Meghan Markle Will Have A Hard Time Securing British Citizenship

It will take more than marrying a prince to secure a British citizenship, and Meghan Markle is bound to experience this in the coming months.

The former “Suits” star will tie the knot with Prince Harry on May 19, and it is expected that she will apply for a citizenship so she can legally reside in the United Kingdom for years.

However, even Markle would have to go through the tedious process of applying for her citizenship that typically takes years before it gets approved. Colin Yeo, an immigration lawyer, even called the procedure “insanely complex.”

“It’s very easy to make mistakes because the requirements are so very precise,” Yeo said.

According to Page Six, Markle will first obtain a spousal visa, and this will grant her five years to live in the United Kingdom. But before getting her visa, she first needs to prove that her relationship with Prince Harry is genuine. She also needs to provide proof that will confirm her marriage to Trevor Engelson is already null and void.

Prince Harry should also early $26,000 a year in order for him to fully support Markle without relying on the public funds. This shouldn’t be a problem because Prince Harry is most likely earning a bigger sum of money.

“The rule discriminates against women, young people, and ethnic minorities, who are less likely to be earning more – and people outside London,” Yeo said.

Meanwhile, Caitlin Milazzo, a US-born academic who received her British citizenship in January after living in the United Kingdom for over six years, encouraged Markle to be very particular with the details.

“The rules are quite complicated, but generally if you are up on the process, it makes it a little bit easier to prepare,” she said.

She added that she hopes Markle won’t receive a special treatment during the process just because she will soon be marrying the prince.

“They should just say there is one rule for everyone, rich or poor – these are the requirements that apply to everyone, no matter if you’re royalty or someone coming in as a nurse. But I know that’s not how the world works,” she said.