When you're asked what country you are from?
Posted by Hillee1234@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 85 comments
When traveling aboard we often get asked to fill out an arrival card and just out of curiosity what answer do you give? I'm not really looking for the correct answer as I feel some people put emotion into their response.
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Actual Country like Scotland, wales, northern Ireland or England
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United Kingdom
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Britain
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British isles
VehicleWonderful6586@reddit
Ireland
angel_wave2013@reddit
i get so anxious answering that, like, do they really want to know or are they just being polite?
DeliciousUse7585@reddit
Just start screaming
4BennyBlanco4@reddit
On an arrival card and other such official documentation it's United Kingdom. When someone asks in casual conversation, England.
Nirnroot_Enjoyer@reddit
I describe myself as English, but I'll often refer to my country as the UK.
It does depend on the context I suppose.
Like I'll use "us Brits* if I thinks what I'm saying is relevant to my Scottish & Welsh friends.
Immediate-Cow-6183@reddit
UK coz it's the country of my passport
westpalm3101@reddit
Always “UK” it’s the easiest/fastest to write down
smellyfeet25@reddit
When I am asked i think i usually say England
Apprehensive-Top3675@reddit
In this context, definitely UK, since that is the country that issued your passport.
DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit
Proud to be from Wales and speak fluent Welsh.
There's nothing "United" about the UK so I won't ever put that down.
Feeling-Bluebird8413@reddit
What does it say on the front of the passport you’d be using to gain entry to the country you’ve travelled to?
DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit
I don't have a passport
Feeling-Bluebird8413@reddit
Then you won’t be travelling abroad, as per the question asked.
DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit
When I was abroad and I was asked what country I am from, I said Wales.
As per the question of this thread
Feeling-Bluebird8413@reddit
And when you were abroad, the passport you used was a U.K. passport.
DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit
Correct. Printed in the language of my oppressors. Doesn't mean I agree or have to write down "UK"
Feeling-Bluebird8413@reddit
Your oppressors? Jesus, how old are you?
DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit
Yes my oppressors. I teach history, you should familiarise yourself with it.
TheOlddan@reddit
'Was'. You were born in the 1980s not 1880s, who's been oppressing you exactly?
DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit
Still feeling the effects on society from what Thatcher (the milk snatcher) did
Feeling-Bluebird8413@reddit
You think that feeling the effects of Thatcher is exclusive to wales and that “oppressed” the Welsh specifically?
DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit
No I didn't claim that it did x
Feeling-Bluebird8413@reddit
You are claiming that you, personally are oppressed due to that and specifically because you are Welsh.
DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit
I am generalising. The original inhabitants of these isles have been oppressed by the Anglo-Saxons for a very long time.
Feeling-Bluebird8413@reddit
No one with an ounce of common sense would dispute that the Welsh have been oppressed and treated appallingly by the English. I disputing that you, at the age of 43 have been oppressed. Screwed over by Westminster? Certainly, but so have pretty much every other part of the uk, including northern England.
DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit
Here are ways that I am directly affected specifically as a Welsh man in 2026 by decisions made by Thatcher all those years ago:
Most small valleys towns are impoverished because mining was the lifeblood of those places, now they are mostly derelict and crime and drug use are high and nobody can get a job - so far we've struggled to find a replacement for the coal and steel industries.
The Housing Act 1980 allowed council tenants to buy their homes at a significant discount - this significantly reduced the stock of social housing. For people in my age bracket, this manifests as a high-pressure private rental market or difficulty finding affordable housing, as the original "Right to Buy" stock was never fully replaced.
Lower wage growth and lack of social housing still hits hard even in 2026
Feeling-Bluebird8413@reddit
None of that is exclusive to you being Welsh. I could make pretty much identical complaints about where I’m from in the north of England.
DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit
Fair comment. I'm not familiar with the North of England. So we are both united in our hatred for Thatcher, at least :-)
Feeling-Bluebird8413@reddit
Oh, 100% we are.
Fantastic_Deer_3772@reddit
Wales isn't independent yet
TheOlddan@reddit
It's as independant as any of the other constituent countries, arguably moreso as it has devolution and England doesn't.
Fantastic_Deer_3772@reddit
England's Parliament having power over the other nations doesn't make it less England's. The rest of us combined can't outvote you, and can't veto you.
HELMET_OF_CECH@reddit
Oh god you're not one of those marxist lunatics that's entered education to indoctrinate young kids on your whack shit right? LeTs DeCoLoNiSe WaLeS
Feeling-Bluebird8413@reddit
Yawn
PitchOk1448@reddit
If we asked, you'd say no.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_on_Welsh_independence
Technical_Front_8046@reddit
Urgh. Welsh people.
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Hillee1234@reddit (OP)
I get why you said that but I have some really good friends who are Welsh one of which married an English close friend of mine. Also work takes me into some industrial companies there and I am not treated any different to any of them. Yes theirs banter and I welcome it. I refuse to hate and be a weapon for the ruling classes and the powerful cooperations
rybnickifull@reddit
I think you've annoyed at least 4 saes
Hillee1234@reddit (OP)
That sad to hear. Taking politics into it I'm sure you have your reasons but without politics do you still feel the same because I would have to disagree when you say theirs nothing United. We all have our own life experience which can guide our options
Tactical-Chunderer@reddit
On a form UK, in person England.
GooseyDuckDuck@reddit
I usually start with UK, the drill down to Scotland, then Edinburgh.
destria@reddit
I put United Kingdom to match the passport.
foundalltheworms@reddit
I say England usually
whizzzzzzz@reddit
Wessex, I dont hold with all that new fangled rubbish!
That or UK cos thats what most systems class the area as.
terryjuicelawson@reddit
UK for anything official, probably say England if people casually ask. Britain isn't a country and the British Isles is a loose geographical term where you could come from places as distinct as Ireland, Isle of Man or Guernsey as part of it.
WatercressCrafty3350@reddit
I usually say I’m from London.
Realistic-River-1941@reddit
For anything written or formal, UK.
Spoken is usually England, as that is usually much easier to say, instantly recognised and if it really matters the person in question will know what format of "UK" to turn it into for their purpose.
Overall-Error4057@reddit
England,
Then I get asked where I'm really from, and thats again, England. (I am mixed English & Chinese)
PolarLocalCallingSvc@reddit
Depends how the question is phrased.
What is my nationality? Welsh, or failing that being an option, United Kingdom.
Where are you from? If they're meaning where I'm from originally, Wales, but if they mean where I've come from today, Scotland.
Plenty of online forms only allow UK or GB as an option so naturally pick those. And of course my passport says nationality United Kingdom so if it's being asked in an official capacity, that's usually the answer.
Overseerer-Vault-101@reddit
England/English. I default to saying it with my hands up when anyone asks me anything in a foreign language. 9/10 they ask again in perfect english. 110% so grateful about that privilege.
Fresh_Relation_7682@reddit
Depends which language. Reino Unido is as easy to say as Inglaterra. England is much easier to say than Vereinigtes Königreich
Fresh_Relation_7682@reddit
Anything official - always UK
Otherwise - UK or England
jaymatthewbee@reddit
Usually say I’m from England
spoo4brains@reddit
UK most of the time, or England if it is more relevant to the context of the question.
MrPogoUK@reddit
Used to be the Uk, I’ve mainly switched to saying England after one time in Japan after UK, United Kingdom and Britain all got blank stares, then England reunited in “Oh, like David Beckham!”.
Moppo_@reddit
For official stuff I'd probably put UK/GB, in conversation usually I say England. A few of the people I work with (online company, most of us work remotely), keep thinking I'm Scottish because of my accent. I don't mind, but in the rare cases it comes up I have to correct them.
DookuDonuts@reddit
UK
craftyorca135@reddit
I say England unless I'm talking to americans online in which case I'm british.
Alundra828@reddit
I say UK. If they want more, I elaborate to born Scotland, live in England.
Zealousideal-Low3388@reddit
I lived in South America for years, I gave up trying to explain that British and English aren’t synonymous.
I’d say “British” or “from the United Kingdom” and most people would look blankly until I said “England” 🤷♂️🤦♂️
And after a point, it’s not my job to teach geography to the good people of Argentina
NoodleDoodlesocks@reddit
Scotland if I can. United Kingdom when they don't list my country.
SuperDinkle406@reddit
"UK", it's easier and quicker to write when jet lagged.
PitchOk1448@reddit
I say England almost always.
peterchekhov@reddit
United Kingdom, because that is how the rear of the world names our country normally.
EducationalTourist55@reddit
Well with my accent I say Scotland
apeliott@reddit
Usually the UK as most people who ask me don't know what Wales is.
Any_Preference_4147@reddit
Wales if it's an option
Euphoric_Rough_5245@reddit
If it’s for a form then UK or GB whichever is on the drop down if it’s handwritten then England the same in conversation but it’s more like Yorkshire, England
MR_OOPERS@reddit
Wales, then I try to explain. Sometimes it's easier just to say Gareth Bale and I don't even like football.
Hillee1234@reddit (OP)
😂
Wide-Challenge-4874@reddit
UK
blootertooter_@reddit
Scotland
Astarymus@reddit
UK, always.
ThrowRAkitty13@reddit
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
JeffSergeant@reddit
... Father of a murdered son, husband of a murdered wife, etc..
bonshui@reddit
If I'm asked, I always say Scotland. If I'm filling in a form, I put UK.
Chance-Bread-315@reddit
On an arrival card or similar forms/documents - UK
In conversation - also UK lol
LadyInAllPower@reddit
I’d usually say UK
werewolfbutch874@reddit
If I’m typing it in myself I’ll put United Kingdom. I’ve been filling out a lot of forms overseas lately and most of them have you select from a drop down menu - it’s really annoying when you scroll down to the U section and UK isn’t on there, so you scroll up to B and Britain isn’t on there either, and you eventually find it as Great Britain.
Feeling-Bluebird8413@reddit
I’m travelling on a uk passport so I’d put uk.
RaneBera@reddit
UK if it's something very official. Scotland if I can get away with it.
loops1204@reddit
Wales then wait for the confusion and say UK
AgileInitial5987@reddit
United Kingdom
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