FOLLOWING the release of the latest white paper on independence, The National wanted to ask readers whether they would choose to identify as a British or Scottish citizen – or both – after independence.
In our poll, the vast majority said they would choose Scottish citizenship.
In total, 2620 people voted with 81% saying they would prefer to identify as Scottish alone.
In second place was dual Scottish/British citizenship which 11% of respondents said they would pick while 8% said they would choose British alone.
Speaking at an event launching the new paper on Thursday, First Minister Humza Yousaf explained how the system would work following a Yes vote.
He said: “UK laws allows British citizens to hold multiple nationalities. We propose that, after independence, the law in Scotland would allow Scottish citizens to do the same – so people can hold both Scottish and British citizenship if they want, or only one or the other.”
We previously told how Yousaf (below) said he would reject his British citizenship and instead take only the citizenship of an independent Scotland.
He told journalists that would “probably” be his position.
The white paper explains that British citizens living in Scotland on the day of independence would automatically qualify as Scottish citizens and become dual nationals.
However, they would also be able to opt out of either one of these.
Asked about what his own decision would be, the FM said: “I’ve not thought much about it but I probably wouldn’t [take dual citizenship], no.
“I would just have my Scottish citizenship.”
Yousaf further explained that anybody who moved to Scotland from elsewhere in the UK after a Yes vote but before the day of independence would be “welcome”.
British citizens who moved during this transition period would automatically become Scottish citizens on the day of independence, and there would be no plans for a citizenship test akin to the one used in the UK.
