Gerard & Margaret(67)

Margaret and I have been together for 35 years. She grew up in Bath, I in Arnhem. We spent most of our marriage in the Netherlands, but Margaret always felt homesick. When we both retired, the choice was clear: back to Bath, the city where she grew up.

As the spouse of a British citizen I could apply for a Family visa. But the minimum income requirement was a problem. Margaret had to prove she has £29,000 per year in income. With her British state pension (£11,500) and her ABP pension from the Netherlands (€14,000) we just exceeded the threshold. All pension documents had to be translated and verified by HMRC.

The application took three months — longer than expected. We had to provide 35 years of relationship evidence: marriage certificate, photos over the years, joint bank accounts, mortgage papers. The visa officer wanted absolute certainty it was a genuine marriage. After three nerve-wracking months I received my Family visa for two and a half years.

Bath is a beautiful city. The Georgian architecture, the Roman Baths, the Royal Crescent — it's like living in a Jane Austen novel. We bought a flat in Widcombe for £350,000. The stamp duty was high due to my foreign status: £7,500 plus 2% surcharge. Margaret's name was already on the deed, but my portion was treated as a foreign purchase.

Transferring our pension from the Netherlands went smoothly. DUO and SVB pay directly into a UK bank account. ABP does the same after a form. Exchange rate fluctuations are something to watch — we use Wise (formerly TransferWise) for better rates than traditional banks. HMRC treats my Dutch pension as foreign income and it's taxed here, but the tax treaty prevents double taxation.

At our age healthcare is crucial. Margaret is automatically NHS-entitled as a British citizen. I have access through the Family visa (IHS paid). Our GP in Bath is excellent. For non-urgent care we also use private consultations via Bupa — NHS waiting times for specialists are unacceptably long when you're 67 and take health concerns seriously. Bath is a perfect city for retirement: safe, culturally rich and with excellent medical facilities.