nhgeordie

Hello Again, Jim here
Still working on my Wife's VISA needs to get us back to UK. I never became US Citizen so hopefully I just walk back in with UK Passport.

ANYWAY.
When we do get back, I know she cant get NHS cover for herself and we'll have to buy coverage. My question is, Any body know a good place to look for an agent or a company who may help. Only name I recall is BUPA but I'm sure that's not for retired couples.
Thanks

Jim

SanDiegogirl

If your wife enters the UK on a spouse visa she will have NHS cover from day one.

Why do you think she won't?

I'm going to qualify my answer. You will be eligible for emergency services, you can register with a GP and get primary services, you can obtain hospital services if so needed.

You would not be able to immediately receive such services as home help, home nursing (if that is what your wife needs) before being assessed by social services.

Perth

There is a health surcharge for the NHS and you should come upon it while making the application.

mikelincs

Perth has covered what you need to know, there is a charge of £600 for the initisl visas and that gives complete NHS cover.

nhgeordie

Sandiegogirl, thanks for the prompt reply. I have a friend who moved back to UK [Visa not renewed] and when talking to him he said his Mother was initially not going to be allowed medical coverage for over a year after she arrived home All the family are English citizens, and he said it took a full on confrontation with a Police Officer and GP practice nurse to be sorted out. All are now settled etc back home. My wife does have some pre existing conditions, Crohns disease, RA, pacemaker, and is prone to Collitis flares,but has me to care for her and so far we don't need home nursing.I want everything to go as smoothly as it can, and was thinking we could maybe ask the Immigration Officer in Heathrow for a visa for my wife, or do we HAVE to request her visa from the .Gov site before we leave, which we don't know when because of still looking for a home to rent.
Sorry to be a pain, but thanks so much for your help.
Jim

mikelincs

If she is NOT a British Citizen then she MUST get a visa before she travels

SanDiegogirl

You need to sponsor your wife for a settlement visa. It must be obtained from the US.


You cannot pitch up at Heathrow and request any visa from the official.

I understand from earlier postings that you will be applying using pensions, Social Security (your wife's which will be continuing when she is in the UK). Altogether you MUST have income of 18,600 GBP per annum

The website to start your application is here:

https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk

YOU will be regarded as the family in the UK (even though you will be leaving the US to travel with your wife) and she is the applicant joining you.

The financial requirements are below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...equirement.pdf

Again, you will need to show full details of your pensions, Social security payments etc. Read section 8 carefully.

You need to show relationship (marriage certificate etc) and also that you have accommodation in the UK.

yellowroom

I don't know the timing you are working to, but have you considered the advantage of obtaining US citizenship before you leave? If your move to the UK doesn't work out and your wife wants to return to the US and you are not a US citizen, then it will be much less complicated if you have US citizenship too. You can hold both US and UK citizenship at the same time, you do not give up your UK citizenship on gaining a US passport.

If your wife enters the UK on the spousal visa and has paid all the necessary surcharges etc, she will be entitled to NHS treatment on the day she arrives.

DO NOT just arrive at Heathrow without the necessary visa and paperwork in hand. Deportation of American citizens who don't have the right visa can and does happen, even in difficult circumstances. All of these stories are due to people not following the rules:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/209559...-father-child/
Blackwood woman must raise £4,000 in a week to save her American husband from deportation (From South Wales Argus)
Edgbaston husband's cancer-stricken US wife deported from UK - Birmingham Mail
http://www.caerphillyobserver.co.uk/...is-overturned/
American dad facing deportation despite living in UK for 53 years WILL be able to stay after case goes to immigration minister - Manchester Evening News
Victory: American woman facing deportation to US or jail is allowed to stay in Tewkesbury | Gloucestershire Live

Pulaski

As you're a British citizen you can go back to the UK to live, and having, or not having US citizenship has no bearing either way on whether you are a British citizen. In fact is difficult to get rid of your British citizenship, and certainly not something that can happen to you accidentally or inadvertently - unless you do something stupid, such as traveling to Syria to join ISIS.

As Yellowroom said, if you have time, obtaining US citizenship would be a good insurance policy as it would give you the permanent right to return to the US to live if your wife wanted to return. Obtaining US citizenship would have no bearing on your British citizenship, as I said above.

In fact I, and many others here on BE are dual citizens, having taken US citizenship and retained UK citizenship, which is the default situation for British citizens who take US citizenship.