Emigration Stories
Real stories from Dutch people who made the move
Bas (34)
Amsterdam → London
After Brexit, London seemed out of reach, but with a Skilled Worker visa and the right preparation I was working in the City within three months.
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Marloes & Pieter (38)
Rotterdam → Edinburgh
Moving to Scotland with two children seemed like a huge step, but Edinburgh offered us better schools, nature and a close-knit community.
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Vincent (43)
Den Haag → Manchester
Setting up a Ltd in the UK after Brexit is surprisingly fast, but the tax and visa rules are a maze. This is how I did it.
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Femke (32)
Leiden → Cambridge
With a Global Talent visa I could move to Cambridge as a researcher without employer sponsorship. The academic world here is unparalleled.
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Niels & Eva (28)
Utrecht → Bristol
As a young couple without much savings, renting in Bristol was a challenge. No credit history, no guarantor — but we found a way.
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Henk (64)
Haarlem → Cotswolds
Retiring to the Cotswolds — a dream, but nearly impossible after Brexit. Yet I found a route, with patience and creativity.
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Sophie (26)
Groningen → Glasgow
A fully funded PhD programme in Glasgow opened doors I didn't have in the Netherlands. Scotland welcomes international researchers with open arms.
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Thomas & James (35)
Amsterdam → Brighton
As a Dutch-British couple we could no longer automatically live in the same country after Brexit. The spouse visa gave us certainty, Brighton gave us a home.
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Priya (29)
Eindhoven → Birmingham
Trained as a doctor in the Netherlands but with Indian roots, I chose the NHS. Birmingham offered a place where my medical career and cultural background came together.
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Daan (24)
Tilburg → Liverpool
As an electronic musician I dreamed of the British music scene. Liverpool gave me a stage, a community and a new sound.
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Annemarie (41)
Maastricht → Cardiff
Moving to Wales as a single mother with two children was the bravest decision of my life. Cardiff offered us a fresh start.
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Ruben (31)
Amsterdam → London (Shoreditch)
With an Innovator Founder visa and an app with 50,000 users I moved to London's tech scene. Shoreditch is the new Silicon Roundabout.
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Els (58)
Breda → Lake District
Running a B&B in the Lake District seemed like a retirement dream, but became reality thanks to a clever visa plan and lots of perseverance.
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Rick (37)
Nijmegen → Leeds
The British tech industry pays significantly better than the Dutch. With a Skilled Worker visa I now work at a scale-up in Leeds and earn nearly double.
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Lotte & Ben (33)
Den Bosch → Belfast
Northern Ireland is the UK's best-kept secret. Affordable, green and with a unique position after Brexit thanks to the Windsor Framework.
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Jan Willem (45)
Delft → Oxford
As an engineering lecturer I made the switch from TU Delft to Oxford University. The academic culture here is unique, but post-Brexit bureaucracy is a challenge.
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Carmen (52)
Zwolle → Cornwall
The light in Cornwall is magical for a painter. With a Global Talent visa and my studio on the coast I made my dream come true.
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Wouter & Lisa (42)
Haarlem → London (Richmond)
We were already living in London before Brexit and received pre-settled status. Five years later converting to settled status was crucial — this is our story.
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Jasper (48)
Almere → Scottish Highlands
From a cottage in the Highlands I work remotely as a data analyst. The silence, the nature and yes, the whisky — life here is completely different.
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Nina (27)
Rotterdam → London (Hackney)
London's fashion industry is unrivalled. As creative director at a streetwear brand I found in Hackney exactly the energy Rotterdam was missing.
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Gerard & Margaret (67)
Arnhem → Bath
Margaret is British, I'm Dutch. After her retirement we wanted to return to England. The Family visa made it possible, but the process was anything but simple.
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Yara (22)
Amsterdam → London (Canary Wharf)
Straight after my master's in Amsterdam I started as a graduate trainee at an investment bank in Canary Wharf. Young, ambitious and just in time for the visa process.
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Marco (39)
Enschede → Manchester
The NHS has a chronic shortage of physiotherapists. Manchester offered me a job, visa and career prospects I didn't have in the Netherlands.
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Fleur (33)
Den Haag → London (Notting Hill)
As an international law solicitor London is the epicentre. With a Skilled Worker visa I now work at a Magic Circle firm and navigate two legal systems daily.
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Kim & Sarah (36)
Haarlem → London (Hampstead)
As a lesbian couple with an adopted daughter, emigrating was extra complex. London offered us not just careers but also legal recognition of our family.
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