lavender1365

Hi , sorry to be so ignorant...what is CSI? So I assume in case of emergency, once I would get there i would be treated at ER, if I got a flue, cold, etc, I could go to GP. But if hospitalization was necessary i would be billed and needed my private insurance until residency was established, even as EU member or even if I came to UK as wife of UK citizen? I just want to make sure I understand...Seems like one needs a phd in UK laws :-) Once i get it I can make a decision if it makes sense to retain my US medical insurance or to outright buy UK one and for how long. Many thanks for all your help. you certainly seem to be very knowledgeable.

Richard8655

Yes, good points lavender. Normally dealing with US private medical insurance overseas would seem daunting and bureaucratic. But as I found out when calling our retirement insurance (Blue Cross Blue Shield), I was pleasantly surprised. On their website, most major hospitals in every country are within their overseas network. They also said once choosing an overseas medical facility, let them know so they can establish a direct electronic link to that facility for billing so no forms ever need to be filled out or mailed. The also said overseas claims are paid at 100% with no deductibles or copays, versus claims within the US. So it might be worth chatting with your insurer and then weigh the advantages of cashing out or keeping them for overseas coverage.

The reason for our interest in US insurance coverage overseas (even though NHS eligible) is that we were also considering Spain or another EU country for retirement.

Also as a note, my spouse is having a heck of a time getting her Polish passport renewed. Since she hasn't renewed since the PRL period, the consulate requires paperwork and documentation proving Polish citizenship even while holding a Polish passport (PRL version). Apparently, they consider that period very suspicious! I hope you kept yours current all these years.

lavender1365

Very good points, I will inquire with my PPO as well at that time :-) Thank you. Ouch!, no, I have not kept my passport current. I do have my birth certificate though so this may be a bit helpful. Yes, I am sure we are suspicious bunch, LOL There must be such a market for polish passports :-)

HKG3

The OP can also opens an UK bank account from the HSBC in the US before coming to the UK. Please see link below -

https://www.us.hsbc.com/1/2/home/per...g/open-account

lavender1365

Thank you for this information! Very helpful!

BritInParis

Comprehensive Sickness Insurance. See post #2.

Nearly correct. You would need CSI as a self-sufficient EU citizen in order to be eligible for permanent residence after five years regardless of whether you used the NHS during this time.

If you came to the UK on a spouse visa then you would pay the £200 annual Immigration Health Surcharge in addition to your spouse visa fee to enable you to use the NHS. The IHS is mandatory so it's really just an additional fee on top of your visa but compared to being billed for any treatment required it is excellent value for money.

Once you become a permanent resident, either under EU (Permanent Residence) or UK rules (Indefinite Leave to Remain), then you would be entitled to free NHS care without CSI or the IHS.

As the spouse of a British citizen who is either a PR or holds ILR you will be eligible to apply to naturalise as a British citizen immediately. I would recommend doing this to avoid falling foul of any future changes to immigration law. It would also give you the right to vote, access to British consular services overseas and the ability to come and go from the UK as you please as PR and ILR expire after two years' absence meaning you would need to start again if this was the case.

lavender1365

Thank you so much. Do you know if one can apply even when they are not residing in UK? We are not ready to move for a couple of years or so. Do you know if we could start the process now in preparation of move? Do we start it with UK consulate in US?

HKG3

The British Citizen spouse would be class as settle as he/she sets foot in the UK.

You can only apply for a spouse visa up to three months in advance. If you are not thinking of moving to the UK in the near future, there is no point in applying.

However, immigration rules and financial requirement can change during the 'couple of years or so'. As the government is facing pressure to bring down the number of people coming into the UK, the changes in immigration rule are likely to make the move more difficult than it is just now.

The link below will give you more details on how to apply for an UK visa in the US -

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...isa-in-the-usa

Pulaski

While this is generally a fair prediction, so long as you can meet the financial requirements I would consider it highly unlikely that there will be further restrictions on spouse and family visas.

Editha

I wouldn't bet on that. The government target remains 100,000 net per annum, or less. On current immigration rates, that's a reduction of all the EU migration plus 50,000 non EU. And the government has just been given the message from the Brexit vote that reductions in immigration will be popular. It is doubtful whether the target is achievable (and it certainly isn't desirable), but we can't be certain that May's government won't try to achieve it; so we can't rule out any of the immigration rules being tightened up.

Pulaski

There is no "tightening up" possible on spouse and family visas, other than to slam the door on the despicable end-run around British sovereignty known as "Surinder Singh". And I don't see any possibility of the Supreme Court approving any sort of blanket ban on British citizens bringing their spouse and children into the UK.

You have however completely ignored the possibility that the net figure could be achieved by encouraging people to leave, primarily to return from whence they came in Eastern Europe.

HKG3

There are a number of ways the Home Office can further limits the number of spouse visas granted -

1) Increase the financial requirement
2) Higher English language skills required for spouse visa holders
3) Removing the right to work in the UK from spouse visa holders
4) Spouse visa holders can only apply for British Citizenship after at lease 12 months ILR in the UK (just like everyone else)
5) Higher than inflation increases in application fees for spouse visas, ILR and naturalization.

HKG3

If it is so easy to encourage Eastern European people living in the UK to return to their former homelands, the UK government would have done something by now.

With low wages back home (even for professionals), UK wages and benefits are much higher than the ones in offer in most Eastern European countries. Until wages in Eastern Europe are close to UK levels, say about 65% to 70%, then there is a chance people may start to return to their former homelands.

Richard8655

Why encourage immigrants who have lawfully come to the UK to leave? And why focus on Eastern Europeans versus, say, Pakistan or India?

Here in the U.S., immigrants have always been viewed as adding to the positive qualities of society and what makes the country great. I can't imagine asking them to leave, especially to meet some quota.

spouse of scouse

In 2012 the Home Office changed the immigration rules for British people wishing to return home with their foreign (non EEA) spouse, with the consequence that it is now impossible for many to do so. Never underestimate what can be and is done in the name of meeting a (political) quota.