Hiya!

You know, thats such a huge thing to deal with, it is affecting us too at the moment and we both feel like we are half here, half in the UK mentally. This is a problem in more ways than one because in this frame of mind you can very quickly find yourself being in a bad mood with things that didnt bother you yesterday!

Suddenly I find myself thinking or saying out loud "ah that would never have happened in the UK..." or something stupid like that. Obviously the UK has its bad things too but...man, its hard keeping my feet on the ground.

For us the move will be about 6 months to a year away as I said so trying to stay focussed on work is super important along with obviously trying to enjoy what we have here for the remaining time. How do you do it?!?

I know what you mean. We have decided that we can't leave until our middle-aged cats pass away. A couple of them are chronically ill and we just couldn't put them through a move - I don't know that they'd make it given the stress. It probably sounds stupid, but that's where we are. So we are probably at least 4 or 5 years away from a move. (Plus, we're self-employed and will need to expand our business to the UK, which will take time too).

I am so very keen to leave, but I know I need to be patient. We're trying to do fun things that we won't be able to do once we leave here, and we're also planning regular trips back (as budget allows). For now that will have to do.

I have been here 25 years and it seems that i too will be going home alone. My daughter will be 18 and my unhappyness in recent years has distanced us. Plus the stress of my marriage breakdown. I always thought she would be with me. I cannot get back all the Christmases i have missed and seeing my daughter enjoy and laugh with family.

I am going to apply for citizenship and any tips about studying for it and how to etc would be appreciated.

Totally relate to this which has been my life for years now. I literally feel little white men are coming to get me.

I'm assuming you wish to apply for US citizenship (and not British citizenship?). You must have held a Green card for at least 3 years if you are or were married to an American citizen, or for at least 5 years if your spouse was not American. You can apply 90 days before the 3rd/5th anniversary of holding a Green Card.

Here is the info from the official US Govt. website on how to do it (no immigration attorneys needed whatsover!):

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/usc...00b92ca60aRCRD

Good Luck!
PS: One of the posters on the thread for the 50s/60s Moving Back to the UK applied for his US citizenship a few months ago and got it within a few weeks! He lives in Las Vegas and moving back to Portsmouth, England at the end of next month. He was amazed at how quickly it came through, although the timescales seem to vary depending on which part of the US one is resident in.

Hello Englishmum, You are so lucky, in US, My Thai Wife, has already had one Settlement Visa, and she has been there. Then we came back here, and now we are returning for the rest of my Life ( I am 80) The waiting time, for the repeat, has been quoted on the UK Border Agency web site, as ''up to 3 months''- and we cannot wait, as my Thai Visa expires in Februaury, and to remain, I have to prove my income, and the exchange rate, is driving it ever lower!, plus Tim had to get a TB Xray, to enter UK, and that expires, in March- on top of that, we have to give the tenants in my house, ''At least 2 months notice'' to vacate! Woe is me! Love dontheturner.

You watch it'll all fall into place at the last moment, you know how it does.
How long since Tim went for the Visa? hasn't that been a month already?
You'll be back in the UK in no time

You are so lovely - and optimistic! whilst I am, dare I say? pessimistic! Keeping everything crossed, whilst getting bored to death - You are probably right. Hope so - love don.

Hello Mummy, Do go to a web site, I am on www.ThreetownsForum and this time - JOIN it is free! it is getting the best forum, I ever went on! love dontheturner xxxx

Thanks Englishmum, ill start working on it.

Hi Don,

I went there and I couldn't get the hang of it. That was yesterday so I'll try it again right now.

Cheers

Don,

I tried going there again and it didn't go to the forum. What's up?

Cheers

I googled 'three towns forum' and there it was. The original link was just wrong at the end.

http://threetownsforum.co.uk/

Yes - sally is right it is dot co dot uk, not dot com. but you must join for the pictures to show, and it is added to every day, as they rebuild the web site. don

*sigh*

I swear I cant go 5 minutes without losing my concentration and drifting to thoughts of things I am going to do when I get back. Lately I did a rough breakdown of costs for my partner, to show her where we would be with finances, then we started talking about visiting my family and friends, and from then on its all i can bloody well think about.