Moving Abroad from the UK: Complete 2026 Guide

Yes — but you now need a residence visa. Since Brexit, the UK is a “third country” in the EU. British nationals can visit any EU or Schengen country for up to 90 days in any 180-day rolling period without a visa. To live there long-term, you must apply for a long-stay visa before you travel. Spain, Portugal, and France all have well-established visa routes for UK citizens — covered in detail in each guide.

UK nationals are allowed a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day rolling period across the entire Schengen Area — not per country. A week in Spain plus a week in France plus a week in Portugal all count towards the same 90-day limit. Exceeding it without a residence visa is illegal and can result in fines or future entry bans. If you plan to live in Europe permanently, apply for a long-stay visa in your chosen country before travelling.

For passive income and retirees, Portugal’s D7 visa has the lowest income threshold: £780 per month for a single applicant — roughly equivalent to the full UK State Pension (£958/mo). Processing takes 6–9 months. For the fastest processing, France’s VLS-TS Visiteur typically takes 2–3 months, though it prohibits remote working. Ireland is the easiest of all: under the Common Travel Area, British citizens can live, work, and access public services there with no visa required at all.

It depends entirely on your destination. If you move to Spain, Portugal, or France (EU member states), your UK State Pension continues to receive the same annual triple-lock increases as it would in the UK — no financial penalty. If you move to Australia, New Zealand, or Thailand, your pension is frozen at the rate when you first receive it and never increases with inflation. After 20 years, this gap can exceed £7,000 per year versus remaining in the UK or moving to an EU country. Always verify pension implications with the DWP International Pension Centre before committing to a frozen-pension destination.

Your UK tax liability depends on your residency status under the Statutory Residence Test (SRT). Once you become a non-resident, you generally stop paying UK income tax on overseas income. However, UK-source income — rental income from UK property, some UK pension income — may remain taxable in the UK. You must notify HMRC by submitting Form P85 when you leave, and may need to file a Self Assessment with form SA109 (split-year treatment) for the year you depart. Each destination guide covers the applicable double tax treaty and how it interacts with UK obligations.

The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. All non-EU nationals — including UK citizens — must register biometric data (fingerprints and a facial image) at the EU/Schengen border on their first crossing. This applies to short-stay visitors only; it does not affect people holding a valid EU residence permit. ETIAS, a €20 pre-travel authorisation valid for three years, is expected to launch in late 2026 for short-stay travellers. Neither system replaces or affects your residence visa application. Allow extra time at EU airports until queues stabilise.