I am one of 56.1 million* people who live in England and Wales, one of 13% (7.5 million) residents who were born outside the UK and one of 46% (3.4 million) of those who were born outside the UK and hold a UK passport, one of 7.7% (4.2 Million) of people living in England and Wales who speak another main language other than English, and one of the 25% (14.1 million) people with no religion (after giving up Islam for sex, alcohol and pork!)
* All statistics data from the 2011 Census, Office for National Statistics.
![Hydar Abdulilah Mohammed Al-Dewachi: Iraqi national, born in Baghdad, 1974, an engineer, of 1 meter 60cm. height, brown eyes and no distinguishing marks.](https://www.hydardewachi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/02_Iraqi-Passport-1024x771.jpg)
Hydar Abdulilah Mohammed Al-Dewachi: Iraqi national, born in Baghdad, 1974, an engineer, of 1 meter 60cm. height, brown eyes and no distinguishing marks.
![Email with directions to the house where I stayed when I first arrived to live in the UK.](https://www.hydardewachi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/04_Email-Direction-to-Home-1024x723.jpg)
Email with directions to the house where I stayed when I first arrived to live in the UK.
![I was refused to open a bank account in the UK on the basis that I am from Iraq.](https://www.hydardewachi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/06_HSBC-Sanction-Letter_web-732x1024.jpg)
I was refused to open a bank account in the UK on the basis that I am from Iraq.
![All my attempts didn’t work. At the end, it was the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and toppling of Saddam Hussein that lifted the sanctions and I was finally able to open a bank account in the UK. I declared it a victory.](https://www.hydardewachi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/07_Bank-of-England_Page_w2028-1024x724.jpg)
All my attempts didn’t work. At the end, it was the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and toppling of Saddam Hussein that lifted the sanctions and I was finally able to open a bank account in the UK. I declared it a victory.
![One of the requirements for the “Indefinite Leave to Remain” visa is to calculate the time spent outside the UK.](https://www.hydardewachi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/08_travels-1024x768.jpg)
One of the requirements for the “Indefinite Leave to Remain” visa is to calculate the time spent outside the UK.
![After two months wait, and with a supporting letter from Microsoft, I got a visa to visit the USA. On my way out from John Kennedy Airport, my boarding pass and luggage strips got marked with SSSS for Super Special Security Search.](https://www.hydardewachi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/11_US-Visit-Plate-1024x768.jpg)
After two months wait, and with a supporting letter from Microsoft, I got a visa to visit the USA. On my way out from John Kennedy Airport, my boarding pass and luggage strips got marked with SSSS for Super Special Security Search.
![We, the new citizens, got given a Britishness goodie bag which included a Union Jack paper flag. On 1 May 2009, the Sun ran an “Iraq Special: Home for heroes” – you bet I thought the article was about me.](https://www.hydardewachi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/16_HD_090501_1259-682x1024.jpg)
We, the new citizens, got given a Britishness goodie bag which included a Union Jack paper flag. On 1 May 2009, the Sun ran an “Iraq Special: Home for heroes” – you bet I thought the article was about me.
![… and a free trial session at a Leisure centre!.](https://www.hydardewachi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/18_Free-trial-session-at-Leisure-Centre-1024x724.jpg)
… and a free trial session at a Leisure centre!.
![On 20th May 2019, the new British passport arrived in an envelop marked “ID required”.](https://www.hydardewachi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/21_British-Passport-Envelope-1024x724.jpg)
On 20th May 2019, the new British passport arrived in an envelop marked “ID required”.
![And so life begins with the dual nationality/ personality.](https://www.hydardewachi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/22_Iraqi_British-Passports-1024x724.jpg)
And so life begins with the dual nationality/ personality.
![My brother, Omar, and I in London, 1980. Today Omar is Canadian and I am British.](https://www.hydardewachi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/24_Me-London-1980-03-1002x1024.jpg)
My brother, Omar, and I in London, 1980. Today Omar is Canadian and I am British.