Moving to UK to retire - Help needed
 

Hi all - hopefully this question hasn't already been covered ;) I would like to move back to England from Canada [where I have lived for the past 44 years]. I was born in England and lived there until I was 22 - so my question is can I just move back or do I need a visa since I've been away so long? I still have a British passport as well as a Canadian one. Also can my husband [who was born in canada] and my 24 yr old son [also born in Canada] come with me without visa's? Can either of them work? We intend to settle permanently. Alternatively we are considering France because it appears to be cheaper ;o) Any and all comments would be most gratefully received - ttfn - cheers -

Re: Moving to UK to retire - Help needed
 

You should get plenty of advice on this forum. You can return without a visa but your husband will need to apply to the British Consulate in Canada for a spousal visa. This should not be a problem. Not sure about your son.

http://ukincanada.fco.gov.uk/en/visiting-uk/visas

As for France, you may want to check on your health care entitlement. It may be beneficial for your husband at least to become a UK citizen first. Maybe someone in the "France" forum on this site can advise you on this.

Re: Moving to UK to retire - Help needed
 

With a British passport you can move back.

Your son, aged 24, was obviously born after 1.1.1983 and you were born in the UK so he is a British citizen by descent. He should apply for a British passport, then he can live/work in the United Kingdom.

France isn't such a great idea because although you and your son can live in France with British passports, your husband can't. you could probably sponsor him for some kind of French visa, but he wouldn't necessarily have an entitlement to French citizenship. If he becomes naturalised British, after 3 years in the UK (with the right paperwork) then France becomes an easier option.

Re: Moving to UK to retire - Help needed
 

The other issue with the France idea is health care. The OP left age 22, so I doubt she'd be eligible for a UK state pension (however tiny). Without that she and her family would need private health insurance for at least 5 years. That's probably pushing 100,000 euros all in.

Re: Moving to UK to retire - Help needed
 

Do you know how many years of NI contributions you would need in the UK to obtain health coverage in France? Some retirees I have spoken to in the UK say they would need to "top up" the state system with private health care coverage in France.

Re: Moving to UK to retire - Help needed
 

You will qualify for CPAM (state funded health care in France) so long as you are in receipt a non-zero UK state pension.

CPAM however doesn't cover 100% of health care costs (for anybody, except in exceptional circumstances). Most people (French and other residents alike) buy top-up insurance.

It's not very expensive.

Re: Moving to UK to retire - Help needed
 

Thanks, very useful. As you have experience in living in numerous countries, may I ask what made you choose to want to move to France? Many people do of course but do not have your experience in living in different places.

Re: Moving to UK to retire - Help needed
 

My wife's extended family live in Normandy. We've made a habit over the 34 years since we left the UK to go there in the summer whenever possible. (Probably more than 30 times since we first met each other, it's more my home now than anywhere else).

We bought a house in the region 3 years ago which we've almost finished renovating and will retire there in a couple of years. Dog willing.