after the Brexit vote, I was stuck in bed having panic attacks on repeat.

It shoved me out of my comfort zone and now my life, in Portugal, is better for it (immigrant stress is real though), but it was a profoundly shitty thing to go through, and my heart utterly goes out to the millions of Americans, especially the young women, the LGBT people, and the terrified immigrants, and others now experiencing the same thing.

in reply to Sarah Brown

Anyway, by this time next year, I will have submitted my paperwork saying that I have no criminal record in the UK, along with proof of 5 years residency, Portuguese language proficiency, and a copy of my (post gender recognition) birth certificate.

And when it is approved, I will be registered as a Portuguese citizen born overseas (female).

And as far as the state will be concerned, I’m a cis woman.

That’s going to be a useful insurance policy.

in reply to Sarah Brown

honestly that sounds great. Massive respect for people who managed this given what was happening in 2020/2021
in reply to will-h

@will-h it was logistically very very difficult. Yeah.

And then in 2021 my mum got a terminal cancer diagnosis.

Spent a lot of time being one of only half a dozen passengers on a 737.

in reply to Sarah Brown

Hope everything goes well. It's a huge weight off your the shoulders, to have the magic legal status that wont ever expire or go away.

I assume by now you feel perfectly at home, but let me know if you need anything. I've finally made up my mind and I'm back (and fucking hell, that was stressful AF… somehow I managed to pull it off).