r/BritishExpats

Hello fellow Redditors!

So I often answer questions on Reddit, but now I'm embarking on my own journey and I have some questions. For better or worse, here goes ...

I'm 60 years old, UK born and bred, single, retired (for several years now), fit, healthy, no children and with parents (sadly) no longer alive. I sold my home a couple of years ago and am currently living rent-free in exchange for acting as a builder, designer and project manager for a home renovation. In short, I'm about as free and untethered as it's possible to be. Additionally, I'm financially independent and looking to buy a house, for cash. Yes, I could travel (and I may do this) but I still need (and want) a base to return to and a place to call my own.

Do I stay in the UK or do I move abroad? I spend my winters in Mallorca but the summer heat and crowds make it a non-starter in terms of a permanent home. Northern Spain appears to be an option, with its cooler climate and lower cost of living. I am learning to speak Spanish, incidentally, given the huge amount of time I spend in Mallorca.

Additionally, and rightly or wrongly, the UK political direction (On so many levels) concerns me (I know, it's not perfect ANYWHERE!) along with the gradual but clear decline in our country's values. And the UK summers are now becoming an issue too. I don't like the heat. Simple as that.

Thoughts? Anyone? Stay in the UK and stay familiar, or move abroad and start afresh?

Feel free to roast or criticise if you wish. This is the internet after all! But has anyone been through this, made a decision either way and feels able to comment?

As a dual citizen of US and UK I am spending some months in the UK and will be considered a resident for tax purposes. I still have property, pensions and health insurance in the US. Will I be able to enrol at an NHS doctor surgery and be eligible for NHS treatment while I am here?

I am interested in hearing some experiences about the 90 day UK nights limit. Over which you become a UK resident.

I appreciate with less ties and over a certain time it can increase.

Do/can they check how many nights you have been in the UK?

A friend spoke to HMRC, the advisor mentioned it was very hard to enforce and they rely on trust. But if you went over by a few nights it is unlikely to pose an issue.

Phefff... ok here goes.

I am currently based within the Schnegen zone, so my interaction with my new third country status happens on a nearly daily basis. Yes - this has been my choice. But god damn is it not hard to think about how easy it used to be. For something that was touted as 'cutting red tape', I have spend days reading regulation red tape and being scared of border guards, checking and triple checking documents in a way I never had to before.

So far, all up, I've probably had to spend about 10K+ pounds I would not have had to spend pre-Brexit; this of course doesn't include all the lost income from opportunities denied due to my now non-European status.

Soo...my question is this: can the internet give me some personal anecdotes from people who has directly benefited from Brexit to a similar degree (or more)?

I read a government white paper a while back on the ten biggest benefits from Brexit and two of the examples included a colour changed to the passport and something about a stamp on pint glasses which definitely don't outweigh the disadvantages I've experienced...I don't quite know why - but I feel like it might (somehow) make me feel better if I knew there was at least one person out there who is say 10K better off due to Brexit!? Please detail how :)

Thanks for letting me get something which has been in my mind for a long while now...

I noticed electronics in Malta are often significantly more expensive than other EU countries, especially things like iPhones, PS5s, AirPods, and laptops.

So I started comparing prices across different European countries and built haggl.eu to track it.

Some products were much cheaper depending on the country.

Still improving the site, but curious if other people noticed the same thing.

This is when I left.

I miss home and am thinking of going back.

The money here in the USA is great, but ultimately, isn't England.

TL;DR: HMPO rejected my baby's passport 4 times demanding a physical wet-ink MOFA stamp. Under UAE federal law, EHS digital birth certificates receive Digital Attestation only - physical stamps are completely disabled. HMPO is ignoring the live verification portal and demanding policy letters that embassies refuse to write.

• Digital Document: Child born in UAE; EHS certificate receives e-Attestation (QR code & ref number).
• Courier Returned Unstamped: Sent to MOFA via courier for a wet stamp - returned 3 days later unstamped because digital certs can only be attested digitally.
• HMPO Loop: Explained 4 times that a physical stamp is impossible. HMPO keeps sending copy-paste template rejections.
• Refused Letters: HMPO asked for an "official policy letter." Both UAE MOFA and the British Embassy explicitly refused to write custom policy letters for individuals.
• Ignored Proof: Sent HMPO direct links to published MOFA policies (mofa.gov.ae) and the verification portal (verify.mofa.gov.ae) - caseworkers won't look at them.

I’m currently escalating to a Stage 2 Senior Manager Review and contacting my UK MP.

1. Has anyone else had HMPO reject a UAE digital birth cert over a missing wet stamp?
2. How did you get past HMPO demanding custom embassy letters?
3. How long did Stage 2 or an MP intervention take to fix this?

As an international resident who has lived in London for the past four years, my desire to leave the country is growing day by day. This decision has absolutely nothing to do with my career or finances; it is entirely about personal safety.
It feels like crime in this country is spiralling out of control.

First, my sister’s phone was snatched last month and was never recovered. Then today, my e-bike was stolen from the Westfield shopping centre. I only just bought the bike last month, and I am still pending my last Klarna payment for it. It was parked in a designated bike spot and secured with two completely different types of locks. I honestly don't understand how they managed it, but the thieves took it anyway. The only silver lining is that I had the battery with me, though now I have no idea what to do with a spare battery and no bike.

When you add the constant news of everyday crime and stabbings, I am starting to feel really uneasy here.

I need some perspective. Is my decision to leave the country valid, or am I just overreacting because of the raw frustration from what happened today? Would love to hear your thoughts, especially from other expats or Londoners.

Hey everyone, looking for some honest guidance and reality checks on my situation.

I’m currently an NHS GP in England holding Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). I reach my 12-month mark on ILR this November and planned to apply for British Naturalisation then.

However, my family and I are relocating to Australia:

Current plan: I’ve already resigned from my UK GP job and secured a 2-year Australian work visa starting in September. I was planning to head to Australia in Sept, start my new job, and then fly back to the UK briefly in November to submit my online naturalisation application (Form AN) and do biometrics.

Family setup: My wife (also an NHS doctor) plans to resign and join me in Australia in November with our two kids (who are already British citizens). Only my wife and I are applying for naturalisation.

A friend recently pointed out the "Future Intentions / Intention to Live in the UK" requirement for Section 6(1) naturalisation applications, and now I’m genuinely worried.

My main concerns:

The Future Intentions Clause: Under Section 6(1), Form AN requires you to declare that you intend to make the UK your principal home. Since I will have already given up my UK lease/job, moved my family, and started working under an Australian visa/contract, doesn't this directly contradict that declaration?

Will the Home Office find out? With Five Eyes data-sharing between the UK and Australia, HMRC payroll termination records (P45/P85), and bank/tax records, will Home Office caseworkers automatically flag that I've moved and started overseas employment?

Refusal vs. Fraud Risk: If I fly back in November to apply while actively working in Australia, will this be viewed as misrepresentation/deception on Form AN? Am I risking a refusal, losing the £1,800+ fee, or worse, impacting my existing ILR status?

Is staying under the 90-day absence limit enough? I won't exceed 90 days out of the UK in the final 12 months when I apply in Nov, but does the "Future Intentions" rule override the absence math?

is there any safe way to proceed as planned?

Would really appreciate insights from anyone who has navigated this, or immigration specialists/lawyers. Thanks in advance!

I have a birth document from the GCC (Kuwait) that I need to use in the UK/EU - Kuwait is not part of The Hague so Apostille is not possible. Does anyone know what the process is to get the document legalised to be used in the UK/EU. Its all quiet a task given I no longer live in the GCC and don’t speak Arabic. Just born there as my parents were expats