Brits considering a move abroad may be overlooking major family law risks, with many prioritising visas and property purchases over legal advice that could help avoid costly cross-border disputes, new research reveals.
A new survey of 2,000 UK adults, conducted by leading law firm Mills & Reeve, found that while nearly half (47%) have considered leaving the UK to live abroad long-term or permanently, very few are seeking advice on the family law implications of relocating overseas.
The findings come as interest in international relocation continues to soar. According to Google Trends, “relocating abroad” has become a breakout search term in the UK, with searches increasing by more than 5,000% over the last three months compared with the same period last year, reflecting growing interest among Brits in making an international move.
The survey reveals that 24% would not be concerned about signing a prenuptial agreement in a foreign language without obtaining a translation, while 19% would be comfortable signing other legal documents without translating them first.
Prospective movers are most likely to seek advice on visa and residency rules (51%), followed by local laws and regulations (41%), property ownership rules (39%) and tax residency requirements (39%).
However, despite the life-changing nature of international relocation, just 6% said they would seek legal advice on child custody arrangements, while only 4% would seek guidance on how divorce and separation laws differ between countries.
Commenting on the findings, Joanna Grandfield, partner at Mills & Reeve, said: “It’s understandable that people focus on the lifestyle benefits of an international move, whether that’s affordability, a different pace of life, or simply better weather. But relocating abroad is not simply a logistical or financial decision, it can also have significant legal implications for couples and families.
“We regularly advise clients who are surprised to learn how moving country can affect issues including parental rights, child custody arrangements, financial claims, divorce jurisdiction and the enforceability of existing family agreements. The earlier people seek specialist international family law advice, the better placed they are to make informed decisions and to avoid complications that can become much more difficult and costly to resolve once a move has taken place.”
The research also highlights widespread uncertainty around financial legal protections. More than a quarter of respondents (26%) said they were unsure whether inheritance laws and wills could be affected by moving abroad, while 23% did not know whether relocation could impact pension access and tax arrangements.
The survey also found that more than one in five (21%) Brits are likely to move abroad within the next five years, underlining the growing appeal of international relocation.
Spain was named the most popular destination for relocation (31%), followed by Australia (19%), with lifestyle factors such as better weather and improved quality of life cited as the leading motivation for moving overseas.
The study also found that 34% of respondents consider themselves digital nomads, reflecting the rise of flexible and remote working arrangements that are making international moves more accessible than ever.
However, this growing mobility is also increasing the number of families crossing legal jurisdictions without fully understanding the implications.
Moving abroad can affect which country has legal authority in the event of separation, whether one parent requires consent to relocate children internationally and how child custody arrangements are enforced across borders.
“Many people understandably focus on the practicalities of an international move, such as securing visas, buying property or navigating tax requirements. What is often missed is that international family law issues can become significantly more complex the moment more than one country is involved.
“We frequently see situations where families only become aware of jurisdictional complications after a relationship has broken down or when disagreements arise around children, finances or existing legal agreements. Taking advice before relocating allows families to properly assess the legal framework they are moving into, understand how their rights may change and put safeguards in place that can prevent stressful and costly disputes later on.”
Melissa Lesson, partner at Mills & Reeve
