WhoFan63

It sounds like your 19 year old is the same as my roommate's 20 year old...LOL.

feelbritish

If your grandparents are Scottish have you not thought of going on ancestral visa? If they carry on like this I will have to make that move myself and then work part time! I was just hoping that I would not have to work but it may be the answer because you only have to show you are trying to work!

formula

To get the Ancestry visa you only have to say you are looking for work. The problem might be at the end of that 5 year visa when you try to stay in the UK (extension or try for settlement) as the UKBA website states:-

"At the end of this time, you might be able to apply to settle here permanently - see below"

then "below" it states

"If you have lived and worked continuously in the UK for 5 years in this category, and if you still meet the UK ancestry requirements (see above), you can apply to settle here permanently."
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/vi...g/uk-ancestry/

My bold. It's the "and" bit followed by "worked continuously in the UK for 5 years in this category" that you may need to take advice about from an immigration solicitor if you aren't planning to work on an Ancesty visa and want to settle in the UK permanently. The Ancestry visa is a working visa.

Bluegrass Lass

This is our concern, as I (the USC spouse) have a pre-existing condition. In the past we have talked to a person from BUPA, and we've been told that my condition would not be covered under a private policy. So nobody seems to know if this new change would mean that a non-EU spouse cannot access NHS at all, or only for those things not covered by private insurance. If you can't access it at all, then this is the deal killer for us ever being able to move back.

I don't know how insurance works in the UK, but I know here in the US you will find it damn near difficult/impossible to get an insurance plan before you actually are here - and some companies will require you to be here for 6mo before they will cover you. if that's the same in the UK, how is a spouse supposed to get insurance before they can move there? Especially if they don't have a visa status before applying for the policy? This could trap you in a catch-22 forever.

I'm not impressed, is all I can say.

mikelincs

Please note that the article says SOME and MAY. If I, even as an UK citizen wish to go and live in Spain I will have to prove sufficient funds AND healthcare provisions, no automatic right, so what is proposed only brings the UK into line with many other EU countries. I'm not a fan of DC in any way, but he is only bringing the UK into line with many of the other EU countries over immigration, it's just that the income level is being set far to high for non EU spouses.

spouse of scouse

I've looked into it, thanks feelbritish, but I would have to show that I'd been continuously looking for work if I wanted to apply for ILR after 5 years. I'm pretty sure that it doesn't matter if you haven't actually worked, but you do need to show that you've made constant efforts to get a job. I couldn't put my hand on my heart and say I was prepared to do that, because I have no intention of working (Lazy R Me). So it's the flippin' bollocksy spouse visa for me.

michali

This would herald the end of any attempt my husband and I could make to return to the UK. Although he has Medical Insurance here while he is working, if we were to leave, that would cease. At his age and with his medical history, he would never be able to get cover in the UK. We have two properties in London, savings well beyond the required amount but I guess he would be considered a liability! I get it, but it is so unfair!

spouse of scouse

Our situations are fairly similar michali, except I'm the liability. We are able to put our private health insurance in Australia 'on hold' when we move to the UK, which means it's just suspended, no payments required while resident in another country, and then if we move back to Oz permanently we can just pick up where we left off. Don't really want to be moving back in my dotage but if I need surgery it looks like I won't have an option

michali

I see the reasons behind this proposed change in requirements as we are told so many people manage somehow to get NHS services to which they are not entitled. However, this is just another example of UK citizens married to non-EU spouses having to pay the price (literally!) for the dishonesty of others. I do hope things work out for you, spouse of scouse.

spouse of scouse

It was ever thus - punish all for the actions of some. Thanks michali, we're lucky in a lot of ways and will make it work. Best wishes to you

spouse of scouse

Just wondering (and wandering) - I can't access the OP's link so I don't know how much detail's in there. But, I've been trying to work out how the UK govt. will implement a requirement for a non-EU spouse to have medical insurance prior to entry. Some questions I've thought of:

Australia has a reciprocal health agreement for emergency treatment with the UK. How does that fit in with an Australian spouse having to have private health insurance - for example, would a visit to a doctor for a raging sore throat and fever be billed to the NHS, or to my private insurer?
Related to this - will there be any Australian govt. 'backlash' to Australian citizens seeking to bring their British spouses to Oz? No more Medicare for non-Australian citizen spouses?? Australia ended the reciprocal social security agreement with the UK because the UK froze the pensions of British people living here, thus requiring the Australian govt. to 'top up' pensions.

If we can't find an insurer willing to insure me for my pre-existing condition, is that automatically 'it' as far as the UK govt. is concerned, or could we still make the move if we undertook to pay any expenses related to my pre-existing condition ourselves?

A 'worse case scenario' - If (God forbid) I had a urgent, life threatening and rare complication of my pre-existing condition that required long term hospitalisation and treatment, and my private health insurance wouldn't pay, the NHS wouldn't pay, and I couldn't pay - what then? As I said earlier, I could return to live permanently in Oz (although it'd be a bastard) if I had time to plan for an expected operation, such as a knee replacement. I could also meet the cost of 'ordinary' expenses associated with my condition if necessary, such a medication, consultant visits, blood tests and radiography. But if something unforseen happened and I received a 100,000 quid bill for it......

I hope this proposed legislation has been thought through properly, all possible ramifications tested, and some consideration given to what exclusion from the UK would mean to UK citizens and their non-UK spouses who meet all the other new requirements.
I also hope that the next few days will see me winning the lottery, North Korea deciding to end its missile program, and the tooth fairy sprinkling '21, blonde and gorgeous' dust on me.

michali

If North Korea proceeds with its threats, none of us might be going anywhere!

feelbritish

Thats what I think, all our decision making will be taken out of our hands

BostonBrit Expat Since 03

DC is F****wit, he is killing the UK.

Anyone else fancy burning their passports and posting it to this moron, in the meantime council estates are filling up with "true brits", Indians, asians, low skilled EU immigrants, gypsies...last time I was back I was disgusted at some of my old child hood areas I was seeing around London.

....And for me to bring back my wife, and mother of British citizen back to my homeland I have to jump though hoops, these politicians and have lost the plot and can stuff the UK up their pompous ars**. I used to serve these morons in the British Army and was proud to be British.

If I go back to Europe ill live in Ireland thanks where me and my wife can get a work visa piece of cake based on our skillset.....Imagine that!!

Rant over!!!

Perth

First of all, I can't see your avatar very well, but from what I can see, I don't think you need any fairy dust - gorgeous enough

Second, don't over think this. It may never happen, and you are getting yourself terribly worked up, and that could aggravate your condition.

Move forward with your plans on going home, and let's see where we are when you are about to book your tickets.

*This message is brought to you by the swift kick in the ass you requested*