CherryBlossoms

Finally coming home after almost a decade in the U.S.

I am both completely terrified and ecstatic all at the same time.

I am leaving my husband behind while I go back and get my kids into school and get my son some medical help he needs and get myself a car and job etc - it is going to be a step back before we take a step forward, but we'll make this work and then sponsor my husband to join me, later.

Things just seem to have all come together out of nowhere the last month, when i've been trying to go back for years! My building is up for sale, so I need to move out. There is a medical need for my son and no help coming quick enough in the states but I know the help he needs is available as standard in the UK. My car is almost dead, so time on that is running out, too and I had an offer for a place to stay and for flight's home, so it would be so dumb to miss out on this opportunity.

For sure it is going to be completely bonkers while I get myself in order, but it will be so worth it, in the end and my husband and I are 100% on the same page about it and aren't headed for divorce or anything crazy like that, though he will have to tough it out for a while while he waits in the U.S and works to save some cash to keep up with his current commitments until I am sorted out back in the UK.

I was wondering if anyone had any advice on car seats when flying from the U.S to the U.K?? I know UK standards are different but I will be using my U.S ones to get to the airport here and on the plane, what do I do UK side?!?

Also, does anyone have kids who are british by decent - I never gave up my citizenship and my kids have gained british citizenship by decent and do have british passports, but will I still need to register them!?!? I looked at the website and it is SO confusing. I'm 99% sure I don't have to, but I wouldlike to know anyone elses experience, here.

ALSO: My older son is 20, he was born in the UK. Can he just apply for a national insurance number so he can work, where does he have to do that?!

Thanks so much!

moneypenny20

Good news all round. With regard the NIN, he needs to contact https://www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number to sort it out. He may find he already has one. We left the UK when my eldest was 13. She recently moved back at 24 and on contacting them from here, found that she had a number already and all she had to do when she arrived in the UK was call them up, give them her address and they posted the card/details to her. I have no idea when it would have been issued to her on their system but we were very impressed.

verystormy

Car seats wont be legal in the UK if from the USA. However, I am guessing you will initially be getting a hire car? If so, then you can rent them with the car until you can buy them.


I know it feels daunting, but try not to get stressed by it. You will be surprised how it falls into place. We went from making the decision on a Tuesday night to getting on a plane on the Saturday! That included getting the house on the market, arranging the dogs flight, selling all our possessions and arranging things this end.

SanDiegogirl

Your children have British passports so you don't need to do anything about them - no need to undertake registering.

You son will go to Job Centre or Social Security office and get NIN.

durham_lad

Our son is moving back next month after 30 years in the USA (moved there with us when he was 4). He will register to vote as part of establishing his permanent address, staying with us while looks to buy a house, otherwise no other "registering" required except with the local health centre to get an NHS number.

We have a Jobs Centre-Plus in town so I went in to check if he could walk in and get a NIN from them. We were told the best procedure is to request a NIN online and that will set an appointment with the Jobs Centre-Plus to be issued with a NIN. That certainly is different from I'd read here, but I'm sure it won't be a problem either way.

HKG3

When I applied for my NI number over 10 years ago, what I did was that I make an appointment with the Job Centre Plus. Once I am there, the Job Centre staff had a one to one interview with me. She filled in the form and photocopied all my supporting documents. It took about an hour. Things may have change for the better since then.

HKG3

A number of points for the OP -

1) She should consider applying for US citizenship if not already done so. It would make a return to the US easier.

2) She may want to pay voluntary national insurance contribution so that she could get a bigger UK state pension. Please see link below for details -

https://www.gov.uk/pay-voluntary-cla...rance/overview

3) Your children are British Citizens and they have British passport. There is no need to register them. You may want to consider registering your children's births with the British government, which means that you can get your children's birth certificate from the GRO at Southport, rather than going all the way to the US.

https://www.gov.uk/register-a-birth

scot47

At some point in the future your children may have to prove when they became resident in the UK. i would suggest that he take steps to put together some proof of that. it could be required for a number of reasons. It should be simple enough to establish - maybe even at zero cost !

Examples of when such documentation might be required are over certain aspects of citizenship and over access to funding etc for tertiary education.

durham_lad

When they register with the NHS they will receive an official letter with their newly created NHS numbers. I wonder if this would be sufficient proof of when they became resident.

petitefrancaise

yes, my daughter had an NI number assigned to her too. She wanted to vote in the recent elections and investigated it. She left Scotland when she was 5,yet when she called the advice line they told her she already had one.

I'm inclined to get my son to do the same to see what happens.

figthefox

Just read this post with great interest since you are doing what I hope to do in the next couple of years! I may have to leave my husband behind and go first with the children to get them settled, it just depends how long I can hang on and stick it out in the US! We are going for a visit in a few weeks and have had to rent carseats to go in the rental car. I'm still a UKC and my kids have US and UK passports. My husband is the tricky one, looks like we are going down the savings route to get him in the country. Do you know how long it will take for your husband to join you?