TallyGD

I am 38yr old Englishman who married an American lady back in 2003. We have 3 children, 1 that I adopted from my wife's previous marriage and 2 of our own. We are looking to move to the U.K. and settle there and build a life for our family.
I have many family living in the Birmingham area and that is where we would aim to live. I have always worked since I left school except for a period in 06-07 when we came to the UK for 6 months to take care of my elderly parents.
Both my parents have now passed and feel long term this would be best for our family. I am training to be a teacher while I am a Director at a YMCA here in America.

I am just wondering how difficult it would be for us to go back, and what hoops we would have to jump through. One issue we have is my wife suffers with bi-polar and needs medication and would probably need it for the rest of her life. I am just wondering if she would be able to get her medication once we got there?

We have 3 young children 9,4 and 2 and we want family around them while they grow up. Any advice will be appreciated.

Marmalade

Definitely get in touch with the General Teaching Council of England to find out what you need to do to register to teach in the country. I did this with Scotland, and it takes a while to get all the paperwork sorted, so it is best to find out as soon as possible what is required.

Don't really know how to answer any of your other questions, but the helpful people on BE will be along soon to help

JAJ

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk for your wife.

If you have legally adopted the child, have you thought about applying for the child to be registered as a British citizen?

As for your own natural children, as long as you are U.K. born they are British citizens => just get them British consular birth certificates and British passports.

Are you still on a green card? Have you thought through the consequences of abandoning your status in the United States and/or whether you should become a U.S. citizen?

(your 6 month absence may or may not have re-set the naturalisation clock).

Poppy girl

Would it not be possible to get a transfer with the YMCA to the UK until you have finished your studys.

As for your lady wife I cannot see any reason why she would not be able to get the medication in the UK, do you mean the exact same as she is on now is that what worries you.....hopefully it will be a damn site cheaper for you in the UK as well

Marmalade

Cost of schooling may be much higher than what he is paying here in the US seeing he will not be eligible for resident tuition in the UK. Also, some classes will more than likely not transfer, as it's a different system.

needasmack

See if she can get a couple of months on her prescription done a ahead of time before you go. This will give you some "room" while setting up with a GP and the local PCT. Once you are set up she will have no problems getting her medication.

I did a quick search online to see if my son's medication is approved over there. Maybe you can do the same for your wife's medicine.

Poppy girl

Really he can't just put the kids in school in the UK and be done with it WOW.
I had no idea learnt something new, but then I have no kids so what do I know

TruBrit

fyi ~ NHS >

http://www.emigrantadvice.ie/images/...Healthcare.pdf

good luck

TruBrit

not a lot poppy, not a lot

Poppy girl

Its a good job your my friend lol

TruBrit

without hi-jacking this thread anymore i'll just say that you do have some very good ideas, i'll give you that

Poppy girl

And my last input to the thread hi-jack is..............I have a bloody over imaginative mind lol

TallyGD

Thank you all for responding. I have my permanent residency card here in the U.K. and yes I am slightly concerned if my wife decides to return would I have trouble coming back. We have spoken in length and she says she doesn't want to return as one of the reasons she wants to leave is the worry about affording medication when we both get older.
She has already got the illness I have mentioned and she is worried how we could afford to take care of things when we get older. Her illness as some one as mentioned as cost us a lot already and it may only get worse.

I have thought about getting my green card so I could return later on, but I was told by someone from England who lives here that if my wife became a British citizen she would have to give up her American citizenship so she wouldn't be able to come back anyway. Is this true?

I was unsure about how to get my children British passports or even if I could but will certainly look into it. So I contact the British Embassy in the U.S.A?

I have thought about seeing if I could get a transfer with the YMCA and might look into that. But I am ready to work anywhere to pay my way to make this happen.

We have Home schooled here in the U.S.A and are thinking about continuing that in the U.K. For my own Schooling, I will be checking to see if I can continue it in the U.K. as it is all online based anyway.

Thanks for your continued advice.

Poppy girl

http:/ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/

TallyGD

If everything went well and we decided to go back;how long would this process normally take?
And I am sure it would go smoother if I had job waiting for me?

From what I have read it seems it won't be a problem getting my kids there, but would it be difficult for my wife being a U.S. citizen? I read somewhere it's easier if you have been married for more than 5 years abroad which we have.