rebeccajo

I understand what you are saying. And that may have been why Ian commented about her traveling ahead.

I got the impression the OP was worried there would be a problem with HER return. Perhaps I was wrong.

Ginblossom

I took it the other way. Perhaps the OP can clarify? In any case, the real issue here is the length of time outside the US and the re-establishment of domicile (or the intent too).

The USC will have to work hard to prove that.

If she has been out of the country for 10 years from what it sounds like, we don't know what type of ties she still has to the US, could be a lot, or none. By ties I mean bank accounts, voting records etc. If the OP advises, we can better advise him.....

Jerseygirl

Your dog doesn't require a Pet's PP to enter the US. It's only required by the UK authorities when entering the UK. Saying that it would be useful to have just in case you want to return to the UK with your pet...but you would have to keep it up to date for it to remain valid.

Your dog will need to be examined by a vet prior to leaving the UK and certify that the pet is in good condition to fly. If you wish your UK vet to vaccinate the dog check what the requirements are for your state....some require live vaccine. I think I'm correct in saying you can have your pet vaccinated at the US port of entry.

There are companies that will handle all aspects of the transportation of your pet. It will cost more than DIY but it takes a lot of the hassle out of it.

There are plenty of past threads in the main US forum on this subject.

ghstppl

My wife renewed her driving license a few years ago, but it has since expired again within that time, and she was told at the time she could only renew it online once. Her US passport is due to expire later this year and is due to be renewed. The ties she has in the US is non-financial (son, family etc). It wasn't an issue of worrying if she would be summitted back in the US, but was allowing me to reside there too.

We are going to contact the IRS tomorrow and discuss the tax filing, from what we have read it shouldn't be an issue because of she hasn't earned enough over here.

On being able to establish US financial ties, I was thinking we could look at opening a US bank account. Not sure of the logistics of it are from over here, but going try and do some research on that. Do any of you have any recommendations?

Thanks for the advice on the pets, didn't realise it was specifically for UK only.

Ginblossom

I figured you meant how best to get you there. Ill be honest with you, and say right now you have some work to do, and certainly starting with the IRS is a good place. Read my domicile guide which Im told has been helpful.

What I would do if I was you, is take a few visits out there in the meantime, and get the ball rolling. When you get out there, open a bank account, deposit funds etc. Start building credit. Get your wife to start reestablishing a life out there. There are lots of threads about US bank accounts, but realistically, much easier to do when you are there.

I really wouldnt get bogged down in stuff like pets as you are a long way off yet. Is 18 months do-able in your situation, yes, but you (or rather your wife) do need to start making ties back to the US.

Has she voted absent since she was here?

ghstppl

She hasn't voted since she has been here no. I think like you said, for now we will focus on getting her taxes submitted, trying to re-establish some ties back in the US. Getting my medical shots is not a urgent thing, but it's something else to cross off the list.

My travelling back and forth to the US in the meantime is not really an option due to the financial and work commitments I have at the moment.

Noorah101

It's not that your wife has to show "financial" ties to the USA. She has to prove that she has intent to domicile (live in) the USA again after such a long time abroad. She has kept no ties to the USA (financial or otherwise), so it will take some work to prove intent to domicile.

Here are some ideas which may or may not apply to you guys:
1. Proof that she is selling any property/land/house that you have in the UK by a certain date.
2. Proof that she is apartment/house hunting in the USA.
3. Children leaving school in the UK and being registered in school in the USA.
4. Proof that she is job hunting in the USA.
5. Proof of acceptance at school in the USA (herself).
6. Current US ID (drivers license, state ID).
7. Current voter registration.
8. Current bank account in USA.

Etc, etc, etc.

Hellojulie

(Sorry, I replied at the same time as Noorah, so some of this is duplicate info. )

At my husbands visa interview last week - we were asked "Have you done anything with regards to moving back to the US?"

We were not ever asked if I had a US license, US bank account, or voted.

While you MAY be asked for those things, they have been asking the above question more often with regards to domicile. (from what I can tell)

They are asking about things like
- job offers, or, printouts showing you are looking and applying for jobs
- leases, or relocation agents, or something to show you will have somewhere to live (emails to estate agents?)
- school applications for children
-moving quotes
- health insurance quotes
-ect ect - dont know what specifically applies to you, but think of ANYTHING you can do in advance, do it, and get paperwork to proove it.

another couple the same morning as our interview left with the blue form (instead of a visa) because she had US bank statements ect but nothing with regards to actually moving. They are becoming stricter about this requirement from what I can tell.

Since you have a long time between now and when you want to move, there is a long time to gather this kind of evidence.

ghstppl

Thanks for all the advice guys, trying not to get myself stressed out with everything!! We won't be able to go over there until the house is sold anyway, so at least we have the proof that the house is currently up for sale or sold by the time the domicile application is submitted.

We will get a bank account over there before we go hopefully within the next couple of weeks, and if we ship a lot of our furniture over there prior to the application wouldn't that also be concrete proof of intention to reside?

If at worse for whatever reason are turned down for lack of proof to reside there(even though we intend to), would I be able to travel over there as tourist, but not come back to the uk and apply for a visa from there?

Alternatively, even though I won't apply for any jobs until we are actually there, will they take into account my qualifications and job (BSc IT, IT systems developer in Local Government) because from the various IT newsletters I read, this is still a high demand for these type of jobs.

jeffreyhy

Hj,

Of course one will not be asked for specific items, at least not initially. Every person's situation is different, every person may have done different things in a different sequence to re-establish their US domicile. There is no fixed list of what is required.

If one answers the question with a blank stare and a "huh?", then one may be given specific examples as the interviewing consular officer attempts to pry a meaningful answer out of a cluless USC.

Regards, JEff

jeffreyhy

gp,

Get and start using.

Yes

No. Think about it - the purpose of a visa is to go to a country's POE and request to be allowed in. If one is already in there is no need for a visa.

No. Birds in the hand are safe, birds in the bush get eaten by the neighbor's roaming cat.

ghstppl

I like the bird in the bush comment, never heard of that before. Will focus on getting sorted what we can right now, as we still have a house to prepare for sale which in the current market will not be easy.

Thank you everyone for all the advice up until now, it has been educational and somewhat daunting but I am thankfull for everyone's honest input, at least I will be going into it with my eyes wide open. My attitude has always been if you want something really bad enough you have to work at it, and this certainly proves that.

For right now we are filing the wife's tax returns, arranging with the in-laws on getting a bank account opened up over there for us, getting my injections sorted out with my GP.

I will keep everyone informed on the progress of any events that occur!

Hellojulie

Sorry, I don't think I made my point clearly. Having the bank accounts and drivers license and voting record were not enough for another couple that left the SAME morning as our interview date with a blue slip. They were asked the exact same question we were, and left without a visa.

I realise what people will have will be diffierent - ie not everyone will have children to register in school.

My point was bank accounts ect aren't enough anymore. They want to see that you have actively done things to prepare for your move. I have had a us bank account, drivers license, and voting record the 5 years I've lived in the UK - it doesn't prove anything. it used to be enough and now it's not. If that is all a couple came prepared with it likely wouldn't be enough.

I am saying that while it is wise to have those things, they want to see more.

ian-mstm

I just wanted to point out, in case you weren't aware, that the issue of domicile for your wife will disappear the moment she enters the US ahead of you. This is one of the reasons for the suggestion that she travel to the US ahead of you. Domicile becomes a moot issue once she returns to the US. For families who are unsure whether they can prove domicle or the intent to domicile, having the USC travel to the US ahead of the non-USC spouse's interview removes that burden.

Ian

jeffreyhy

I guess I didn't make my point clearly either.

You said in your post,
"At my husbands visa interview last week - we were asked "Have you done anything with regards to moving back to the US?"

We were not ever asked if I had a US license, US bank account, or voted."

What one has is not important, it's what one has done.

I think we're essentially in agreement, just expressing ourselves differently.

Regards, JEff