UK to US or US to UK?
Nov 10th 2017, 12:17 am
#1
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Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 4
UK to US or US to UK?
Hello all
New member here, recently got engaged to my partner who is based in NY (American Citizen) and I am in London (British Citizen). Both young (29) professionals and currently assessing what options we have in regard to marriage and visas and could certainly do with some advice. Below are a number of scenarios and each scenario I could do with understanding any complexities and issues that you may foresee;
The background is we eventually want to move to the UK to settle and to have a family there. However, my partner is on the edge of completing a promotion to executive level within her company and out of the two of us this is a priority from a career perspective as she has far greater potential than I. I also have side businesses that I can earn from along with my day job. We are planning to marry in June 2018 with location TBC (UK / US). We are open to registering prior to ceremony in order to optimise the timing it will take to authorise visas and being together.
Option 1
She moves to UK with work permit with same company.
What happens when there is a work permit authorized but want to get engaged/settled in the UK?
Option 2
She quits her job and moves to the UK. What would the process be whilst we are engaged? I understand that I need to be earning a certain amount?
Option 3
We get married on paper. She moves to the UK (not sure what process that needs to be followed)? Also, in terms of marrying on paper, which country would be preferential in order to increase speed of acceptance?
Overall, i'd like to understand the optimal scenario in terms of best place to marry and best route in terms of speed of granting greencard/citizenship/right to work so we could be in the same location together. From what I've read it's typically easier for someone to acquire British citizenship rather than american citizenship - is this true? I just need to understand the barriers and hurdles when it comes to who's career to prioritise. Ideally i'd like to rank the optimal solutions ignoring the career aspects, and then bring career aspects later into the decision making.
Many thanks in advance for your help.
Ryan
New member here, recently got engaged to my partner who is based in NY (American Citizen) and I am in London (British Citizen). Both young (29) professionals and currently assessing what options we have in regard to marriage and visas and could certainly do with some advice. Below are a number of scenarios and each scenario I could do with understanding any complexities and issues that you may foresee;
The background is we eventually want to move to the UK to settle and to have a family there. However, my partner is on the edge of completing a promotion to executive level within her company and out of the two of us this is a priority from a career perspective as she has far greater potential than I. I also have side businesses that I can earn from along with my day job. We are planning to marry in June 2018 with location TBC (UK / US). We are open to registering prior to ceremony in order to optimise the timing it will take to authorise visas and being together.
Option 1
She moves to UK with work permit with same company.
What happens when there is a work permit authorized but want to get engaged/settled in the UK?
Option 2
She quits her job and moves to the UK. What would the process be whilst we are engaged? I understand that I need to be earning a certain amount?
Option 3
We get married on paper. She moves to the UK (not sure what process that needs to be followed)? Also, in terms of marrying on paper, which country would be preferential in order to increase speed of acceptance?
Overall, i'd like to understand the optimal scenario in terms of best place to marry and best route in terms of speed of granting greencard/citizenship/right to work so we could be in the same location together. From what I've read it's typically easier for someone to acquire British citizenship rather than american citizenship - is this true? I just need to understand the barriers and hurdles when it comes to who's career to prioritise. Ideally i'd like to rank the optimal solutions ignoring the career aspects, and then bring career aspects later into the decision making.
Many thanks in advance for your help.
Ryan
Last edited by Jerseygirl; Nov 10th 2017 at 12:39 am.
Nov 10th 2017, 12:50 am
#2
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Not in Paris
Posts: 18,194
Re: UK to US or US to UK?
1. An Tier 2 Intra Company Transfer (ICT) visa doesn't lead to settlement. Better to get her onto a spouse visa even if she makes the initial move on a Tier 2 ICT.
2. The precise order would depend on where you get married but, yes, you would need to sponsor her for a fiancée/spouse visa and meet certain financial requirements. Generally this would mean earning at least £18,600 pa for six months prior to application.
3. Just getting married would be easier to do in the US but if the plan is to move to the UK then it's a fairly moot point.
It's easier to gain US citizenship through spousal immigration than it is British citizenship. In both cases you will need to reside in the country in question for a number of years before you fulfil the residence requirements for citizenship. For British citizenship it's a minimum of five years.
Is a move to the UK with her company a real possibility or just a pipe dream?
2. The precise order would depend on where you get married but, yes, you would need to sponsor her for a fiancée/spouse visa and meet certain financial requirements. Generally this would mean earning at least £18,600 pa for six months prior to application.
3. Just getting married would be easier to do in the US but if the plan is to move to the UK then it's a fairly moot point.
It's easier to gain US citizenship through spousal immigration than it is British citizenship. In both cases you will need to reside in the country in question for a number of years before you fulfil the residence requirements for citizenship. For British citizenship it's a minimum of five years.
Is a move to the UK with her company a real possibility or just a pipe dream?
