Emmarrr

I've posted here before, but am looking for advice and strategies!

I want to move home with my US husband and our daughter. Since my pension is tied up in a pension fund (and not an accessible account), my capital apparently does not qualify as far as applying to bring my husband. So, I am trying to secure a job offer.

Does anybody have any strategies for job hunting remotely?

Additionally, I am considering leaving my current job, just so I can cash in my pension and have the capital, so that I can then apply to bring my husband over.

Any thoughts? It is very hard not to be depressed by this situation!

Pulaski

Expect to lose just over 1/3 of the value of your 401k in taxes and penalties, so you would need about $150,000 in your 401k to net $100k to give you the £62,500 of savings you'll need.

Is there a family member whose address you can borrow for your CV? It is also possible to get a British VoIP phone and have it ring on your US phone/ cell phone. .... Some have expressed concern that employers will weed out such tricks as being fraudulent. Maybe some will, but the alternative would be to move back to the UK speculatively to search for work.

Emmarrr

Thanks! I also have some savings which I could add to the pension money, so should be able to make it. My concern is that giving up my job to get the pension would look bad on the application. Not to mention not having an income while the application is in process.

Yes I am using my parents' address on my CV. Thanks for the phone tip!

About moving back to speculatively search for work... Would the process then still be the same to move my husband over later?

nun

I would do everything possible to avoid cashing in the pension, it's a very bad financial move. So concentrate on getting the income required for the spousal visa or maybe the "Singh" route is still open.

Emmarrr

Thank you. I just read what the Singh route is, but I don't think that applies to us. Will keep plugging away at trying to get a job offer. So difficult to do from so far away.

Pulaski

Surinder Singh applies to whoever wants it to apply to them (if they're British and have a non-EU spouse), it's your choice, but would mean moving for at least six months to a country I Europe before moving back to the UK. It enables you to do an end-run around the UK's spouse visa requirements.

Emmarrr

But wouldn't you need to find a job in that country first anyway?

verystormy

What is your occupation?

nun

Ireland is a favorite Surinder Singh country for UK citizens because of the obvious familiarity of the language and culture. Remember you hold an EU passport and can move to any EU country and a lot don't have the same restrictions on non-EU spousal visas. You can apply for an Irish Family visa and go to Ireland with your non-EU spouse. Once there you can apply for a residency and look for a job, usually something temporary. When six months are up you will have an easy path to the UK for you and your non-EU spouse because you are moving from an EU country

bobbyleo

Some applicants sell their home to release the capital to finance the savings route and I think if thats the case 6 month savings rule may not apply (check on that). Don't know if thats relevant to you but good luck, where there is a will there is a way.

Emmarrr

I'm a research librarian.

Emmarrr

Wow, thank you so much for the insight. This has really planted a seed in my head...

Emmarrr

Thanks for the advice and encouragement. Unfortunately we're not homeowners. We do have a lot of savings, just not enough. I wonder if there are any other circumstances though where the 6 month rule does not apply...