shantra

I can't believe this is my first post ever in Expats when I have been in the US since 2002.

I made the decision this week that I will retire at 62 and move back to the UK. My entire family is there except for a sister in France and a niece in Germany, I have two children and about to be 5 grandchildren, missed the older ones growing up, now my daughter has a 2 year old I have never met and another on the way. My husband is American and says he will come with me, but my mind is set, I owe it to my kids and grandkids to spend quality time with them before I die.. hopefully not for a long time.

I know I won't get my UK pension but I will have a USA pension (less money) and 2 UK work pensions and my USA government work pension. I am hoping that will get me by but my husband is 6 years younger than me and he can work and he does get veterans disability. Without him working I estimate we would have about 1500 pounds per month to live on and I can always pick up temp/part time work if needs be till my UK pension kicks in 4 and a half years later.

We will probably be shipping 2 dogs and a cat at that time, I have already worked out costs on that and how much we need to put away per month to cover it from now until we leave.

I have a house here in the USA I am underwater on but predictions say I will have a few thousand in equity at that point. I am still unsure whether it will pay to rent the house out in the USA through an agent and use it for some extra income or sell it.. if anyone has any advice on any of this it would be MUCH appreciated.

I am sad I won't have the mortgage paid off and won't be able to buy outright in the UK so I guess I am stuck with rent the rest of my life but I guess you do what you have to do.

I am sure 5 years seems like a long way out.. but I don't want to leave everything to the last minute. I am not going to spend money moving all my household goods.. I will either rent my home furnished or sell everything, whatever is the easiest. I am going to be taking small amounts of stuff over to the UK every time I visit to leave with my kids to store for me.

Advice from anyone.. links for pet friendly housing in the Telford, Shropshire area where my kids are.. financial advice.. anything that will help with putting my plans in motion I will be grateful for.

mikelincs

All I can say at this time, is that your husband will need to enter on a Spouse visa, and, currently, you will need a job in the UK earning £18,600 a year and have held it for 6 months, or be currently, in the USA, earning that amount and with a job offer to arrive in the UK with. The other option is the savings route, this will mean having £62,500 in a UK account for 6 months before you come, and that mustn't be a loan, it has to be free and clear. However things will change, but it really depends on what happens to the political scene in the UK, the financial requirements will, almost certainly, be reduced, but no-one knows when or by how much. It will be very difficult to get pertinent advice on here, on on any government website as there will have been at least one, and possibly more general elections before then.

shantra

Well there is no small fact. We were married in the UK originally back in 2001 and at that time my husband had a 12 month visa, was working and he has a National Security Number so I think that probably changes things?

shantra

sorry ONE small fact.. LOL

shantra

Okay I emailed UK Govt explaining the situation and asking what we might need. I know it's a long time, but on the other hand it will come at us fast if we don't plan it all out.

SanDiegogirl

You married in the UK, your husband had some kind of 12 month visa and you then moved and have lived in the US for 12 years.

From the information above, no, this does not change things and you will need to sponsor your husband for a spouse visa when you move to the UK - unless things change in the next 5 years.

Mikelincs is correct in that you will need to sponsor him either by savings/investments or have an income of over 18,600 per annum

Read the following document carefully to see how you would qualify:

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...e_20140324.pdf

shantra

I guess where I am having trouble is.. we will have a combined income between my pension money and his disability money that will be about 22,000 so why do I need to get a job and hold one for six months? I guess that is a question for immigration to answer.

shantra

I just answered my own question from reading the information SanDiegogirl sent.. thanks. Pension DOES count as does pension from the partner.. so we should be just fine.