Moving in with your partner is a big step. It means you give up your own space and have to compromise with another person in order to live in harmony. However, moving in together can be a good way to test whether your relationship has long-term potential, whether that’s marriage or just being life partners. But what if your partner doesn’t just live on the other side of town, but the other side of the world? The internet has helped people meet their soulmates from around the world, and so a lot more couples face this dilemma. So, should you consider moving overseas to be with someone you love?
Visa rules will vary by country
You shouldn’t assume that because you have a partner overseas, you can simply move into the country and live with them. Like any person moving into the country, you’ll have to follow visa rules, otherwise, you can end up in legal trouble and even face deportation. It’s worth speaking to a visa agent in Sydney before you make any decisions. Some countries have visas available for partners or engaged couples, but they often come with strict rules.
Unless your partner will be supporting you completely, you’ll no doubt be thinking about working overseas. Again, you need to check that your visa allows you to work, as not all partner visas will let you do this, which can put a financial strain on you both.
The costs need to be considered
When you move to a new country, it’s important to think about the practicalities such as cost. Firstly, there’s the cost of physically getting to the country, from your initial flight to shipping all your things over. Some people keep their stuff in storage when they move overseas, just in case they choose to come back, but this can be costly.
Also, as an expat, you’ll no doubt want to come home to visit friends and family regularly. While you can save money by arranging your flights through an online platform, if you’re going somewhere that’s a long-haul destination, this is still a big cost to cover, so you may want to limit your visits to once a year.
Make sure you’re on the same page with your partner
Moving to a new country means making a lot of decisions, and if you move alone, you can make the decisions to suit you. But if you’re moving in with a partner, you need to make sure you’re on the same page about issues such as:
- Where you’ll live
- How you’ll organise finances – this is especially important if your visa won’t allow you to work for a while
- What’ll happen if your relationship breaks down
- Where are things going in future – are you on the same page about things like marriage and children in the long term?
A lot of people get caught up in the romance of moving to a new country to be with their partner, but you need to ensure you are compatible before you get on a plane.
You should move for more than one reason
It sounds very romantic to move to a new country just to be with your partner. The trouble is, you might find that once the romance starts to fade, there’s not much left for you. That’s why it’s important to think about your own future, and not just the relationship, when you move.
Some things you should consider include:
- Your job prospects
- Whether you can enjoy your favourite activities in the new country
- How you can settle in
- Whether there’s an expat community locally
- Whether you can speak the local language, or how you’ll pick it up quickly
If you want your relationship to last long term, you need to have your own life too, so make sure there are other reasons for you to move.
Look out for common scams
Some people decide to move in with a partner despite never having met them in real life. While you may have spoken on the phone or by video call, and perhaps connected with them on social media, it’s worth keeping in mind that their intentions might not be good. Look out for some of the common romance scams that can reel people in. There can be warning signs that the person you’re speaking to isn’t genuine, from getting attached too quickly to making excuses for not meeting face to face, so make sure you keep your wits about you.
Long distance relationships can be hard, so you may be tempted to bridge that gap by jumping on a plane and starting a new life overseas. But a move to a new country isn’t like moving to a new town, it’s a lot tougher, and relationships don’t always work out. If you’re thinking of moving to be with your partner, make sure you know exactly what you’re doing and have a plan in place in case things go wrong.