I’m British, and want to return home with my foreign partner. Help!

[brownbreadd]

Hi,

I am a British citizen with a foreign partner. We are currently residing in Dubai and working here, however long term I am very quickly realising that this isn’t going to be my forever place.

I am desperately missing friends and family, and the way of live back home in the UK (yes, really!) and would like to start looking into ways to return home, but with my partner.

My partner is Turkish, we both moved here to Dubai earlier this year to be together after a lengthy long distance relationship.

we are both working here, earning a good salary, and are unmarried.

does anybody know of the process in which I should take in order to look at the possibility of coming back to the UK and bringing him, too?

Why?

Whatever you do, do not marry in a foreign country without examining in detail the legalities if you are widowed, divorced etc.

Many people presume the rules abroad are similar to those they know in England. They are often not - even countries nearby eg France or English speaking like New Zealand.

He'd be paying overseas fees though... Usually £25-40k per year. Doesn't sound like he could afford that.

Because the father could stop the mother from removing the children back to the UK.

Google Hague Convention...

Agree best not to have any children abroad. They would be subject to local restrictions on travel or custody(if things went wrong) and may not be automatically British citizens by descent. Dubai lifestyle is not for everyone or sustainable long term for most expats. Your relationship sounds all very romantic but you really need to give it longer to assess commitment long term and all the hoops you need to jump through.

Because you will not be allowed to remove them from that country without the father’s permission. In some countries, you might win in court. In Dubai, you will never win that fight. Your children will be kept in that country and you have the choice of staying there forever or leaving them. Have your children in the UK, unless you are settled and plan to live abroad forever.

Of course it doesn't. If it did, every expats forum would be 'criminal'.

Looking at your previous posts @brownbreadd it does feel like you need to think a great deal about what you want and why. An 8 month relationship is nothing, especially when 7 months of it is long distance.

Pushing new boyfriend away.. even though I adore him. Why? | Mumsnet

I think by looking at the situation, it’s going to be best for us to remain here. We were planning to anyway for the next year or two. I will remain in my job and keep all the pay documents etc, as well as the proof of our withstanding relationship and then reassess when we want to move in the future.

@brownbreadd That's a sensible approach and I’d also suggest that you both have some trips together to the UK during that time to help him decide whether he’d be happy. My DH and I lived in a neutral third country for a while and it’s very different to being the “forrin” partner/spouse in someone’s home country. Even after several years, I still feel that DH has the upper hand although I’m well integrated now.

Re. Timelines. I have one friend who brought her DH over to the UK after 20 years of marriage and two children. They went first and it took about nine months for him to be allowed to join them. It’s a slow process.

Oh wow, I didn't know about that!

If he has 'absolutely no interest' then he's going to find the emotional, practical and financial burden of emigrating here very hard, doubly so if he doesn't speak English.

Fucking hell

No-one in their right mind would come to live in the UK at the moment. Stay where you are.

That would involve him being in the UK, and he's not

6 months isn’t a long time though. And you’re not married, I think that will need to happen first.

My cousin recently moved back to the UK with her husband; they lived together with 2 children for over a decade before coming back. She had to earn over £18k but I believe that’s almost doubled now in 2024/25.

In your situation, I would get married, then you return for 6 months, get a good job, then apply to bring him over.

I don’t think there are any shortcuts to make it easier, for good reason.

I enjoy my life in the UK!

OP, sounds like you are all over the place.

One minute you don't know why you are pushing your boyfriend away and the next minute you are trying to move mountains to move to the UK with him when he has not even expressed an interest to do so. You are not even at the stage of marrying this guy.

I think just cool your heels and centre yourself first because making hasty big moves. Also make sure your boyfriend is on the same page as you because you cannot force him, I am sure you know that.

It is really too early for you to be making long term plans involving this bloke. By all means move back to the UK on your own but you will have to let him catch up. You need to test the strength of the relationship before you can see a future with him in it.

@SunnySideDeepDown Yep, that’s how my DH did it in his country-he secured a job there, moved back, and then applied for me to join him (children obviously had citizenship, it was just me who needed a visa). Yes, the waiting is a pain but a few months isn’t the end of the world.

And In that thread she talks about it being so new but it's been like they have known each other for years. So I'm not sure why @brownbreadd is now saying she has known him for a long time - potentially to make it sound less of a crazy ass situation?

what makes you think so...just curious

Because I have known him for years. We have not been in a relationship ‘for years’ and I never expressed that I want to get married any time soon.

Sounds like you have a solid plan. Live in Dubai for another year or two, see if the magic remains strong once the honeymoon period is over. Save up the required savings if you possibly can, as you’ll need that for a house deposit in the uk if you want to move here to raise a family. And then you can look for jobs in the uk that pay over the threshold. Good luck.

I believe if you’re not married, then you need to prove 2 years cohabitation, but if you’re married, esp after 4 months, it’s still best to prove that your relationship is not a sham (best proof is children, but also jointly owned property or cohabitation). Plus you need to earn a certain amount OR have certain savings untouched. (Check all the rules). Can you consider living for 2 years (minus 4 months that you spent together) in UAE and then applying? You will definitely see where the relationship is going by then.

To quote you @brownbreadd

"Yes I know it sounds crazy. I don't really know how to explain it but it's like we've known each other years. Sounds childish I know.

I've had a really nasty few years with my ex and when the opportunity arose for me to move away for work, he decided to come along and get work here himself too, so we can make a go of our relationship"

May of last year you were posting about how supportive your DH was about a particular situation. Even you have to admit there's apparent errors of consistency and potential alarm about the speed you are doing things and making really important decisions???

Gov.uk is the Government site though and gives the up to date official advice. I would trust it over something someone you don't know might say