To want to move to another country?

[HowIWishYouWereHere]

Before Brexit kicks in?

I know, I know, scaremongering yada yada. And I’m not saying I want to flee whatever the cost because I’m soooo scared of what will happen after we leave the EU. Maybe it will be fine..? I think best case scenario is it will be quite hard for a bit but will get sorted out in time. So still not all that great, unless one has a good reason to stay? That’s my theory at least.

So, the thing is, I am entitled to and could easily apply for two passports other than British. One (non EU) because I was born there and also an EU country, because one of my parents was born there. I also have some family still in the EU country. I have no family in England. DH does, but we don’t see very much of them at all. It’s quite complicated, but there is a lot of favouritism towards dh’s sibling and it’s quite hurtful. DH doesn’t seem to mind tbh, but I find it really sad and am hurt on his behalf.

DH has a very good job in London, but in a precarious industry. He is a professional and has a charter ship etc so skills are theoretically transferable. I am just about to go back to work, as a low earner, but in a job I could do, pretty much anywhere. We have a fairly big mortgage. One I absolutely couldn’t pay I Dh lost his job. We also bought at almost peak price so would only get a little more than what we paid for it if we sold now. After fees we would get back about what we paid for it. If we end up in negative equity and dh has no job... well you see the problem.

The best reason to stay is that dh’s job may not even be effected by Brexit and then if I’ve encouraged him to leave it to move elsewhere and he can’t get back into his profession there, I imagine that would cause a lot of resentment.

Dh sees no reason to leave and is very calm about everything. But he can be a bit too calm sometimes.

AIBU to think we, in our specific circumstances, should move to another country? Not asking if everyone should vacate the uk or anything!

I would get the passports and start researching what it would actually mean to live in either the EU or other country, so that if you do decide to leave the UK you aren't starting from scratch

Can you answer?

How can I answer for the OP?

She has expressed uncertainty, and probably rightly so, as to how easy it would be to move her family with her (without visas) because none of that has been agreed yet. Certainly I've read comments elsewhere suggesting that people might want to ensure they're "in place" beforehand, thinking it might ensure they're allowed to stay with minimal hassle/paperwork. Is this necessary? Is it not? Who the hell knows?

I would get the passports and then look at sensible options re house and tax.
We have left UK for a couple of years while Brexit shakes out, we may or may not come back depending on what happens. However we were able to do so on a work supported move. We still have a house with a hefty mortgage that we would be heavily taxed on if we sold it, so we are renting it out for the moment, (foreseeable future). Extracting yourself from a country when you own property is a time consuming thing. Have you got insurance that would cover you if DH lost his job ? That might make you feel more relaxed about the likely up coming economic turbulence.

@The ElementsSong

I went to a meeting last week with the British Consulate. It was organised by a non government organization for British citizens.
We heard lots of sentiment about how UK citizens rights are important etc but at the Q&A which lasted an hour, not a single question was answered. There is a Withdrawal agreement but nothing is agreed or holds if there is no deal. There is no clarity if you have to be in the country for residence “on the day” so to speak, to qualify. No information on rights of spouses afterwards. Nothing.

Another Remoaner thread. How original. Zzzzz.

Always scared about losing their privilege.

No thought for the many people at the bottom in this country who have been completely shafted by EC.

Another Remoaner thread. How original. Zzzzz

Actually getting comical how there's some determined doggedly ramming their point posts now, got to laugh really.

Oh my! Where to begin?

So, in my op, for those who have missed it, I said I was NOT “sooooooo scared etc etc”.

I was going out of my way to indicate that this isn’t “another” anti Brexit thread. It’s a thread about my own personal circumstances and what I should do for the best to protect my family and myself, (correct use of myself there I think). So, in a way, I am trying to hold on to my “privilege”, although I’m a low earner, as I already stated, so “privilege” might be a step too far, depending on who you’re comparing me to. DH isn’t exactly on mega bucks either, but does a lot better than I do. The trade off with dh is, that he is in a very uncertain industry just now, so could easily lose that job. So we, (specifically my family, not the whole nation AS I SPECIFICALLY SAID IN MY OP), are in a spot of bother if Brexit has even an insignificantly negative effect. I think even the optimistic experts forecast a bit of disruption in the short term? So, my question was, seeing as I’m not originally British, have no family here, am a low earner with a DH working to pay the vast majority of the bills, in a precarious industry, would I personally be wise to move before Brexit kicks in, therefore making moving a little trickier. You know... one of the main points of leaving the EU was to prevent too much movement of people was it not? So leaving will make it more difficult yes? So, should I leave now?

I hope that’s a little clearer, although I have already said all of this^^ and more during the thread, so maybe just read the thread again, in its entirety, if you need more clarification. Or feel free to ask me something.

But, tbh, I would prefer not to have the “oh another remoaner thread” comments if at all possible. How original you say? Well, seeing as it’s a discussion about personal circumstances which are specific to my family and me, I would have thought it was fairly original. Unique even, maybe.

PS: it’s difficult to convey tone in text, so, just to clarify, I am only using bold and CAPS so that nobody is likely to miss what I’m saying again. Obviously a few people did with my op, so just trying to make myself clear - not SHOUTING

Ugh and a bold fail! You get what I mean.... hopefully..?

In terms of holding onto privilege, yes this is totally what I am trying to do, I am pretty happy that the warning about the need for industry to stock pile food and medicine isn't going to apply to me and my family, darn me and my first world privilege. I am unsure what the advantages of being an ostrich are. OP is asking a sensible personal question hardly spreading mass panic.

We have had a colossal amount of UK CVs for jobs here. Same as requests for rental accommodation.

Whatever way you want to look at it, the UK is going to be in pieces. Leavers take your blind folds off

How original.

How ironic

(Do you think they got it? Nah.)

Smellmybeads - I voted Remain. Just think this level of hysteria helps nobody.

Whatever way you want to look at it, the UK is going to be in pieces

You don't KNOW that. You're obviously hell bent on believing what the hell you like though .

Please just leave now. Yes go.

"I know, I know scaremongering" is EXACTLY what you are doing, and you know it.

We don't need people like you, please pack your bags and go to the land of where roads are paved with gold (You are in for a shock, but that is cool) A life lesson is coming for you, that or a large dose of valium.

Your endless wailing about the 'state' of the world is both mindless and completely false. I don't know how you have even found someone to live with that can listen your ramblings.

Calm down and just move, sooner the better.

Please just leave now.

Wow, the entire post, just wow.

Honestly, I am asking a perfectly calm, reasonable question about my specific circumstances. I’m not weeping, wailing or hysterical. It is a shame that I can ask a simple question without some people taking the hump. But, meh, not my blood pressure 🤷‍♀️.

Can’t*

OK element, it was a bit harsh from the commenter, but it boils down to basically the same as what I said.
Just go if that's how you feel. Bye then. Find a country you're happy being in.

It's funny though OP, how you are accused of hysteria and wailing. Interesting what definition of hysteria and wailing encompasses your posts and not rainforest's - anybody got a dictionary link that would help me?

@Rainbow I couldn't care less about the depths of shit the UK are going to get into. I've no family there. But it's obvious?! Blame your government. TM is an absolute joke. Impeach!!!!

Find a country you're happy being in

Sound advice, but you see, the crux of it is, that happy as I would be to return to EU country, dh isn’t keen. Hence me looking for more objective views on here. Obviously, not everyone feels capable of being objective on this, but I did try to phrase my op so that people might be able to look at my personal circumstances and offer an opinion.

“Humph! So go then. Don’t need you here anyway nerr” wasn’t quite what I expected from adults. But there we have it 🤷‍♀️.

OP I have come to the conclusion with the benefit of being a long way outside UK at present that Brexit is more of a faith/belief issue than anything else which makes pragmatic sensible discussions very hard work at times. Sit down with a costs/benefits list for each country and try and work out where you would be best placed. It is very hard to know what is going to happen in UK but even if you take the most positive government forecasts it looks pretty poor in UK for a few years, it may only be that however and not worse.

Humph! So go then. Don’t need you here anyway nerr” wasn’t quite what I expected from adults.

I didn't say that at all. You asked whether you were being unreasonable to want to get out of the UK before Brexit happens.
I said, no if that's how you feel, that you need to get out, find a country that you'll feel happier/safer/whatever in.
Was it not the right level of answer though? Not enough worst case scenario visions for your liking?

And I’m fairly happy here btw, just wonder if a move might be nice and wondering if now is the time. This has all been said up thread btw.

The “worst” thing about the area I live in is the price of housing compared to my salary. Fine atm, as dh’s covers it, but he could lose his job if there’s some disruption to his company due to Brexit. Not a given, but possible. Obviously anything can happen, but I think a fair few experts (all?) have forecast at least a little trouble after we leave haven’t they? So a little trouble could be big trouble for my family you see.

Sorry, I was paraphrasing rainforest there rainbow, although, your posts didn’t sound too far from that to me. But again, tone is so difficult to convey in text, so maybe you were being a lot more friendly than that. Also, I appreciate that you accidentally misread my op, as I had initially thought. So your initial post was maybe not what you intended. You haven’t said so though.

Quite simply, OP, if you'd posted about moving abroad without mentioning the "B" word (perhaps invented some other reason why you wanted to move within 8 months) but otherwise kept all your posts absolutely identical, nobody would have accused you of hysterically wailing and scaremongering.

If simply talking about moving to another country was really such an excitingly emotive topic, the Living Overseas board would be an utter bloodbath