ashgarth

Hello, here is my unique situation that I am hoping you all can help me with.

I am an American born, US/UK dual citizen. I received the UK citizenship from my father. I have always lived in the US and am married to an American. I have never worked or lived in the UK. I have been offered a job in Liverpool and am trying to understand the spousal/family immigration laws. This would be permanent work in the UK, earning 27,000 pounds per year.

The information I am finding online is conflicting and confusing. Because I am not currently in the UK, I am reading that I must go ahead of my husband/one-year-old son for 6 months and then sponsor them to come over to the UK on a spousal visa.

The other thing I read was that because the new position pays a high enough wage and would be no gap in employment from my current US based job to this position in Liverpool, that they could technically come overseas with me right away.

I found additional information about having to have a large amount of cash savings to 'support them.'

In order to make this international move work, it would be required that my husband start looking for work right away (either from the US or upon arrival to the UK). Is this possible? I do not want to be apart from my husband and son for 6 months, nor can I support us on one income for six months until I can apply for sponsorship.

I am sorry to sound so stupid, but I am just not fully understanding the options. Is there a way for him to receive a spousal visa right away, thereby being able to work right away? He is a computer programmer at a university and has always continuously been employed. Neither of us have ever qualified for or taken any public funding/services.

Could my husband come on a tourist visa, but work remotely for a US company? Seeing as he is programmer, he technically could work form anywhere in the world....He obviously wouldn't be a 'tourist' through.

I really just need to find out if there is a way for him to come over to the UK right away and also start working right away.

I also just saw info on the SS route (which I had never heard of before). So am I understanding that we would look for a job in another country, move over and then some time later go to the UK? Is this an "easier" route?

Thank you!

Vadio

The info for a spouse visa application is here: https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk/overview. There's some confusing wording, but basically if you have no gap in employment and provide the required documents, your husband and child can join you as soon as the visa is issued - you won't need to wait for 6 months. The visa application is basically a 'tick-box'; if you tick all the boxes, and provide all the documentation, you get the visa.

I would recommend that you go to this site: UK-Yankee Forum - Index and pose questions as well. There's a couple of folks that can answer about any question you have, and it's specific to those coming from the US to the UK.

The SS route is not easier in your case nor necessary as you have a job offer and would meet the financial requirements.

Your husband cannot work in the UK (even remotely) on a tourist visa. He must have a visa that allows work (which the spouse visa does).

ashgarth

thank you vadio! This is exactly the simplified version of what I needed. After enough pages, my head was starting to spin. I also appreciate the Yankee Forum link.

It's hard because I have the British passport,but don't have any "British experience"!

not2old

to add to the thread, posted elsewhere, more info & links

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Spouse_Immigration-UK

http://britishexpats.com/forum/citiz...s-list-852071/

http://britishexpats.com/forum/citiz...erican-860647/

SanDiegogirl

If you have been earning the equivalent of 18,600 GBP per annum in the States and the new job in the UK earns 18,600 GBP and over, then you can apply for the spouse visa and, when issued, travel over together.

The following document provides details of all the options:

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

Forget the SS route since you have to spend months in another EU country to qualify and what employer is going to wait indefinitely for you to get the visa.

You taking up the new job depends on you getting a visa for your husband and family? Is the employer aware of such a dependency i.e it could take months.

Just thought that since you have never lived in the UK and you obtained your British citizenship via your father that you are probably British by descent ? If so you would need to sponsor your son too, so the amount you would need to earn is 22,400 GBP