Finally it’s happening
Jan 22nd 2018, 6:11 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2013
Location: Valparaiso, IN
Posts: 10
Finally it’s happening
Hi all,
I joined this forum a few years back when we were hoping to move but now it looks like it is happening for real.
My 2 boys and I have a moving date in June, once the school year is over. My husband will stay in the US and file for his spouse visa.
I now have a lot of questions about the logistics of moving and settling in as a “single” mum who’ll need to find a job. (I left the UK when I was 19 so really don’t have a clue how the grown up world works over there.)
1st question: Shipping containers/companies, any tips or recommendations?
2) Driving, I have a US license but have never had a UK one, can I transfer it?
3) School and childcare, I’m going to have to work but need someone to look after the boys. I went on the Herefordshire website but couldn’t find anything about childcare but I did read about vouchers for it, whatever that means. Also how do I pick a school from such a distance and know what class to put them in, one has skipped a grade the other has been held back.
Sorry that was a lot, I’m sure I have more but right now that’s what is on my mind.
Thanks everyone
I joined this forum a few years back when we were hoping to move but now it looks like it is happening for real.
My 2 boys and I have a moving date in June, once the school year is over. My husband will stay in the US and file for his spouse visa.
I now have a lot of questions about the logistics of moving and settling in as a “single” mum who’ll need to find a job. (I left the UK when I was 19 so really don’t have a clue how the grown up world works over there.)
1st question: Shipping containers/companies, any tips or recommendations?
2) Driving, I have a US license but have never had a UK one, can I transfer it?
3) School and childcare, I’m going to have to work but need someone to look after the boys. I went on the Herefordshire website but couldn’t find anything about childcare but I did read about vouchers for it, whatever that means. Also how do I pick a school from such a distance and know what class to put them in, one has skipped a grade the other has been held back.
Sorry that was a lot, I’m sure I have more but right now that’s what is on my mind.
Thanks everyone
Jan 22nd 2018, 7:16 pm
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,114
Re: Finally it’s happening
Hi all,
I joined this forum a few years back when we were hoping to move but now it looks like it is happening for real.
My 2 boys and I have a moving date in June, once the school year is over. My husband will stay in the US and file for his spouse visa.
I now have a lot of questions about the logistics of moving and settling in as a “single” mum who’ll need to find a job. (I left the UK when I was 19 so really don’t have a clue how the grown up world works over there.)
1st question: Shipping containers/companies, any tips or recommendations?
2) Driving, I have a US license but have never had a UK one, can I transfer it?
3) School and childcare, I’m going to have to work but need someone to look after the boys. I went on the Herefordshire website but couldn’t find anything about childcare but I did read about vouchers for it, whatever that means. Also how do I pick a school from such a distance and know what class to put them in, one has skipped a grade the other has been held back.
Sorry that was a lot, I’m sure I have more but right now that’s what is on my mind.
Thanks everyone
I joined this forum a few years back when we were hoping to move but now it looks like it is happening for real.
My 2 boys and I have a moving date in June, once the school year is over. My husband will stay in the US and file for his spouse visa.
I now have a lot of questions about the logistics of moving and settling in as a “single” mum who’ll need to find a job. (I left the UK when I was 19 so really don’t have a clue how the grown up world works over there.)
1st question: Shipping containers/companies, any tips or recommendations?
2) Driving, I have a US license but have never had a UK one, can I transfer it?
3) School and childcare, I’m going to have to work but need someone to look after the boys. I went on the Herefordshire website but couldn’t find anything about childcare but I did read about vouchers for it, whatever that means. Also how do I pick a school from such a distance and know what class to put them in, one has skipped a grade the other has been held back.
Sorry that was a lot, I’m sure I have more but right now that’s what is on my mind.
Thanks everyone
Other points not in your original post but you may wish to consider are -
1) banking - do you have a bank account in the UK? If not, you can open an UK bank account in the US with HSBC before your move in June.
https://www.us.hsbc.com/international-banking/
2) US citizenship - if you are not a US citizen, you may wish to think about apply for US citizenship. This will make any return to the US a lot easier.
3) National Insurance No - if you cannot remember your old National Insurance number, you can ask the UK's Department for Works and Pensions to do a search for you.
https://www.gov.uk/lost-national-insurance-number
4) NI contributions - If the OP is thinking of moving back to the UK for good, she may wish to pay backdated voluntary National Insurance contributions. This means that she can receive a bigger UK state pension in retirement.
https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-nationa...-contributions
5) You may also wish to register your children's birth to the UK authorities. This means that you can get their 'birth certificate' in the UK, rather than all the way back from the US.
https://www.gov.uk/register-a-birth
Jan 22nd 2018, 7:19 pm
#3
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Not in Paris
Posts: 18,193
Re: Finally it’s happening
1) We've always used Seven Seas Worldwide Shipping United Kingdom - International Shipping Specialists
2) No. You can drive on your US licence for up to 12 months in the UK after arriving but you will then need a GB licence in order to continue to drive. Bear in mind that insurance premiums will take a big jump on a foreign licence so it's best to get your provisional GB licence and take a few lessons. The UK driving test is considerable more difficult than the US equivalent.
3) You'll need to make an application to the Local Education Authority on arrival for your boys to be placed in a local school. They will effectively get what they are given.
If you're not already aware you will need to be working for six months earning over £18,600 pa before your husband can apply for his spouse visa, assuming you don't have £62,500 in savings or you are selling a property in the US to raise that amount.
2) No. You can drive on your US licence for up to 12 months in the UK after arriving but you will then need a GB licence in order to continue to drive. Bear in mind that insurance premiums will take a big jump on a foreign licence so it's best to get your provisional GB licence and take a few lessons. The UK driving test is considerable more difficult than the US equivalent.
3) You'll need to make an application to the Local Education Authority on arrival for your boys to be placed in a local school. They will effectively get what they are given.
If you're not already aware you will need to be working for six months earning over £18,600 pa before your husband can apply for his spouse visa, assuming you don't have £62,500 in savings or you are selling a property in the US to raise that amount.
Jan 23rd 2018, 12:27 pm
#4
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2013
Location: Valparaiso, IN
Posts: 10
Re: Finally it’s happening
1) We've always used Seven Seas Worldwide Shipping United Kingdom - International Shipping Specialists
2) No. You can drive on your US licence for up to 12 months in the UK after arriving but you will then need a GB licence in order to continue to drive. Bear in mind that insurance premiums will take a big jump on a foreign licence so it's best to get your provisional GB licence and take a few lessons. The UK driving test is considerable more difficult than the US equivalent.
3) You'll need to make an application to the Local Education Authority on arrival for your boys to be placed in a local school. They will effectively get what they are given.
If you're not already aware you will need to be working for six months earning over £18,600 pa before your husband can apply for his spouse visa, assuming you don't have £62,500 in savings or you are selling a property in the US to raise that amount.
2) No. You can drive on your US licence for up to 12 months in the UK after arriving but you will then need a GB licence in order to continue to drive. Bear in mind that insurance premiums will take a big jump on a foreign licence so it's best to get your provisional GB licence and take a few lessons. The UK driving test is considerable more difficult than the US equivalent.
3) You'll need to make an application to the Local Education Authority on arrival for your boys to be placed in a local school. They will effectively get what they are given.
If you're not already aware you will need to be working for six months earning over £18,600 pa before your husband can apply for his spouse visa, assuming you don't have £62,500 in savings or you are selling a property in the US to raise that amount.
I think I will do a week intense driving course, I’m so used to big American roads and parking spaces that I’m not sure how I will do on the narrow lanes.
We are going to savings route/house sale so my income would be more for living off so we don’t have to dip into savings while all the paperwork is going through.
Jan 23rd 2018, 1:08 pm
#5
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,446
Re: Finally it’s happening
BiP has already given good advice on driving and getting a licence, but I would add, that you should get started as soon as the dust has settled on your move, say after no more than about four months. That will give you time for some lessons and practice and then to take a test about six months after you arrive, because if you don't pass you have to wait 30 days as a minimum before you can take it again, and it is far from certain that you will pass first time, or second, or third. 
..... And after 12 months you wouldn't be able to continue to drive on your US license, so it is imperative that you plan to take the test in such a way as to minimize the risk that you don't have a British licence before your 12 months is up.
..... And after 12 months you wouldn't be able to continue to drive on your US license, so it is imperative that you plan to take the test in such a way as to minimize the risk that you don't have a British licence before your 12 months is up.
