Victoria2

I was born in Derby, but moved in the US when I was 7 and have not been back since. I have dual citizenship. I am considering moving back for a year or so and was wondering if there is anything I need to know. Can I just show up, rent a place and find employment or is there any legal issues/paperwork I would need to sort out first. I'm not quite sure where I would want to move, but probably somewhere near/in London. Any information and tips are welcomed.

SanDiegogirl

You are a British citizen so you just get on plane to the UK. No paperwork needed.

When you get back you'll have to register with a GP, open a bank account, get a job just like any other citizen.

As you won't have any credit history expect to pay large deposits for things like rent .....

Victoria2

What is a GP?

Jerseygirl

General Practioner...Medical Doctor.

Victoria2

OK, thank you.

Victoria2

How do I prove citizenship? I only have a certificate of born abroad from the US. My father is American and my Mother is English. What documentation would I have to provide to gain identification?

SanDiegogirl

Get a British passport.

mikelincs

Once back in the UK you will need to get a National Insurance number from the Dept of Work and Pensions so that you can get a job and the correct income Tax code

Jerseygirl

If you wish to enter the UK as a UK resident and not a visitor from the US you will need a UK passport.

Editha

Passport application starts here: https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

Pulaski

In the US your "family doctor". In the UK your GP is effectively the gatekeeper to the medical system.

Unlike in the US you can't just decide you have an issue with your ear, kidney, knee, etc. and book an appointment with the appropriate specialist. In the UK you need to first go to see your GP who will then refer you to a specialist, typically of your GP's choosing.

You are not a paying customer in the UK, so the NHS will determine who you can see and what treatment you will receive.

BritInParis

Before you do anything else you'll need a US passport (as it is a legal requirement for US citizens to leave and enter the US on a US passport) and a British passport (to prove you have the right to live and work in the UK). After that you can just jump on a plane and come on over. Once in the UK you'll need to do the following in order to get yourself set up:

- Obtain a National Insurance Number (NINO). You'll need this to work.
- Register with a local GP. As you were born in the UK you will already have a NHS number. This will be written on your full British birth certificate although the format has changed since you were born and it will have been converted into a different number now. The GP surgery should be able to find it for you.
- Register to vote.
- Register for council tax once you start renting a property. In the UK your income tax and national insurance contributions are normally deducted at source if you are an employee so you will not have to complete a tax return. You will however have to file an annual tax return with the IRS as the US taxes its citizens wherever they are resident.

HKG3

The OP may also wish to open a British bank account in the US before coming back to the UK.

https://www.us.hsbc.com/1/2/home/per...global-banking

kiwibrit101

Lol...this always makes me laugh.....We are definitely paying customers ....most people have paid their National Insurance contributions all their working lives......

Editha

The NHS is not funded from National Insurance, but from general taxation, and always has been.

But Pulaski is not completely correct about the lack of choice within the NHS. It is true that for most specialist treatment, you must get a referral from your GP, but in some areas of the country they have a scheme of self-referral to e.g. physiotherapists. Also, if you have a preference for a specialist or clinic, your GP may be able to make the referral you want.

For example, my husband wanted to go to a particular clinic for treatment of his Hep C, because he knew there was a research active consultant there, and he thought it would increase his chances of getting on a drugs trial. Our GP complied, and my husband did get on a drugs trial and is now cured. More recently, I asked our GP to transfer my mother's ENT treatment from one hospital to another and our GP complied.