lins77

Hi

My husband and I are hoping to move to the Med - probably France or Italy in the next couple of years.

I'm a UK citizen so can move there. My husband on the other hand is American. Does anyone know if him being married to an EU citizen makes it easier for him to move there or would it be just the same as any other US Citizen?

I'm not very well up on how easy/hard it is for non EU citizens to move there. We'd both be self-employed so I assume he wouldn't be able to go through a work permit type route.

Thanks
Lindsey

sibsie

Have a look at the UK Immigration requirements

He can get authority to work in England but that doesn't extend to all of the EU. In short, the general rule is that you'll be able to work, he won't.

Bob

Even if self employed, he would still need a work permit of some kind.
Best thing would be to move to blighty and live there for 3 yrs or whatever it is to become eligible for citizenship

JAJ

He would be eligible for an EEA family permit, or whatever the equivalent was called in France or Italy. This would give him much the same rights as you, however it would be dependent on staying your spouse (and you staying resident in the country).

There is no guarantee he would be able to access French or Italian citizenship - depends on local law.

I agree it probably makes more sense to go to the UK first - once he has his British passport he can then live elsewhere in Europe.

Jeremy

lins77

Thanks for the replies.

I don't think we'll be moving to the UK first - the Med is our compromise location - he doesn't want to live in the UK and I don't like it here in the US

I don't think we're really concerned about him being able to get citizenship eventually - just want to be able to live and work there. If we did ever split up I should imagine he'd be coming back to the US anyway.

Anyway, thanks again

Lindsey

sibsie

When I first got engaged to my American chap, we briefly toyed with the idea of him coming over to Europe. I was living in Spain at the time. I was told that he could come to the UK and have full rights to work but that those rights didn't extend to the rest of Europe. I could well have that wrong as we didn't probe into it much.

JAJ

That's more or less correct - a UK visa gives rights in the UK but nowhere else in Europe.

On the other hand if he becomes a British citizen by naturalisation, then he can live freely elsewhere in Europe.

Visa or citizenship - big difference.

Jeremy

JAJ

I don't know how realistic an option these might be, but what about Gibraltar, Cyprus or Malta? Spain or Portugal might also be alternatives.

Gibraltar *might* give a route to British overseas territories citizenship, and hence British citizenship. You'd need to write to the Gib government to find out what the immigration deal in the territory is, both for you and your husband. And what rights you'd have to become Gibraltarians eventually if you liked it and wanted to stay.

Finding work may be a struggle unless you speak the local language, can work remotely, or can network into expatriate communities.

You'll likely lose your US green card when you move away from the US, you say you don't like the US so this won't be a problem - just be aware this does close down options (compared to having US citizenship, although this has pros and cons) in case you change your mind later on.

Jeremy

sabrinamerchant

Hi, I was wondering if I could get some help. I'm currently a university student in the US but am graduating in the summer of 2005. I studied abroad in London in the Fall of 2003 and met my current boyfriend there. We have been going back and forth ever since, but I want to move there when I graduate. We are not engaged, but are planning to be soon. I want to live and settle there and find a job there before we do so. the problem is to get a job you have to have a permit to live and work there, and to live and work there you have to have a job. I know I dont want to leave here without a job secured. What do you think I should do? We can get engaged and i can get a fiance visa, but youre not allowed to work for six months on that visa and i would like to start putting my degree to use right away. please help! so confused!
- sabrina

Bob

Start your own thread for advice and read
http://www.britainusa.com/visas/othe...5&Other_ID=322

And the site in general for your options.

Tracy in Texas

Hi ! Well, I'm glad you could reach a compromise. I don't particularly like living in the U.S., and numerous times, I brought up the idea about us moving to Europe (not UK, as neither of us really wanted to go there)
BUT . . . . hubby said he'll NEVER move from the US, no matter what. (Bearing in mind I moved across the world from Bahrain to be with him in VA, and then I moved across the U.S. from Virginia to Texas when he left the Navy.) Now he says he wants a divorce after all that !
That's the thanks I get. My advice - do what makes YOU happy, as you never know what's gonna happen.