More than 13,000 British people requested a new nationality from an EU member country in 2017, the BBC has reported. It appears to mainly be because of concerns about Brexit. The figure is a massive increase compared to 2016 (5,025) and 2015 (1,800). The UK will leave the EU in March 2019.

The BBC has acquired data from 17 EU countries. German nationality is the most popular among British people: 7,493 British people became German nationals last year.

France is the second most popular country for British people wanting to keep their EU nationality (1,518), followed by Belgium (1,381) and Sweden (1,208).

Their new nationality will allow them to continue to live and move freely within the EU after Brexit, plus they can pass it on to their children. Most of them will also keep their British nationality.

Jason Bennett

The Brussels Times