EU CITIZENS in Scotland have been left living with deep uncertainly about their future in the wake of Brexit.

Europeans, some of whom have living here for up to 30 years,told of their sense of shock which some said left them feeling "unwanted" in the UK.

There are around three million EU nationals living across the UK, many who do not have residence documents which are currently optional.

Although lawyers expect those already living in the UK to have their residency rights protected, some felt the rhetoric of the Leave campaign legitimised racism.

Jenny Forrest, 42, a married physiotherapist with two children, working for the NHS in Stirling first came to Scotland to work 17 years ago from her native Sweden. She said: "Scotland has always felt so welcoming but racism is present in our society. I think this debate has helped to legitimise it.

"As a migrant my difference is not always visible. People hear my accent and think perhaps I am from the Western Isles. But I spoke to one [black] doctor at the hospital yesterday who was thinking of moving back to an African country and I can totally understand that. I feel so awful about the way in which this sends the message to people that they are not wanted."

Also deeply distressed by the result is Sylvie Burnett, 62, from Beith, a retired call-centre manager. "I went to bed on the eve of the referendum convinced that this would not happen," she said.

"When I woke up I was devastated. I have lived and worked here for 30 years, brought up my children, paid my taxes. But in this issue I was not able to vote; I had no voice. I actually felt that this was a campaign that was in part directed against me. It was a campaign against all foreigners. Before this I had never experienced racism in my day-to-day life."

Steffi Keir, 45, from Glasgow, first came to Scotland on an academic exchange 20 years ago, and believes that the EU has been fundamental to her identity.

She said: "I benefited so hugely from the EU. For me growing up in a divided Germany during the Cold War the EU was a peace project. I met friends from East Germany when I came here that I could not have known growing up."

Keir, who has two daughters aged nine and five, is now concerned about her future and considering applying for British Citizenship to protect her.

Elodie Mingard, 35, who has been living in Edinburgh for ten years, where she works for a charity is also considering applying for dual citizenship, something she has not done in part due to the fee of over £1000.

"There are questions around equality here," she said. "Not everyone will be able to afford that and the process is far from straight forward."

She is also concerned that it may help invigorate France's far right ahead of the Presidential elections next May.

Alison Phipps, professor of languages and intercultural studies at Glasgow University said that her research showed racism against everyone perceived as foreign – not just those with a different skin colour – was on the rise.

"We have seen people being demonised for that difference from the highest policy level to the daily interactions they have on the street," she added. "Language has become a battle ground; it has become a way of 'othering' people. When David Cameron says if you are migrant you must learn English in order to live here, it is a way of asserting control. We are setting out a discourse that says we should fear people speaking other languages."

Writing on his Free Movement blog leading immigration lawyer Colin Yeo acknowledged that many EU citizens living in the UK would feel extremely anxious about their status. But he claimed it "seemed certain that some generous provision will be made for EU nationals currently resident in the UK. My best guess is that free movement laws would be incorporated into UK law," he wrote.

"At the very least this would apply to those who are already resident in the UK as at a certain date.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also offered reassurance to EU citizens living in Scotland, speaking yesterday on the "honour" that they have done Scotland by choosing to make the country their home. Consul General from across EU member states will be invited to a summit in the next two weeks, she added, to emphasis "how highly we value the contribution they make to Scotland's economy, society and culture."