MrMuffin

What does everybody think? Quick background... me UK citizen. USC wife. 2 dualie small kids (4-years and 18-months).

Option A: We sell USA house. I move back to the UK with kids sooner than later. USC wife lives with sister and continues to work in USA until application process is sorted. Daddy and kids live with family in UK. Kids get established into schools. I look for a job to meet salary requirements. We apply to bring Mummy over from UK (how long does this take?). She then joins us and starts looking for work. By the time she joins us I have found a home to rent. ETA for Mummy is 3 to 6 months after rest of family.

Worries about Option A. 3 to 6 months becomes a year without Mummy.

Option B: We attempt to drag the savings requirements together by cashing in 401ks, selling house and being uber frugal. We apply for UK entry from the USA. We waaaaaaaiiit. I try and find a job while still based in the USA. Skype interviews etc. Maybe fly in for final interview. We then move over together as a unit.

Worries about Option B. It becomes 3 or 4 years before moving.

Opinions? Suggestions? Stories? Help?

Mummy in the foothills

We did something similar many years back even though Dh and I are both duallies as was out son. I went ahead, settled little one into reception class, got back to work and rented a house, while Dh sold the house and shipped stuff and worked up till the last minute. Our estimate had been 3 - 6 month, we ended up apart for 8 months. It was a bit tough on the little guy but we survived living near all the family and having time with the grandparents.
Iff you sold up and liquidated everything doesn't it have to be in the savings for 6 months to do it that way?

MrMuffin

Thanks for responding. To answer your question, yes, hence Option B. Option A is weighted on me moving with the kids ahead of USC wife, settling in and getting a job etc. While Option B includes getting the savings in the bank and waiting and then we all go together.

Interestingly, after re-reading the UK Family Migration book, it seems like the sponsor has to have the increased income/savings (up from the base amount) if the kids are citizens of non-EU country. As my kids are dualies (see page 20, section 89), I don't think the higher requirement is necessary. It's just sponsoring my USC wife that applies.

rebeccajo

If you move ahead of the wife and find work that meets the salary requirements, you have to hold that job for six months before it "counts" under the new rules. So add that to the "time without Mommy" calculations.

If you have a job now that equals the minimum requirement (£18600 per year) and you can get yourself a job that is contracted to begin within three months of your arrival, and it pays over £18600, you can come over together.

rebeccajo

Yes it does.

englishguygoinghome

From other posts I understand you are currently self-employed and earning over 18,600GBP.
What is the likelyhood of you being able to continue self-employed in the UK and earning over 18,600? There are no guidance on how to assess UK self-employed income of a sponsor who is currently not in the UK so that may be intereting - I woudl suggest a UK Business Link or similar approving your business plan would be a good piece of evidence

Personally,if you can't make it on income then I would keep the family together (Option B) bearing in mind that once you get the level of savings in the bank you no longer need a job in the UK to be able to move.

Last point - yes, your kids are not counted seeing as they are BC - only need to sponso the wife

MrMuffin

Thank you 'Englishguygoinghome' for your detailed response!

Regarding the self employment scenario... I work in my home office and across the internet for most of my clients. I have worked with them for a number of years and they are actually based in Germany, although I currently work mostly for the offices here in the USA. I see no reason that I couldn't continue to work for them and I don't think they would have issues. However, I am paid by direct bank transfer into a USA bank. I would need to look into either changing banks to one that has both USA and UK links so I could transfer in between. Then I'd need to figure out tax ramifications. BUT the main issue is would the UK authorities allow me to use the income as proof etc. Good suggestion re: UK Business Link etc. If nothing else, having the income would be good while I search for a salaried job in the UK (under my option 1) BUT that would definitely mean that the 6 month process would start after I find work and I don't know how long that would take.

So... like you said, perhaps Option B is best given that we would stay together and not be split even though it would likely take more time to actually make the move.

Good news Re: kids not counting against salary/savings as they are already BCs.

Peachbythebeach

Personally, I wouldn't split up the family for that long.

But then again I'm in a mushy "life is too short" type of stage in my life, so take it with a grain of salt.