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.

The internet is listening

I've never met anyone who thought it would be easy - and ones who I know have properly emmigrated it's often years of working towards it or family who did it in 60s under very different circumstances.

But I know enough people who have done in last few decades that it's clearly not impossible. The ONS figures were recently updated round migration because the more people left than expected.

I assume most people talking flippantly about leaving aren't the serious ones doing it - but people often younger are clearly doing it so bit bemused by the tone of some posters of not for the plebs - if people don't decide they want to and then actaully look at their circustances they'll never know if it was ever possible for them.

The ONS data showed a surprising increase because they changed the method. They went from random questionnaires to checking NI account activity.

We like our life here. Not keen on the political classes but we like our sport too much to leave! And our dc.

Yes -they went from a method that was under counting to one hopefully more accurate.

More people left than they estimated or previously picked up - so people are leaving which tracks with what people in RL seem to be managing.

So the oh don't bother even looking no-one will want you posts are odd in my view - maybe that will be the case and older and less assests/skills you have more likely that is but the why do people even bother looking ie know your place - stay in your crab bucket - posts are just as annoying as the flippant I'm leaving posts the OP complaining about IMO.

Yup. There is no paperwork to fill in when leaving, and no departure questionnaire. I was once approached in a uk airport by a surveyor once though, where to, holiday, business or migration ? .Not a great way to collect data.

And when I did leave, there was no surveyor there that day, so my data was missed.

In fact, the hardest part of the actual trip is getting the airline to accept a one way ticket. I have had this twice. They don't seem to like one way tickets because if you are refused entry to the destination, they have to fly you back. So I was told.

It's true that it doesn't happen overnight. But it really is as simple as deciding you want to do it, and then putting things in motion and doing it. It took 11 months from the time we decided we would start exploring leaving the UK, to the time we arrived in our new country. Things worth having can rarely be achieved overnight.

Know what you mean op.
I spoke to someone recently who was helping their in laws move to another country ( transporting belongs) I was like wow big change... When I mentioned stuff like tax, voting registration, medical ... She said oh they not doing any of that will fly back frequently.
So I think most people just go like an extended holiday not actually moving their full life. they were going one European country to another.
I know people who have gone US lot tape work mostly sort it and Australia go young easyv get first visas from there work to do when in Oz to extend

I do live abroad. Left in 2011 to study (self funded, no bank of mum and dad) and never went back. That wasn't the plan but life happens! It isn't easy, no. I mean in 2011 it was quite easy logically. I put my stuff into an overnight Eurolines bus from Victoria to Brussels and I just... never came home. However, post Brexit those options are certainly fewer. The EU isn't desperate to have young people with limited experience and skill coming in (neither is the UK) and fees for studying are astronomical for non-EU. There are still ways but it's much more expensive.

But apart from logistics, I always tell people that it is enriching for sure but living permanently abroad is a funny old life. It's not for everyone. You lose your friends and family. Not right away, but over time their lives back in Blighty move on without you. That's normal and good! But you do have to accept that and it can be hard. You also have to accept that the new country will be different and some things will be better and some worse than in the UK. I speak the language fluently here but I don't speak the "culture" fluently and I never quite will. I miss a lot of things from not having grown up here. So there is always outsiderness. And if you have caring responsibilities, that is magnified. And if your spouse comes with you, there are emotional considerations to that too.

You have to think seriously about the decision to move abroad. It is not quite as people paint it.

Emigrating isn’t a separate life category to moving abroad on a work visa, though. You might start on one and end up staying and switching to another visa. You might emigrate to one country and move on to another, after two or five or ten years, or decide to return home after twenty years— it’s not a binding commitment. I live in my home country now, after spending nearly 30 years in several different countries.

I think British people have an odd attitude to emigration. Look at most migrants worldwide. They’re not ‘privileged’, in the overwhelming majority of cases, even if you take away refugees and asylum seekers and leave yourself with purely economic migrants looking for a better life.

Depends what you do. I've lived in 4 countries and yes, each time I just souled for a job in the next country, packed my case and got on a plane. What's complicated about that? It's only slightly more paperwork than moving city, or have you never done that either?

We did it ( Denmark) and it was enormously faffy if it’s not a company relocation and a lot being paid for/done for you - it often involves ‘a lot’ of cash too - even if renting many countries have deposits of 2 and 3 months deposit still plus first months rent , plus setting up utilities and healthcare isn’t always easy till you have every bit of ‘in the country legally’ bit of paperwork - same with leasing cars etc - if it’s a younger couple and you haven’t got much you are taking and are renting something simple then yes it can be easier, once it involves houses, cars, kids , businesses etc - it’s not a simple job - we had to come back for elderly parent reasons after 20 months and do the reverse - UK ( because we are British) seemed a doddle in comparison

So you were able to transfer your minimum wage job in Poundland or Greggs or Wetherspoons to your new overseas job in Denmark? Or you did a social housing mutual exchange with someone in France? And of course you were able to speak fluently the language in your new country. And your new country excepted your childs health issues, yes?

The reason I used these specific povvo examples , is because none of these ☝️circumstances would stop you from moving from England to Scotland, it's about more than that and I think you know that.

And also - where would you go?

Australia as you said is hard to get into.

Norway & Finland are very expensive.

Ireland maybe?

My DSis moved abroad a few years back - her DH had done all the arranging at his end and she went off to join him.
Unfortunately nothing had been done about their home in this country apart from contacting an estate agents and leaving the keys and our contact details with them.

Most of Europe will accept digital nomads or well-to-do retirees who can meet the income/assets requirements. While Brexit has made it more complicated, it is still possible, given determination, as long as you are young and educated or wealthy.

We could still move overseas, but our intentions have changed in the last decade, mainly down to climate change and DH's health issues.

Depends on your attitude to stuff and your passport situation. If we wanted to we could get on a plane tomorrow as dh is dual nationality and the country in question allows spouses in for 12 months on an e visa approved in approx 15 minutes. Two suitcases each and sell belongings (or put into storage) hand keys to estate agent to rent out property, how do I know? Because I have asked at the estate agent, they (for a fee) sort everything you need to be an accidental landlord. Other people are more sentimental about stuff than me, I’ve moved multiple times including intercontinental so I’ve learned to let go

We did, pre-kids. Sat on the sofa, frustrated and furloughed in Covid, I said to DH - this country looks great and I'm confident I can get a job, do you wanna go? DH: "yes, fuck this shit".

Yes, it took another 6 months (Covid delayed things a bit) to get a job and a work visa.

But it really was that simple. We packed our stuff and arranged storage. We put our flat on the market to be rented with an estate agent.

New job bought plane tickets and gave us an apartment for the first month.

Easy.

When you have a child though, totally different.

Ps the country we are seriously considering isn’t the one we have right of abode but they will happily give us residency because we don’t need to work on condition we have private medical insurance

Slightly more paperwork than moving city…can’t say it was like that when we moved to China.

I think people just love to over-simplify things.

Yes, but China is also a nightmare if you want to change cities internally, so it's all relative.

‘Some of Europe will’ - I know all about nomad visas in detail -Scandinavia is a no no regardless of cash you have. Netherlands very fiddly too even with a business, even the ones that do offer digital nomads visas , it’s a year at a time usually and strict income requirements plus pay in health and some have weird conditions - Italy for instance you have to have a full years accommodation (that counts , so not Airbnb etc) all signed up for at the point you apply - so if refused you are stuffed with either using it for holidays or losing quite a lot of money

‘Some of Europe will’ - I know all about nomad visas in detail -Scandinavia is a no no regardless of cash you have. Netherlands very fiddly too even with a business, even the ones that do offer digital nomads visas , it’s a year at a time usually and strict income requirements plus pay in health and some have weird conditions - Italy for instance you have to have a full years accommodation (that counts , so not Airbnb etc) all signed up for at the point you apply - so if refused you are stuffed with either using it for holidays or losing quite a lot of money

‘Some of Europe will’ - I know all about nomad visas in detail -Scandinavia is a no no regardless of cash you have. Netherlands very fiddly too even with a business, even the ones that do offer digital nomads visas , it’s a year at a time usually and strict income requirements plus pay in health and some have weird conditions - Italy for instance you have to have a full years accommodation (that counts , so not Airbnb etc) all signed up for at the point you apply - so if refused you are stuffed with either using it for holidays or losing quite a lot of money