United Kingdom: Brexit, a real administrative headache for mixed couples
English and European flags waved by an anti-Brexit protester in Brussels, January 30, 2020 (Image illustration).
© AFP - Kenzo Tribouillard
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
For couples of Britons and Europeans living on the continent, Brexit has become a real administrative headache.
Families have until March 29, 2022 to move to the UK if they want the UK spouse to obtain Settled Satus, a status that allows Europeans to retain their pre-Brexit rights.
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From our correspondent in London
,
Chloé Goudenhooft
Being married to a Brit will no longer be enough to move to the UK.
From March 29, 2022, European spouses will have to meet certain criteria to be allowed to follow their partner in the country.
Nick is a retired British engineer.
He lives with his Spanish wife in Germany.
They decided to rush their return to the UK to avoid the cost of visas and red tape.
But in order for their 16-year-old son to finish his schooling in Germany, they will have to live straddling the two countries.
►Also read: How an Italian-British couple is experiencing Brexit?
“
I'm going to come back to live in England, we'll also bring in Diana, my wife, and try to get Settled Status before March.
But between the two of us, we will travel between England and Germany so that we can take care of our son while he finishes high school,
”he explains.
After March 29, for the British spouse to obtain a family visa, the European spouse or husband will have to earn more than 21,000 euros per year, regardless of the partner's income.
This will be a problem for all couples who want to return to live in the UK while they are dependent on the salary of the European spouse.
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