Karrie72

It's unfathomable that a USA spouse wouldn't understand on one level that of course you might want to go back 'home' when practical. As your spouse they should be supportive of your wishes and come to a compromise which is fair to the both of you.

SultanOfSwing

I think she does understand on some level, but I never had the chance to bring it up properly. Long story short, I'd made some innocent jokes about moving to the UK, and she took it the wrong way. She said she didn't want to move but we were sort of in a row about something else at the time so I didn't press the point.

In the future, handled the way I want it to, I can make a case but now's not the time.

Karrie72

Good luck I hope you get your wish...I tell my husband all the time how lucky he is to have this opportunity and I think he believes that now.

SultanOfSwing

Aye, we'll see

Fish n Chips 56

Teriffic advice Elvira, look at it as a lifetime Insurance policy, You never truly know what may happen in the future and who needs to mess with the American Government and its laws, this way you would have equal rights as your husband.

Surely you couldnt afford to be cut off from your Husband and kids who are USCs, and who knows what else may happen, youve got to protect yourself, British ex pats do it all the time.

I think you are allowed to live out of the USA for a year then you have to reapply for your green card, with citizenship you can come and go as you wish, please correct me if I'm wrong.

usoruk

I have been telling my family here that I never want to be a USC. If I do it I feel that i have given in and my in-laws have won--I know it sounds strange but that's the I fear I have. But i know that I need to get over that and look at the practical reasons of doing it.

Have any of you felt odd doing the US naturalisation thing, the song and holding your hand to your chest thing...did you do it as a matter of fact, a protection policy for the future I believe you mentioned...And do we lose our citizenship of our birth country..are we not renouncing our British cit. and become less British-if you know what I mean....it is a real psychological thing for me to take this big step. There are alot of barriers that I need to overcome, and getting USC is one of them. I don't even know how I am going to approach my family about it.

SultanOfSwing

You were born British and British you shall remain until the end, regardless of how many other citizenships you take. There are people on this board with 3 or more nationalities.

Technically speaking the US doesn't recognise dual nationalities but they don't do anything about it. I understand your reservations, as I had them myself. In the end I did it mainly for my wife, to release her from her affidavit of support, and to provide more security for myself living here, just in case they change the rules and I couldn't be a PR anymore . I still refer to myself as British, and I probably always will, even if we never live there again, but that's my own preference. Reservations aside, you will need to become a USC if you leave the US with even an infinitesimal chance that you may return, because you may have lost your PR status in the meantime.

Debbie2NZ

Sultan of Swing - good luck finding the right moment to raise the subject. Hope you haven't 'queered your pitch' by letting the cat out of the bag early.

Domino

as Sultan says "You were born British and British you shall remain until the end" (although I may want to modify that to read English\Welsh\Scottish as appropriate )

May I suggest you consider this in the same way as all those Brave New Worlders the UK has flooding in every day?? They take a tick-the-box test (do they then take an oath ) and receive a certificate from the local mayor with photos provided by local press.
They do it for their own ends, to be able to use the nationality British, to gain more out of "the system" than they otherwise would get. However no one asks them to attend a ritual burning of their original passport, sign away original nationality etc.
(a couple of years ago a guy from Pakistan making illegal fireworks blew himself up. The family had a ceremony locally and then flew his body home for burial)
Please consider taking "dual" as a means to an end, to gain more for yourself and yours. Remember that there is a huge difference between Domicile and Born. You are after all a (much better) breed of Brave New Worlder.

please note that due to what I feel is the denigration of the nationality "British" I refuse to use that term, insisting on English which causes consternation in some quarters

good luck in whatever you decide to do - we will always see you as one of us.

Fish n Chips 56

Dont worry about the in laws, this is all about you not them, you are doing it for your reasons not theirs, let them win one and then laugh about it to yourself, cos you know the reason why, I'm not so sure I would tell the in laws your real reasons for doing this, if you cant tell them your wedding trip plans I doubt this would be a good idea.

Sure it feels weird/odd, some of us feel like traitors to the UK, I know I did, but its a case of having to do what you got to do, after a while you dont worry about it, you give up nothing British and gain some American rights, you do lose your green card and that feels weird after carrying it around for so long.

I do understand your psychological issues, its a big deal mentally, but down the road it my benefit you in ways you cant forsee.

moi

Don't even bother telling the in-laws that you are going to do it. I was in a similar situation with my in-laws and I tell them jack ****. Just because you live there doesn't mean they need to know everything about you. Get to the post box before they do!

Karrie72

Just try to look at it an an insurance policy and protection for yourself and your kids. You want the freedom in the future to be where ever your kids choose to be...and that might not be back home.
And think of the costly palaver of renewing the green card every ten years.
Mine expires in a few years and I'll go for USC just before we move back.

Jerseygirl

It took me years to come to terms with becoming a USC. In the end I went through with it but kept my fingers crossed during the oath ceremony. I will never think of myself as anything else but British.

Karrie72

I know...even a couple of years ago I would have said 'never' but inside I'm 100% English. It's really more a case of bring practical and realistic. Once I leave the USA I don't plan on coming back. But if my grown kids decide to settle here it would be nice to have some flexibility.

nethead

Same here.