quoll

Hope you guys can "get over" your rellies - how weird of them! Maybe it is because by returning you are taking a bit of their "vicarious kudos" away from them. They will no longer be able to say "well, my sister in Canada has ...." nor get the occasional freebie on their holidays abroad!

I think a holiday let or a caravan like Flea is doing sounds like the way to go if you can afford it.

trottytrue

If you like the water you can buy or rent a barge and they are really nice. Off course depends what part of the country you are going to. But a caravan sounds like a good idea. Your own space and at this time of the year they go much cheaper. Find one with good heating system and you will be ok.

Jerseygirl

That is not true. If you are taking up British residency it will be easier if you use a UK PP to enter the UK...you will then have access to various benefits ie schools, medical treatment etc. If you do not use a UK PP you are regarded as a visitor and are therefore not entitled to said benefits until you inform the various authorities.

Relocateme

reply to magistrate:

Your not alone magistrate .,
I had the cold shoulder with the rellies also on Homesick trips ..my photo album was quickly cast to one side, then out came 8 catalogues of theirs.
Further, my sister charged me 30 pounds a week to stay in her home plus I was to buy my own food and drinks this was in the late 80's
I was shocked....I wouldn't dream of charging

In 2000 no one would offer me accommodation as a guest at all ...they were all worried their pensions and allowances might somehow be affected by a visitor staying with them?? so found a flat and job to pay for my stay of 6 months while I visited rellies I had seen for years.

This is the best one: I went to my mothers Xmas Eve morning to take her gifts and said I would stay the night at hers. She agreed giving me my gift.she said come back this evening.

I went back to Coventry on the bus a 1 1/2hr journey with the walk
When I got there my Aunt called to say my mother was unable to have me stay over and to go to the Aunts house. Another 1 1/2 hrs back and buses now on Sunday schedule at night
Aunt was upset I had taken so long to get there and we spent the whole Xmas at her husbands rellies who I never met before.
It was horrible

I can honestly say in the 6 months I was there I had not one visit from any of them

You may also wish to refrain from the mention of Corrie..this brings a whole slew of "Oh your so far behind..No, I'm not going to tell you what happened. The most rudeness came suprisingly from the older ones.. My decison to avoid the area where my relatives live upon my return is largely based upon these visits. If you have loving close family then you are most blessed.

I am just filling in the UK passport forms at the mo'...one curious sentence is right on front page of C1 form..Dual Nationality: If you possess the nationality or citizenship of another country you may lose this when you acquire a British Passport...Please check with your own country before applying" Ooooo anyone checked with their own country website on this one?

HighSpeedGrandma

Hi there.
Now if you have dual citizenship, ie US passport and UK passport, you have to leave US with the US passport. So if you enter the UK with your UK passport the American side has no record of you entering the UK, right?
Also, when you then leave to UK to return to the US don't you have to show your American passport to return to the US?
I know when I used to leave the UK they would ask for my greencard, but I don't have that now so I sure they would ask for the US passport?

This is all rather confusing for me! Not that I HAVE a US passport yet, but I am working on it.

Regarding the entering and leaving US/UK, I am talking about if you go on a fortnights holiday.

And sorry, if this question has been asked.

Spritzer

Amazing how this forum makes you look up things... eg passport information!

I had a look and I didn't realize that you had to be in the UK to renew a UK passport. Quote from the passport office:

Non-UK residents
If you do not live in the UK, you can apply in person to renew your passport while visiting the UK. To do this you need to call the IPS Passport Adviceline on +44 (0)300 222 0000 to make an appointment at a Regional Passport Office. You must also provide an address in the UK to which IPS can post the new passport.

IPS cannot accept applications from overseas. If you would like to renew your British Passport while living abroad, you will need to contact your local embassy, high commission or consulate.

As it usually takes around four weeks to issue a passport overseas, you should not make travel plans during this time. You may also be asked to attend an interview. If you have any questions, please contact your local embassy, high commission or consulate.

Jerseygirl

I use my US PP when leaving the UK. I fly Continental...their security people ask to see your PP before you check in at the UK airport. Their records show I left the US using a US PP therefore I leave the UK using my US PP.

Mummy in the foothills

Crazy isn't it?
My passports have no stamps even though we have been back and forth to the UK, I leave the US showing my US passport and enter UK on my UK passport. No one ever questions, yet the lack of stamps shows I must be a dual national. I do show my US passport to leave UK too and theres no stamp showing I ever arrived. LOL

dunroving

If that were true, there'd be a lot of UK citizens stranded overseas with expired passports!

callé

I kept thinking it was me for the longest time and it really hurt! My cousin was always in touch with me before the move and we made our decision to come to the midlands instead of Devon because my husband was promised a job with another cousin. When we arrived the job was suddenly already taken. I have made lovely friends here but I hardly ever see the rellies. Never mind, we did well on our own and we can always know that it was our own determination that made it work. I know you dont know me aes1, but just send me a pm if you want my phone number. I have a spare room that could welcome a guest for a few weeks.
On the other hand. My children are all dual and they use the British passport for entering and leaving UK, and their American passport for leaving and entering USA.

HighSpeedGrandma

Thanks for the clarification guys.

Also I have renewed my UK passport since I was in the states and I renewed it here in the US. So that's not a problem. Can't remember what I did though, I think I did it through the embassy.

So you definitely don't have to do it while in the UK.

Luckyone

NOT TRUE... I've renewed mine here in Canada. Maybe you should look up on the internet some more... from the government web site http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-...seas/passports "Renewing or replacing a passport if you live abroad
You can renew or replace a passport at many of our embassies or consulates. Please consult the website of your local embassy or consulate for more details. It usually takes around 4 weeks to issue a passport and you shouldn’t make travel plans during this time. If you are applying for your first British passport allow 6 weeks. You might also be asked to attend an interview at the embassy or consulate."

It was an easy, postal service...

Expatinfo

Can you use someone like western union to transfer some money, or is it so they can take a deposit in case of damage etc?? which bank is it you are with - have you tried calling them to see if they can suggest any course of action?? A few of the big UK banks do cards to use abroad - Barclays have got one - international debit card, as have a few of the other big banks - but timescales may be a bit tight.

Perhaps Paypal is also worth looking into??

Best of luck - hope you managed to get sorted.

aes1

OK, now I am confused again, and I am the one who originally posted the passport question - so I need to be UN confused please!!!

If I get my US citizenship and, therefore, a US passport - can I then use it to go back to the UK, on my one way relocation trip? I already have a UK one but it expires in February. Can I wait till I get back to the UK to renew it, if my trip is after February, or not? Bottom line, do you have to have an updated UK passport to enter the UK without a return trip booked?

aes1

Calle, thanks, have sent you a pm.