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Hello,
I am a British Citizen who has lived in the USA for 11 years. I am now a US Citizen. My husband is American. We wish to move back to the UK and I am very confused by all the jargon. I was told that I could not automatically go back as I renounced by British Citizenship when I became a US Citizen - one doesn't have a choice about that it's part of the sworn statement. What do I need to do to go back? I know that the kids will get British Citizenship.

Secondly, my eldest son is 15 and will be a sophomore in High School. When we return he will be 16. Can he go straight into a'levels or does he have to go back and do GCSE's?

Thanks
Jayne

Even though you verbally renounce your UK citizenship during the swearing in ceremony, you still retain your UK citizenship.

hi. I too am british with an american husband and 4 kids. although we want to go to australia, I am thinking more and more fo going back to UK for a few years first. i have a15 and 16 year old that want to finish their education in the UK. also they want to spend some time in my homeland, meeting some relatives they have never met. but in response to one of your questions, when you take american citizenship, it does NOT renounce your british citizenship. british law does not recognise the american oath. but I, like you, have other questions. what exactly I need to get for my husband and children to go. 2 of my children were born after '83 so they are automatically dual citizenship. but the other 2 are older so I think they have to apply for it. correct me if I'm wrong somebody, but thats the way I understand it. oh BTW, i havent been back since I was 5, so its going to be a big shock to me I know. where do you live in the US jayne? im in Forida.

I live in Northeast Colorado. It's lovely here, but it's not England!

When are you thinking of heading back? what does your husband think of it? My hubby is very nervous about it. But he knows I dont want to stay here. and I really want to go back for a while, especially If we might settle in Oz. thats even further away. who knows, when we get there, I might not want to leave! ugh!! so much confusion. I'm living in limbo.

Correct - unless you became a US citizen before 1949, you do *not* lose British citizenship.


The cut off date you mention was 1 January 1983.

Your two younger children are British citizens by descent provided you yourself were born or naturalised in the UK. Being British citizens by descent is automatic, they just need to apply to the British Embassy in Washington DC for a passport.

Your older children, if born *before* 1983, are not British citizens unless they have been registered as such. A recent law change will help them as it's now possible for children aged over 18 of British mothers to be registered as British citizens by descent provided they were born between 8 Feb 1961 and 31 Dec 1982 and would have been British if the law had allowed women at the time to pass on their citizenship on the same basis as men:
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind...izenship.html?

Note that British citizens by descent cannot automatically pass on their citizenship to children born *outside* the UK - registration options are available in some cases, but not others. And it's not possible for a British citizen by descent to later switch to being British 'otherwise than by descent' eg by naturalisation.

If you can sponsor your older children to the UK another way, and this point is important to them, they may want to go and live in the UK on a visa (if they qualify) and eventually naturalise.

For your husband - he definitely needs a spouse visa. If you've been together over four years, he should get a permanent (settlement) visa straight away. He'll be able to apply for naturalisation as a British citizen after three years residence in the UK.
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk

A spouse visa must be obtained before travelling to the UK.

Jeremy

We're thinking of heading back next summer at the end of the school year. I am just really worried about my sophomore son and how he is supposed to cross over. Can he go straight into A'levels? My husband is actually very excited, although I am a little worried about him. It took me a long time to get used to the States...Do you ever get used to it? I don't know how he will get on. I feel like I am in limbo too...Good luck!

Hello Jayne

I've recently, moved to Dubai from the UK and over here they actually have curriculum-specific schools so you could choose English, American, French etc.etc. I visited the American schools aswell as the British ones, just to see what they offered and how the curriculum differed. In case I was tempted to change curriculum.

Anyway, my point is, I was advised/warned by the American schools that the American system is in effect a year behind the British one because British schools start formal education earlier. So, if I'd gone for an American primary school and then decided to go for a British senior school at 11+, the British schools would have put my child a year back because of this.

Obviously, I don't know how the schools/colleges in the UK would treat the move but the American school I visited follows the North American curriculm and has an excellent reputation and this was their advice.

I I hope this helps a little but ultimately, you know your son best and will probably be able to come up with the best solution for him.

I think most of us are living 'in limbo'. It's very difficult to know how to get out of that state once you've emigrated. I don't know if I will ever be 100% certain that I've made (or not made) the right move no matter what I do now!


Has anyone experienced that feeling of being 'in limbo' and managed to get out of it?

Man, I though I was the only one felt this way! I have been in the USA for 20 years now, and am still homesick for Britain. Hubby has no desire to move to the UK, so I am stuck here. I hope to get back for a holiday one of these days, but the way things are looking, it isn't going to be in the immediate future. I have often wondered if I did the right thing when I moved out here. Having a family makes it a little harder to just up and leave!

Capps

hi Capps! yes , thats how so many years passed for me. kept saying.. one day. now at 49 I've decided not to wait anymore. family is more responsive to it than I thought they would be though. Is your husband British? or American? How old are your children? my youngest two are 14,15. I keep wondering how they'll adjust.

My hubby is an American, and my kids are 14 and 15. If I were to move back, I would be going on my own . Hubby has been on holiday over there a couple of times, but he just isn't interested at all about moving there.

Capps

i've been in the states for all of my adult life and am excited to say that i'm finally moving back to england. i'm not worried about leaving my "worldly" belongings and such, but what i am concerned about is establishing myself in england without a credit history overseas. i own a home in the states and therefore, have a u.s. credit history. how will a mortgage company in england extend a mortgage to me if i've never had any credit in england? how does credit work in england, and am i "oversensitive" about this due to the ridiculous amount of pressure that america put's on its citizen's about "credit worthiness?"

Here is an expat site which may have some useful links for you:

http://www.expatinvestor.com

(Go to the drop down panel, especially for the links for 'advertisers'. There are many for UK banks and building societies with offshore branches in the Isle of Man, Jersey & Guernsey. It might be worthwhile sending them an e-mail enquiry (or better, phone them and speak with someone senior). I don't know your timescale but you might for example, open an offshore account with a UK bank's offshore branch and pay in an amount say, each week or month. Then apply for a credit card with them (although we bank with Lloyds TSB offshore and their Cashpoint aka ATM card is combined with a Visa card. When you move to the mainland of the UK you just then transfer your account to your local branch. All banks now have to see a copy of your passport (it's to abide by international laws to prevent money laundering, especially since Sept 11th to keep track of terrorists' funds).

hi Katreena, and welcome to the forum. so how long have you been here and what made you decide to go back now? sorry if a bit nosey, just curious. do you have kids? thats what kept me here so long. family. but I'm dragging the whole lot with me when are you leaving? I wont be until next fall so the kids can start school at the beginning of the semester and also to have time to sort out the house selling and pet passport stuff. good luck to you.