Vicky88

We just renewed our E-2's but did them in Australia rather than the UK. It took a month from submitting the application to getting the interview. The visa was issued the next day. Part of the delay was the dip$hit who processed the application initially, refused the application because he decided hubby was not British even though his passport and the application clearly said he was.

Re the medical insurance, think ours is about $750 a month for the two of us. We have outrageous deductibles etc. but our experience has shown, when it comes to the crunch, they pay up.

bbb1969

Many thanks, best piece of information so far posted, on a delicate subject, can any one comment on the lead times in London, with out prejudice!

BritGuyTN

By the way, the poster before says they have outrageous deductibles.

if the deductible is 5000 USD a year then that means the first 5000 of any medical care is paid out of you own pocket

Manc - please correct me if i'm worng

Angry White Pyjamas

There are two good reasons that would make me return to the UK...Schools and Health.

One is shite and the other is an outrageous, expensive scam. To be honest I dont think its possible to fully appreciate what nightmare health insurance (and the costs associated with) is until you live here and experience it first hand.

And dont forget that all your health costs are on top of already paying to the government what is basically the equivalent of NI out of your salary.

Manc

no that's right.

AmerLisa

Schools may be bad where you are, but there are other schools in this big country that are very good. That is true for the UK as well. So how can you say its better to return to the UK for schools? Wouldn't it be just as easy to find an area that had good schools?

Angry White Pyjamas

Actually I disagree. Yes there are crappy schools in the UK but the point is the school system and they teaching methods seems much worse. School 8am till 2pm, 30 minute lunch and no other recess, science thrown out in favour of cursive writing, lack of sports, kids told they cant play rough (eg must not touch each other) because its not acceptable behaviour im mean WTF? Etc etc etc. Come on...its breeding a bunch of uptight overworked overstressed kids.

Hey even our American friends think the school system sucks here.

Currently our daughter is in an A grade school in the county that ranks the highest in the state. And its shite. So short of moving state (not an option right now) we can only end up with worse schools by moving.

Vicky88

Isn't the 14 to 16 week wait only applicable if you tick yes on Q38? Have you called and asked?

Last time we renewed in London it took us about 3 weeks to get an appt and the visa was issued the same day.

Also has the paperwork been prepared by a lawyer? We were fortunate in that our sponsor was a Qualifying Company registered with the London Embassy.


I don't know about the school thing as we don't have children, but personally I much prefer to pay $700 for medical insurance in the US than put into the NHS system in the UK. When we were living in the UK we were paying 15,000 pound+ pa for what I can only qualify as piss-poor medical care and a possible pathetic pension. Our insurance companies have always come to the party in the US. Key is to make sure you stick within the guidelines of their plan. Hubby had to have a knee operation in the US. Called the specialist on the Tuesday, had a consultation on the Friday, and had his operation the Friday after. Cost to us for that one was $20 copay for the initial Dr's visit. Physio was fully covered.

I incorrectly stated before that our deductibles were outrageous. What I should have said is some of our co-pays are outrageous. For example, for prescriptions we pay the first $300, then $45 per prescription.

All in all, have to say I prefer the US over the UK and Australia. A lot of what goes on there is shallow, but then again maybe I am just shallow myself and happy to be that way.

Angry White Pyjamas

I assume thats $700 per month ($8400 pa)? Plus whatever your pay in co-paysm deductables etc.

Jesus how much were you earning? 15K NI per year? If you were on 100K gross you'd only pay about 8k NI pa! If I were you I'd get a better accountant. And define "Piss poor medical care".

fatbrit

Didn't add up for me either. And if you really had that sort of income coming in, why are you wasting your time on an E2!

Ray

Must be E-2 managers ..not business owners as they talk of a sponsor..

fatbrit

Well spotted!

Still doesn't add up though. If they were earning enough to pay GBP15k+ of NI in Blighty, they could have used the 0.5m or 1m options for a GC.

Ray

I read something about E-2 somewhere ...

fatbrit

Diffiicult to find good info on that sort of stuff!

Vicky88

None of the figures are made up. Husband was a contracter in the UK had his own company so had to pay employers and employees NI contributions due to IR35 ruling. Figures are not made up, I have written proof of amounts paid. He did earn 100K+ in the UK, but is better paid in the US, plus pays less tax.

Husband is an employee of a UK company and is based in the US. Husband is still a contractor in effect, but Agency sponsors visa and DH is considered an employee. Agency goes to the stress of getting the dough out of the employer.

E2 is not a waste of time for us. We could do green card, but why bother. We get everything we want the way it is. We come and go as we please, still entitled to SS benefits if they exist upon retirement. If hubby is forced into going permie, at that time his employer will pay for the green card.

Piss poor medical - too me that is struggling to be able to get an appt. with some underpaid, overworked GP. Then needing specialist care and having to wait forever to even get into see a specialist. Time I needed it, took 4 months to get an appt. which was made at a time I would be out of the country. Was told stiff shit, get to the back of the line and wait for your number to come up again.