Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

I have been living in the USA since 1978 but I am thinking of moving back to the UK in the near future. The only thing that is holding me back is healthcare. How would I go about getting established back on the NHS system. Would it make any difference if I was to marry over there? this is the only thing that is stopping me from going back home, the healthcare side of it. Can anyone help me?

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

As a Brit you will be able to access the NHS as soon as you set foot back in the UK. The NHS eligibility is based on residency.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Turn up and register with a GP. That's it.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

It’s that simple. You will have a NHS number if you were born in the UK. Your new GP surgery will be able to search for you. If you can’t be found then you’ll just be given a new number.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Exactly as BritInParis says.

We moved back in 2016 after 29 years living in the USA. We did actually have our old NHS number but it was not useful to our local GP office. The GP office gave us a form each to complete, which we did in the waiting room and handed in, and the new numbers came through the post a couple of weeks later. I had a prescription I wanted to get transferred so made an appointment that same day for the following week and when I saw the Doc I hadn't received notice of my new NHS number but that didn't matter. The doctor simply looked at the prescription and said it was exactly what she prescribed for the same condition and did me a repeating prescription.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Thank you so much, you have helped me out a lot and I will take care of it as soon as I get back to the UK. this time I am coming for 9 weeks but I have a feeling that I am going to be moving back for good probably after the new year.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

That is a different scenario. In your first post you made no mention of moving back temporarily so the answers do not relate to that. If you are going back just for nine weeks then you will not be covered by the NHS, apart from emergencies. If you have US insurance you should check what coverage that provides and, depending on the answer, you may need travel insurance.

The answers above relate to moving back permanently.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Yes I had no idea that I would change my mind and maybe come back for good. This is a trial as I have a long distance relationship and to make it work I am going to do this trial run and if all goes well I am going to come back to the USA and get my things in order and return to the UK. But I had to know first if I could sign up again for NHS and if I would have any problems if I came back to live. So it is no good if I get the forms now then? Or should I wait until I come back. I was just scared that they would not let me go back on the NHS if I moved back over to the UK. But I have a better perspective on it now, it does not scare me as much. Thank you.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Wait until you are back for good before signing up for the NHS as the form does require your permanent address and your statement that you are resident in the UK, your British passport is not proof that you are entitled to the NHS service at no charge.

By coincidence, today I received an appointment to my local hospital skin specialist department (referral from my GP to look at a suspicious couple of moles) and there is a separate sheet informing me that I will be asked if I am entitled to free NHS and may be asked to provide proof (e.g. passport + bank statement or utility bill to address of residence). I have been several times to this same hospital for other issues (sigh....) and have always been asked how long I've lived here but have never yet had to provide proof.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

There's little point in registering with a GP until you have a permanent address. Your GP surgery will often request proof of address to ensure you are within their catchment area.

Only you want secondary care, e.g. being an in-patient at a hospital. Primary care, which includes seeing a GP, is free to all, including visitors.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Hi, so I have two questions.
Durham_lad, you stated that when I return permanently and pick up a form from the GP. I will have a permanent address but how to you get a statement showing that you are a resident in the UK? I also hope that everything goes ok with your visit to the specialist.
Will I have to get a bank account started also?
On this trip I am coming on next week I did buy travel insurance, and I also learnt after the fact that I could also use my military insurance. But if I had not have had these and I had got sick while I am over there could I have gone to see a GP? Thanks all!

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

I just got back from the UK on the 30th September after spending 9 weeks over there with my partner. I also had to use the GP 3 times while I was there so I am on record at that office. I am on my way back on a one way ticket at the beginning of December. I have already sent for my British passport so I am hoping that I do not have any problems with that. As soon as I arrive I will set up a bank account and I will also leave the one that I have over here open. I will also sign up with the local GP. I will take some of my medical records and my Rheumatology records and enough of my meds to last 3 to 6 months. I did accomplish one thing while I was over there. I managed to get my Nino number which I am happy about. I never drove before I left the UK back in 1978 so I guess I will have to learn how to maneuver the British roads. Last time I was on here I was told that I could drive on my US license for up to a year, should I also renew my international drivers license just to be on the safe side. I do have two questions. Will the doctors office renew my American medications or will I have to start from scratch with them? also How do you go about shipping a few odds and ends over to the UK and is it very expensive?
Thank you for listening and I look forward to any help I can get as this is a big move for me.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

I just got back from the UK on the 30th September after spending 9 weeks over there with my partner. I also had to use the GP 3 times while I was there so I am on record at that office. I am on my way back on a one way ticket at the beginning of December. I have already sent for my British passport so I am hoping that I do not have any problems with that. As soon as I arrive I will set up a bank account and I will also leave the one that I have over here open. I will also sign up with the local GP. I will take some of my medical records and my Rheumatology records and enough of my meds to last 3 to 6 months. I did accomplish one thing while I was over there. I managed to get my Nino number which I am happy about. I never drove before I left the UK back in 1978 so I guess I will have to learn how to maneuver the British roads. Last time I was on here I was told that I could drive on my US license for up to a year, should I also renew my international drivers license just to be on the safe side. I do have two questions. Will the doctors office renew my American medications or will I have to start from scratch with them? also How do you go about shipping a few odds and ends over to the UK and is it very expensive?
Thank you for listening and I look forward to any help I can get as this is a big move for me.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

No point in updating your international driving licence unless you intend to drive on the continent. It’s just a translation of your existing licence which is already in English. Depending on how much you intend to ship you may find it cheaper to take it as excess luggage. Alternatively use a shipping service like Seven Seas: https://www.sevenseasworldwide.com

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

To register with a GP you will need a passport or other proof of identity and some document showing your address.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

As already pointed out an "International Drivers License" is merely a translation of an existing license. If you don't already have a UK license you'll have a year to pass the UK test before you'll be subject to UK provisional license restrictions. Given how many Americans find the UK test difficult to pass, I would make it a priority to deal with this.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Thank you all so much for all the answers to my questions. it definitely makes it easier for me to deal with.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

I have a quick question. Does anyone remember when you first got back to the UK and signed up with the GP, did you have to fill out a GMS1 form? If you did was there a part about patient declaration for patients who are not ordinarily residents in the UK. Did you fill it out? Or because you are going to be there permanently I thought you would be classed as a resident. I am just wondering as I am leaving for the UK next month and I need all the insight I can get on the medical aspect of it. Thank you so much.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Thank you for that answer on the GMS1 card, I will leave the Supplementary questions at the end of the form blank.
I have another question I just got my new British passport today (it feels great) and I wondered. Do I use that to go into England and then when I come back in May to attend my grandsons high school graduation use my American one to enter the USA?
Thanks in advance.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Thank you so much.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Well I am back again with another big question.
When I leave for the UK next month and I use my British passport for the first time, I was reading on Lindkin that when you get to the airport I need to show my US passport to Immigration first then check in to the airline with my British passport. This I don't understand because you only go through Immigration when you get to where you are going. Then when you come back to the US for any reason you just reverse the process. If anyone has used two passports going and coming from US to UK can you please give me a step by step on what you did or what to do. Its really doing my head in as I don't want anything to go wrong.
Thank you,
Fiona Stanfield

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Use your US passport in the US for check in and departure and your British passport on arrival at the UK border. You can use your British passport with the ePassport gates to avoid queuing.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Thank you Brit in Paris for the info.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

This was always how it used to be for me for ages.
But on the last couple flights, check-in only wanted the passport that corresponded to the country I was heading for.
So, American for flight from London to Atlanta, and British for flight from Atlanta to London.
It can't hurt to offer them both and let them sort it.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

No matter what PP an airline or cruise line wish to use...USCs have a legal obligation to leave and enter the US using an US PP. It is your choice what PP you use to enter or leave a different country...but your US PP must be used to enter/leave the US.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

As I said before, this is how I understood it until recently. I always say I am a dual citizen at checkout and offer both passports, But it seems to irritate Virgin Atlantic when I do.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Virgin Atlantic also out of Atlanta

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

It is like this in Australia, plus Australia has proper exit controls. When leaving Australia the airline first checks that the passport you present is valid for the country you are traveling to, then border control checks your passport to see that you have been in the country legally. For tourists it is usually the same passport but for people like my SIL who is a dual citizen, then on leaving Australia he has to present his US passport to the airline and Australian passport to border control.

Britain used to have proper exit controls, I used to often travel out of Newcastle airport in the 90's and all travelers went through border control on their way to the gates prior to boarding. For a year or 2 they even took your photograph when they checked your passport as you left.

Re: Moving back to UK from USA and Heathcare
 

Dear all,

rather than start a new threat I also have a question about moving back to the UK and NHS cover.I am currently preparing to return to the UK in 2020 together with my wife. We plan to retire to the UK (although not yet as state pensioners). My wife and I do not plan to work, at least not initially, but to live from my occupational pension. My wife is Polish, and for the sake of this post, let’s assume there will be a Brexit agreement and a transition period until the end of 2020 when my wife can still move to the UK. If there isn’t a deal and transition period that’ll be a different story. We understand that but that’s not the subject of this post. So let’s assume for the purposes of this post that my wife can still move to the UK in 2020. Now here’s the point of my post: I am British, have a National Insurance number, am fully paid up with NI contributions etc and my wife and I already jointly own our own home in the UK which is currently rented. Once we arrive in the UK, have moved in to our home, started paying council tax etc, I personally don’t anticipate having any problems myself registering with a local GP. But what about my wife? She has never lived or worked in the UK. She doesn’t have a National Insurance number or an NHS number. Will she simply be able to register with a GP like I will?Thanks for reading Kevin