Kat71

I hope you dont mind me starting this thread BUT I am all confused and need some advice from those that have or are thinking of returning to the UK.

I married an aussie over 15 years ago and have been living in Victoria ever since. I never went home but my family visited me. I chose not to take my boys home because I come from a very close family and was afraid it would make it hard for myself to return.
In the last year my husband has been going backwards and forwards to the UK for work (amazingly just 10 minutes from my parents house in the New Forest) so in February we decided to join him for 4 weeks. Well I wish I hadnt. I had no preconceived Ideas of what it would be like as Australia was my home, and has been for 15 years but to have my mum and dad enjoy the kids (their only grandchildren) to have my brothers all grown up and see them as adults and really have a lovely time was great. I returned here during the heatwave and found settling really hard (hubby was still in UK).
Anyway to my point. My hubby has been offered a job over there, great money, promotion same company he works for over here. They will cover the costs of the move etc. My kid are really keen but aged 9 and 11 but they have seen everything through rose coloured glasses and have been in holiday mode. I would love to go back but what if it is a mistake. My eldest is due to start high school I couldnt afford private education over there like we have here. My parents are moving to Ireland so we will probably only see them in school holidays. Does anyone that has returned have any advice for me. I have spend all my adult life here and am frightened.

TruBrit

we'd be quids up if we knew what the future held for us, right

tricky one but guess if the worst came to the worst you could always head back to aussie. you are very fortunate in that your husband has a job to go to with all relocation fees paid...almost as if you were meant to go...all the best anyway with your discission

TraceyW

You've said that it was wonderful to spend time with your family back there, but you've also said your parents will be moving away anyway and you won't see that much of them. So just take the family out of the equation, how would you feel living in the UK? If you think you could make a good life there and not rely on family to be falling over themselves to see you, go for it

As for privately educating your kids, you don't need to do that. Get onto these websites and check the schools out in your local area. You may be pleasantly surprised.

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/

http://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/cg...=218&PageNo=16

Kat71

Thanks Tracey, I have been following your travels myself and I think we went back to the UK at around the same time. Private education isnt really the issue I went to a school in london and am worried that my country educated boys wouldnt cope with the amount of kids etc.

Elaine B.

FWIW I think you should at least give it a go chances like this don't come along that often. Better to take a chance than to always be wondering "what if".

Good luck with your decision.

Marmalade

As others have said, you should give it a go. It does sound like fate to me. And, the worst that can happen is, you guys don't like it, and you move back to Oz.

JAJ

If the company are paying most of the cost, and you keep your ties to Australia, maybe no harm in trying it out.

Have you got your Australian citizenship?

Kat71

No never felt the need - perhaps that should change

JAJ

Perhaps it should ... ?

Have you checked the situation as to what happens with your permanent resident status if you leave Australia?

Kat71

We have had constant problems with nationality in my family I was born in Germany whilst my dad was in the UK army. Because he was still an irish citizen I had to take his nationality. My husband is actually a New Zealander so when our son was born we thought he would automatically be Australian this was not so. We had to prove he had never left Australia when he was 10 (charged $150) so he could get an Australian passport even though he was born here and my husband had lived here since he was 2. Both my boys are Australian, my husband is Australian now by birth (his mother is an Australian). I am booked to take the citizenship test next week and figure as we do not plan to leave until the end of the year (dogs have to have their vaccinations etc) then i would get it. I think of myself as more australian than anything else and have to be honest the thought of going back to the UK had never crossed my mind until last month.

JAJ

Interesting. Did your father become a British citizen, and if so, when?

And was your mother from the U.K.?

Your children should have been Australian citizens by birth and not subject to the 10 year rule.


Do you mean that he is Australian by descent? Did he register recently?


You shouldn't have any problem as an Australian spouse and dependent children count as a "close and continuing association with Australia" even if you plan to spend some time overseas.

But it is much simpler to have your citizenship done before leaving. Bear in mind you only become Australian once you attend a citizenship ceremony.

Your sons. Unless you became a British citizen after you were born, they are not automatically British citizens.

However, you should register them as Irish citizens and they can move to the U.K. on Irish passports, and get British citizenship once living there.

They should also be New Zealand citizens (by descent).

mississippi

Not sure how you remove rose-coloured glasses but my UK born and raised OH and I are moving back this year, but that's because we don't have any family here in Australia and we want our two preschoolers to have a close relationship with their grandparents (my OH is an only child). We holidayed in the UK last July and can't wait to get my visa organised so we can move over there.

I'm assuming that you live near your OH's family given that he is Australian. Again as commented by another member, if your parents are moving to Ireland you'll have to consider how this will affect your life back in the UK.

Remember there's no such thing as a mistake - if it doesn't work out, you can always come back - do what is best for you and your family.

Kat71

Thank you, my OH Parents are not interested in they boys and never really have been. The boys didnt know what real grandparents where like until we visited this year (my parents havent been out for 5 years) so they had forgotten. Even if my folks move to Ireland my aunts etc are still close by so they would visit and also my brothers are there so that would be good. Anyway good luck with your move and hope your visa comes through soon.

quoll

For some of us, that sounds like you have won the lottery!

As others have said, if it doesnt work out, you can always come back although you may find you dont want to - dont burn any bridges though, just in case you do!

It all sounds very exciting so I do hope it all works out well for you!

mississippi

Yes, the visa, that's my bane, as you can't apply for it any earlier (or later) than 3 months before you go and we have to delay it again because my parents are coming over from NZ at the end of June, saying it could be the last time we see each other (they, like me, are getting on a bit) - we did visit them a couple of months ago though.

But anyway, it's also nice to know that the exchange rate is favourable at the moment (although it's dropping slightly) and also the cost of housing in the UK has levelled off, these may be more reasons to add to your list of positives for making the move. And remember, remember, remember, if you do go back home and you don't like it, you can come back to the land of Oz again - just treat it as a long, long holiday with your family. And I do appreciate what you wrote about your adult siblings, I'm from a very large family and when I visited them in NZ earlier this year, we had such a great time with them, their partners and children, that if we weren't so excited to be moving back to the UK, we'd move there, it's amazing what family means when you have a couple of little monsters.