Six months ago my Spanish partner and I made a decision I never imagined we would willingly make: I would move back to the UK and she would come with me.

After what felt like an eternity confined to our small flat in Berlin throughout Covid, we, like so many, were craving a change. So, I quit my steady job in marketing – thus joining the Great Resignation – and my girlfriend started packing up her small business, ready to make the big move.

Having both taken full advantage of Freedom of Movement in the past, we (perhaps naively) thought that a British national coming home with his European partner would not be very difficult.

Sure, a post-Brexit Britain would make us jump through a few hoops and cough up a bit of cash, but how hard could it be? Well, as we soon found out, the answer is pretty bloody difficult!

I won’t bore you with the details (all of which were confirmed to us once we paid good money for an immigration lawyer). So, to cut a long story short, because my partner owns her own business, our only hope is to start our visa application next autumn – after hopefully fulfilling some exorbitant financial and living requirements. Ultimately, though, we’ve been shut out of my own country.

It is just worth noting that I was looking to move back in order to complete a master’s degree and pay in excess of £10,000 in tuition fees. My partner, meanwhile, was wanting to set up her successful business in England (and pay taxes). To top it all off, we were both willing to spend too much money renting a flat that was too small in London.

I have always held the stubborn belief that the negative consequences of Brexit would outweigh any positives. However, like many Remainers, I felt it was important to respect the democratic process and was resigned to the process of ‘Getting Brexit Done.’

Nevertheless, it is still right to point out the real effects Brexit is now having on ordinary people. Whether those difficulties be my partner potentially losing out on EU customers, who will have to pay extra custom duties once she is allowed to trade from the UK, or my hardships in getting back home with the person I love.

To be clear, I am not asking for sympathy. While we wait to apply for my partner’s visa, we’ve moved to Spain where we can spend our time enjoying their sunshine, delectable cuisine and far more pragmatic approach to working immigrants – they are happy to have any Brit earning €700+ a month, wherever that comes from.

Soggy fish and chips in rainy Brexit Britain will have to wait!

About four years prior to all this I had ended up working in marketing in Europe’s capital, Berlin – the ideal city for anyone who is reluctant to give up their student life. It was here where I also found love and shacked up with a lovely Spaniard.

Then, Covid hit. Like so many others, I spent an eternity confined to a small flat wondering “is this what I really want to do for the rest of my life?” So, I quit my steady job in marketing to pursue a career in Journalism. My girlfriend, also craving a change packed up.. we were moving to England!

(Feature: A Post Brexit Tale – Sam Rucker)