Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

Hi everyone,
I am new to this site, but it seems like a wonderful resource and I am hoping there are people that can give me some advice on the following issues: After 13 years of living in the US, I am moving back to the UK- main reasons are to be closer to all of my family there. My husband is a US citizen, both myself and our twin 7 year olds have both British and American passports. My first question is with regards to booking our flights home- my husband is going to be returning to US relatively frequently to see his family and for business reasons, so I will be booking a return ticket for him, but was going to just book one way tickets for me and the kids- fly out on US passports and enter UK on british passports- but it seems that the one way tickets are more expensive than a round trip- prob a stupid question, but can i book all of us return tickets and me and the kids just not use the return portion of it? My other major question is with regards to what type of visa my husband will need- I realise we have left it very late to start thinking about this, so am wondering if it will work if my husband just flies in as a visitor for the first 3 months(he's returning home at thanksgiving) and during the first couple of months we are in the UK, we can get him sorted then- thinking it might be cheaper and easier to apply once we are already in the UK? Is there anything special me and the kids need visa wise for returning to the UK or do we just fly in on our british passports and say nothing? my husband will be maintaining his 2 small businesses in US from the UK via computer and phone and will continue at first getting all our income paid in US dollars in the US and transfer over to UK for rent, living expenses etc- does anyone foresee a problem with this? Thanks so much in advance for any advice you can give us.

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

dont ,the uk is nearly sunk

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

thats the most horrible, unhelpful advice or comment you could make on a thread about someone moving home.

As if it isnt nerve racking enough.

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

Take no notice, I smell a troll.
Theres good and bad everywhere, you do what is right for your family at the time.
You'll probably need to apply for a spouse visa for your Dh, I know nothing of those so will leave it for someone who does :thumbup: There are different rules depending on how long you've been married etc.
My son moved back and went on a return ticket with BA he claimed back part of the return ticket he didn't use when he canceled his flight, taxes and fees only, but it was still cheaper than a one way ticket.

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

He can't apply for a spousal visa from within the UK, and it is taking about 3 months to get one. The rules have recently changed so I'm not sure if they are still doing expedited visas or not.

I strongly suggest you post your question here where there are more Americans with UK visa experience. They are really friendly and helpful over there and for all the unique circumstances all of us find ourselves in, there is usually someone over there whose situation is the same. When I first moved to the UK (8 years ago), and then repatriated last August, all of my questions were answered there.

If your husband just tries to enter as a 'visitor', red flags will be raised with immigration control when they start asking him questions about his reasons for entering the UK, and he absolutely cannot lie about it or he will run the risk of jeopardizing any future visa. Don't even try it!

Good luck.

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

Thanks so much for the advice on the last 2 responses- DDL and mommy in the foothills- both very helpful- I have posted the same question on the UKYankee website as suggested-now a bit concerned that we may not be able to get my husband a spousal visa in time- also have heard that we will not be able to claim any kind of child benefit etc. as part of being granted the spousal visa- is this correct? Thx again.

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

You as a UKC get the child benefit for your UKC children I don't know why they wouldn't. My oldest was born in US and I got it for him while we lived there when he was little. The kids would surely qualify in spite of the Dh being a USC
Does a spouse visa have no recourse to public funds written on it? If so he wouldn't be allowed housing benefit and things like that. But you and the children would.

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

I don't know about the visa question but you can definitely book return tickets and only use the one way. Lots of people do this as it is often the cheaper option. Good luck.

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

We came to the UK 3 years ago. My husband is not British and we needed to get him a visa.

I think you'd be much much safer applying for the visa from the US - and if necessary living apart until it comes through. If the passport officials suspect your husband has come to settle, they could deny him entry which could cause you endless problems!

Also, if you've been married more than 4 years, you can get indefinite leave to enter in the visa (same as indefinite leave to remain). That'll save you nearly £1000 in changing the spouse visa to indefinite leave once in the UK. THe only thing is that your husband will have to fly to the UK to take the stupid 'Life in the UK' test - but even so, it still works out cheaper and once less reason to have any contact with the border agency is always a good thing!

Good luck!

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

Yes, it's cheaper to do it that way and I have heard of people flying over to take the exam so that they can return home and apply for ILR...but how do they do it since you have to bring "official proof of your postcode in order to take your test - this could be a bank or utility bill." :confused:

It takes several weeks to get an exam appointment ... not to mention the studying that will have to be done in order to pass the test which, in my opinion, is NOT an easy test! Well, I suppose it is if you have a great photographic memory but there are soooo many facts and figures to remember.

The good thing is that at least you get your test results and certificate then and there.

I think the current exam cost is £50, but some of the rules are changing in mid July.

http://lifeintheuktest.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

thx again for all of the helpful responses- it seems like our best option is indeed to apply for his spouse visa from over here and pay the extra $300 for the expedited service- I cannon believe how expensive the whole thing is- I had no idea!!!

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

I don't think lack of residency in the UK was a problem. We weren't resident at the time so either my husband used our overseas address or they didn't ask.

We basically booked about 5 tests in a row and cancelled when he passed the first one.

It's not a hard test but you do have to memorize that stupid book with all its inane and irrelevant facts!

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

yeah my Mrs is a bit nervous about that but i tell her she has a couple of years grace period in the UK before doing the test. The thing is absurd - what does it prove? It only proves you can remember the contents of a study book on any subject when required - much the same as the current British drivers theory test.

Silly system. Visas should be issues based on intent, not ability to remember peak Asian populace of Bradford since 1971...

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

Ok, I have another question with regards to the settlement visa and whether my husband should fly in and take the life in the uk test first- his US passport expires in 2 years, my understanding is the spouse visa and indefinite leave to remain is stamped into the current passport- so what happens when his passport expires? Also, do you think he could get away with flying in as a visitor for a month or so, help get us settled, take the life in the uk test and then fly back to us and apply with priority processing? while he is over there with us on the visitor visa the only work he would be doing would be for himself via the phone and the computer- not involving any kind of uk or us based in uk company. thx again everyone

Re: Moving back to UK in 7 weeks- advice needed!
 

But in both cases (driver theory and stuff about the UK) it is stuff that is very useful to know. I'm not saying I think it is a brilliant idea, but I don't think it's 'silly' either. You'd think that anyone married to a Brit would know quite a bit about the UK and therefore spouses would not need a test, but I have found this not to be true. There was someone on here once (an American), married to a Brit, who did not know what an MP is. Granted he was moving to the US not her to the UK, but it is still stuff you'd think someone would want to know about one's spouse's country. I am always asking my DH stuff about US history and politics, customs etc

I'd rather take a test about the country I'm emigrating to than have my privates looked at in a medical!