The Independence Debate
Existing residents would retain their rights. UK citizens lawfully living in Scotland at independence would have a clear route to Scottish citizenship or permanent residence with full rights to live, work and access services.
The Independence Debate
Scottish citizenship would be established by law on independence. Automatic or simplified routes would apply to British citizens habitually resident in Scotland, those born in Scotland, and those with a qualifying parental or grandparental connection.
The Independence Debate
Scotland would have full sovereign control over its immigration system. Holyrood would set policy based on Scotland’s economic, demographic, and social needs.
The Independence Debate
Goods moving between Scotland and the rest of the UK would be managed through a combination of mutual recognition of standards where possible, a trusted-trader scheme for most commercial volume, digital pre-clearance, and risk-based, intelligence-led checks.
The Independence Debate
British and Scottish citizens, and those with lawful status, would continue to travel, live, work, study, and access key services without routine passport controls or immigration formalities.
The Independence Debate
Border policy is where independence meets daily life. People cross the Scotland–England border constantly for work, family, education, and trade. A settlement that ignores that reality will fail in practice even if it succeeds on paper.
The Independence Debate
Scotland would seek continued access to UK and NATO procurement programmes where there is mutual benefit, while developing its own requirements and export opportunities.
The Independence Debate
A dedicated Scottish cyber and critical national infrastructure capability would be created to work closely with UK and NATO cyber centres.
The Independence Debate
Scotland would establish its own national security and intelligence service responsible for domestic security, counter-terrorism, and foreign intelligence relevant to Scottish interests.
The Independence Debate
Key military bases — including Faslane/Coulport, RAF Lossiemouth, and other significant sites — would be retained and, where strategically useful, expanded under the partnership model with the United Kingdom and NATO.
The Independence Debate
Scotland would maintain a professional, high-quality force sized appropriately for its population and strategic location — comparable in scale and ambition to Norway or Denmark.
The Independence Debate
Scotland would prioritise NATO membership and set its defence effort on a path to meet a 5% of GDP contribution level, consistent with the higher ambition now shaping Allied debate about the resources required for collective defence.