BRITONS LIVING ELSEWHERE IN THE EU
In the short term, nothing changes. The UK will remain a member of the EU for at least two years. That is the period defined in Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty for a departing country to negotiate a new relationship with the EU — and the clock will not start until the Conservatives have elected a new leader in the autumn.
Beyond two years, Britons may lose the automatic right to work or study elsewhere in the EU, and could require a work permit or visa. But it depends on what deal we negotiate. If, for example, like Norway we remain members of the single market, free movement will carry on just as before.
It is a misconception that we currently have the automatic right to live in another EU country. Even with Britain as a member of the EU, Britons can be sent packing after three months if we have no job or any other means of supporting ourselves.
What will happen to expats will vary from country to country. If you are an established resident in another EU state and have sufficient savings and investments to support yourself, you are unlikely to be troubled. If you are worried, one option is to apply for citizenship in the country where you live.