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Moving abroad to be with someone you love can be a big risk. It could also be the best decision of your life. To weigh up whether you should consider relocating to be with the person you love, it could be worth asking yourself some of these questions.
How deep is your love?
First, you should consider the depth of the relationship that you have with that person. Moving abroad with someone you’ve spent years living with is very different to moving abroad with someone you’ve met online but never in person.
In all cases, it’s best to get to know the person in the flesh first – if you’ve been dating someone from another country online, visit the country first a few times and get to know them.
If it’s someone you’ve already met in person, consider whether you really know them enough to jet off across the world and live with them. It’s easy to be blinded by love if you’re still in the honeymoon stage in which everything about your partner seems perfect.
If it’s a long time partner or spouse who you already live with who may be moving abroad due to a job or expired visa, the relationship is likely to be deep enough that you can take the leap. However, there’s still a lot of other factors to consider too…
Would you move abroad if you were single?
Moving abroad is something you should ultimately do for yourself and not just them. Consider whether you would have ever considered uprooting yourself and moving abroad when you were single.
If you’ve always been an adventurer at heart and have always embraced new challenges, moving abroad could actually turn out to be quite exciting and rewarding for yourself.
If you’ve never wanted to move out of town let alone to another country, then it’s probably going to be a scary and overwhelming experience that you may resent.
What are the financial and legal requirements?
Moving abroad could be expensive and you may have to apply for visas and other documentation. Your partner may be able to help you with this – however it could be harder if they’re already living in another country. On the other hand, if you want to move to Canada from another country and your partner is a Canadian citizen, they can sponsor a common law partner in Canada (parrainer un conjoint de fait au Canada), if you prove that you have lived together for at least 12 months.
Countries such as the UK may have tough immigration laws, however there may be the option of hiring a UK spouse visa solicitor to help. Make sure that you’re in a good financial position and decide whether you may need to secure a job before you move.
What about the loved ones you’ll be leaving behind?
In order to be with someone who you love, you may end up leaving other loved ones behind such as family and close friends. The bond you have with them could be just as important for keeping you grounded as the bond you have with your partner. On the other hand, you may be used to living independently from them and may be able to get by via video calls and occasional visits back home.
What other lifestyle changes will you have to make?
Moving to a new country could involve getting used to new customs, new laws, a new currency, a new climate and potentially a new language. You’ll have to leave behind a lot of comforts and embrace a lot of new changes. You may also have to adjust or even sacrifice your career goals. Take time to research all the changes you will have to make before you move and decide whether you’re prepared to make these changes for you and your partner.
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