Why do so many people talk about moving abroad like it’s just a matter of getting up and leaving?

[Ballondor]

Don’t get me wrong, I understand for some people, it is easy - those who’re mega-rich, those with a different or dual nationality. But I see it regularly on here and other social media - if this happens, I’m leaving; it’s crap here, I’m leaving; if they do that, I’m leaving.

As I understand it, post-Brexit, just upping sticks, uprooting your entire life, and rocking up somewhere is a slightly more convoluted and lengthy process. It’s not something you can get sorted overnight.

I moved country several times pre-kids but post dd we kept considering it but just didn't feel it would suit her. If you're a renter and childfree, it's not difficult but with a family etc (pets...) that's a whole other saga. Personally, I found the not-moving much difficult to cope with than the moving.

Could you do it now though? Without freedom of movement in Europe and getting older. Would the countries you worked in before still have you?

Maybe but clearly plenty don't. A lot of people fancy their chances abroad to an unrealistic degree.

It’s hard but infinetly rewarding. Like most hard things are

What confuses me is people who talk about it like it’s as simple as going down to the shops or moving house.

I assumed that didn't mean instantly - even moving in UK once we had a house to sell and next to buy and schools to sort took time.

I know people pre brexit who spent years jumping through hoops for Australia and Canada - but also know people who work moved to South Korea, USA and China a with seemingly little bother there was stuff to sort obviously but it happened in months not years- so assume it varies with circustances.

I'm surpsied how many of IL friends have grown kids just bit younger than us working and living sometimes with kids in Spain and Portgual at minute.

I agree. I think a lot of the time it’s just an expression of frustration, isn’t it? Like saying you’re going to quit your job if xyz happens. People do move abroad and do quit their jobs, but they aren’t easy options and many more dream about it than do it.

I have family abroad, speak other languages, career in international companies, no kids… and moving abroad would be a massive undertaking. I think stage of life is a much bigger factor than those mentioned above. I’m young to be thinking of moving in retirement yet, too entrenched in a job that pays well to give that up lightly (in none of my roles has a suitable international transfer come up, sadly) and now entering the years parents are becoming increasingly dependent.

Yes, exactly. So many people on here seem to conceive as the only options ‘somewhere else English-speaking’, with a lot of visa criteria.

Obviously there are logistical hoops with any international move, but honestly, I’ve moved around internationally a fair bit, before and after having DS, and it’s not in my top ten of stressful life experiences. Some of it is mindset, too. If you think moving abroad is a quite usual thing to do, you approach it in much the same way you would moving house.

Quite possibly, yes.

But a lot of people who say that they may move may have lived overseas previously and be contemplating a move back. That's certainly the case amongst a lot of people we know.

We may go ourselves if Reform get in, but that will depend on whether my elderly dad is still alive by that point.

OP isnt talking about the practicalities of arranging the move. Whilst that might not be easy, most people could achieve that if it's what they put their mind to.

The difficulty is finding a country with a reasonable human rights record that would actually take you. If you're young and qualified in an in demand professional and can speak the language and /or are wealthy that might not be such a problem, but for most it will be a big barrier.

And yes to your last point. I could add ‘Nothing fucks me off like a Brexit voter with an Irish passport from a grandparent they never met and whose national origins they were previously mildly ashamed of, and whose ignorance of the most basic facts about Ireland is staggering.’

I said on the day of Brexit result that I was planning on moving to France. So that's June 2016.

I took early retirement in 2021 after we paid off our mortgage in 2020 and moved to France in October 2021. So that's just over 5 years.

People do make plans, and then take their time to execute them. Nobody expects to just up and leave tomorrow.

Australia has a working holiday visa for young people (up to 35 in the case of the U.K.) for up to three years.

you pretty much can just apply and get it.

single visa only, no kids. But I know lots of people who have used it to go to Australia temporaraily, some of whom have stayed.

it’s very easy to get.

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/work-holiday-417

Agree. You should at least have to sit a bloody test to get it! At an exam centre in Ireland so you will have visited at least once.

@Flowerslamp they were not European countries and yes I could go back or to others. But I wouldn't move from the UK as long as dd is still living here.

I feel I'm probably one of the people you're talking about here 😂 but its because I'm comfortable I know whats involved and that I could achieve it? Like there'll be lots of paperwork to get appropriate visas and things like pet passports etc. and an absolute faff getting us and our stuff over there, but I know the logistics and the timeline and the cost and I'm happy that its all within my reach. Also, I'm not exactly going to divulge the details of my plan everythime I mention it, so I'll likely be quite blasé when mentioning I'm 'just moving to xx country next year'
I'm not on megabucks, but its enough to manage a 'nomad' type visa in the countries that offer them, and its remote so can facilitate working from anywhere. Totally aware that's not available to everyone but not sure it means I should talk about it any differently, or preface anytime I mention moving with the circumstances that have allowed me to make that choice?

Just to be clear I believe that the OP is referring to people saying they’re emigrating, rather than moving somewhere on a work visa, which of course is the easier option, generally, Some later posts from people who’ve found the process of moving to another country make me think they’ve had some kind of short stay visas.

I still maintain that for most Brits, emigrating is something wildly out of reach.

My 2 dc and I have EU passports.
I have family in one EU country and have been there many times.
Dh only has a UK passport so not sure how that would work out..
It would have to be after retirement now as we are too old for work visas.
If reform get in, it's something we will really start planning ☹️
My 2 dc are already planning to leave (dd1s bf is Norwegian so they spend time there anyway)

ime most people underestimate the massive amount of paperwork, flexibility and organisation that moving overseas requires. Dh and I lived overseas for 25 years and dcs were born overseas and several visitors thought they would do the same. We made it look easy, but they didn’t see school parents evening where only one parent speaks the language, understanding tax rules, medical appointments for children in a foreign language.. etc. Living overseas was an incredibly rewarding experience for us, but we would readily admit that sometimes it’s same shit, different bucket.

I have another "home" and assets in Prague, Czech Republic. Probably talked about moving
a lot, atm it's still not practical for me.
Would be very happy to go back, seeing their quality of life after long term visit.
I don't know about people talking about just upping and moving, speaking for myself, I would never move countries again.

Those we know who have moved or have it under consideration, are originally from other EU countries. They own property in their native country. They may not hold a UK passport. This means they can opt to leave without much restriction, they don’t have to sell their UK property- they can rent it. Alternatively we also know people who sold their house (5 months), gave notice at private school (3 months) and moved in with family whilst the tenants cleared their EU property. They were immediately offered places at good local schools, they could use their parents address to apply for places. If you have money and want to leave, not everyone has to wait on a visa to work another country. Frequently these are professionals with considerable expertise: architects, doctors, lawyers.

I think people have different tolerances for change and different expectations of what they need to provide their children too. If you have two children with SEN and you've always lived in the UK, you might think we've just got them into a school which they will go to and it'll see them to GCSEs without disruption, we can't move for 3 years now. And I have a friend who's a film director and she has one daughter and they move every year or so, the daughter is fine just dropping into a school in London or Dublin or LA for a year - they don't think "OMG what GCSEs will she get" they sort of assume she'll get whatever she's at at the time- IB, or some qualifications of wherever. They assume they will be able to translate things. Or they're just not bothered! People who see all that as a big impenetrable system just wouldn't think of moving.

So true, OP!

"My child is struggling with school and we can't afford private education"

"Why don't you move to Dubai and put your child into the international school?"

Just like that... Pwffff!!!

I used to hang about on expat forums because there was this vague idea that we would retire abroad. I still pop in for a look from time to time.

It was amazing how many UK passport holders used to come on the forums asking how they could move abroad, to Spain particularly. This is before Brexit when it was at least nominally easier. When asked what they would live on, they usually said they'd run a bar (with no capital or Spanish skills to deal with licences and suppliers and so on) or "I'll turn my hand to anything", expecting to get a manual job just like that and support a family on it.

There's very little of that now, so the message seems to have got through at last.

For some people it is. I have moved abroad several times without much difficulty.
And I am far from super rich. I am just educated and skilled.

I do think some people say it flippantly though.

I’ve moved countries a few times and have ended up in Oz. It’s a long drawn out and expensive process to emigrate, but it’s not impossible. I’m as working class as you get, and know of many similar people that also emigrated. It is possible for a lot of people if you have the right qualifications and put your mind to it. Not everyone will make it, there are a lot of hoops, but it’s not impossible, and for us it was worth all the pain! I have three passports now, wish I could sell my UK and Irish ones!