Living half here, half in the UK .. does anyone do this?
#76
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: Living half here, half in the UK .. does anyone do this?
The system doesn't work that way... the US doesn't "take away" your status as you suggest. You, personally, either abandon your status or you don't. All the US does, is confirm whether or not you've abandoned your status... and in order to do that, you need to demonstrate that you have not, in fact, abandoned your status.
Everything to do with abandoning (or not) your status as a PR is something you, personally, have control over. If you chose to reside elsewhere, then you take the risk that you will be unable to demonstrate that you have not, in fact, abandoned your status should there ever be a question about it.
Ian
Everything to do with abandoning (or not) your status as a PR is something you, personally, have control over. If you chose to reside elsewhere, then you take the risk that you will be unable to demonstrate that you have not, in fact, abandoned your status should there ever be a question about it.
Ian
#79
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 8
Re: Living half here, half in the UK .. does anyone do this?
Sorry you've lost me.
So:
One can be a resident of two countries
But not if one has only got a Green Card
"only"?
I have a UK passport and a US green card
What factor here might prevent me from being accepted as a UK resident eg for tax purposes?
I can't believe that obtaining US citizenship and a US passport would increase my chances of being allowed to claim UK residency - rather the opposite surely.
So:
One can be a resident of two countries
But not if one has only got a Green Card
"only"?
I have a UK passport and a US green card
What factor here might prevent me from being accepted as a UK resident eg for tax purposes?
I can't believe that obtaining US citizenship and a US passport would increase my chances of being allowed to claim UK residency - rather the opposite surely.
#80
Re: Living half here, half in the UK .. does anyone do this?
Sorry you've lost me.
So:
One can be a resident of two countries
But not if one has only got a Green Card
"only"?
I have a UK passport and a US green card
What factor here might prevent me from being accepted as a UK resident eg for tax purposes?
I can't believe that obtaining US citizenship and a US passport would increase my chances of being allowed to claim UK residency - rather the opposite surely.
So:
One can be a resident of two countries
But not if one has only got a Green Card
"only"?
I have a UK passport and a US green card
What factor here might prevent me from being accepted as a UK resident eg for tax purposes?
I can't believe that obtaining US citizenship and a US passport would increase my chances of being allowed to claim UK residency - rather the opposite surely.
#81
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 34
Re: Living half here, half in the UK .. does anyone do this?
Some thoughts.
If you have GC your are considered a US resident.
All the while you hold a GC you owe US Federal Taxes on your worldwide Income.
If you are not resident in a US State for more than 180 days you don't have to pay (usually) State Income taxes.
When entering the US you sometime will be asked "Where are you resident?" If you answer anything other than a US address you stand a significant chance of losing your GC.
If you are hoping for eventual US citizenship your excessive time outside of the US MUST be listed on your application and may invalidate your qualification for citizenship.
Re Medicare: You need 40 Quarters of payments to qualify.
Re US Social Security you also need minimun of 40 Quarters of payments to qualify.
I believe that there is a tenuos possibility to count certain UK SS payments to offset for a shortfall in the 40 Quaters in the USA> But this may change at any time.
As a GC holder if you skip on SS and Medicare payment this also may not be helpful to retaining the GC if your residency comes into question.
If you have GC your are considered a US resident.
All the while you hold a GC you owe US Federal Taxes on your worldwide Income.
If you are not resident in a US State for more than 180 days you don't have to pay (usually) State Income taxes.
When entering the US you sometime will be asked "Where are you resident?" If you answer anything other than a US address you stand a significant chance of losing your GC.
If you are hoping for eventual US citizenship your excessive time outside of the US MUST be listed on your application and may invalidate your qualification for citizenship.
Re Medicare: You need 40 Quarters of payments to qualify.
Re US Social Security you also need minimun of 40 Quarters of payments to qualify.
I believe that there is a tenuos possibility to count certain UK SS payments to offset for a shortfall in the 40 Quaters in the USA> But this may change at any time.
As a GC holder if you skip on SS and Medicare payment this also may not be helpful to retaining the GC if your residency comes into question.
Last edited by IanR; Mar 24th 2012 at 9:24 pm.
#82
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 34
Re: Living half here, half in the UK .. does anyone do this?
If you are getting a GC and are worried that you might not complete the full 5 years to become a citizen there is a way. When/if you go back to the UK apply for a formal period of abscence from the US. In other words you are saying that the USA will be your "home" long term and that your job requires a period overseas. Then return to the US and apply for citizenship as soon as your 5 years GC status is completed. Making sure that you spent MOST of those 5 years in the USA. Get the US citizenship and then you are free to live anywhere in the world. You will be liable for US Federal taxes always, but you will have free movement in and out of the USA and can return to retire at will.
As above you will need those 40 Quarters for Medicare and SS.
Then you could be tax resident in the UK (and still owe US taxes/offsets) get UK NH and SS and also get the US equivalent if you have those 40 Quarters. For US purposes you will be considered a US citizen living abroad. Several million US citizens do indeed retire overseas for family and other reasons.
I believe that UK "residency" is merely calculated on 2 things.
1) Are you legally allowed to live in the UK (iIf you have a full UK passport that answer is always Yes).
2) How many days in the year are you resident? (If you live more than 6 months a year in the UK I think you are then a "resident" and presumably you will have a UK adress and be making a UK tax return etc to prove it.
As above you will need those 40 Quarters for Medicare and SS.
Then you could be tax resident in the UK (and still owe US taxes/offsets) get UK NH and SS and also get the US equivalent if you have those 40 Quarters. For US purposes you will be considered a US citizen living abroad. Several million US citizens do indeed retire overseas for family and other reasons.
I believe that UK "residency" is merely calculated on 2 things.
1) Are you legally allowed to live in the UK (iIf you have a full UK passport that answer is always Yes).
2) How many days in the year are you resident? (If you live more than 6 months a year in the UK I think you are then a "resident" and presumably you will have a UK adress and be making a UK tax return etc to prove it.
Last edited by IanR; Mar 24th 2012 at 9:44 pm.
#83
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 38,865
Re: Living half here, half in the UK .. does anyone do this?
When/if you go back to the UK apply for a formal period of abscence from the US. In other words you are saying that the USA will be your "home" long term and that your job requires a period overseas.
Ian
#85
Re: Living half here, half in the UK .. does anyone do this?
You're being pedantic.
If someone has a greencard and wishes to maintain US residency, they can only be resident in the US or risk losing the status.
Once they have US citizenship, they can bugger off to their hearts content and take up residence in as many places as they wish.
The UK obviously wouldn't give a toss either way if you meet the UK requirements for residency there, but I'm sure the OP does if they wish to maintain US residency too.
If someone has a greencard and wishes to maintain US residency, they can only be resident in the US or risk losing the status.
Once they have US citizenship, they can bugger off to their hearts content and take up residence in as many places as they wish.
The UK obviously wouldn't give a toss either way if you meet the UK requirements for residency there, but I'm sure the OP does if they wish to maintain US residency too.
#86
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,851
Re: Living half here, half in the UK .. does anyone do this?
Not really. He's pointing out that residency for US permanent residence purposes can be a very different beast from residency for tax purposes. One can be resident for tax purposes in the UK with very little actual residency - a pattern of "residency" of more than 90 days a year over a period of years iirc. Such a small amount of residency in UK would be unlikely to call one's residency in the US for permanent residency status to be called into question.
#87
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: Living half here, half in the UK .. does anyone do this?
How many definitions of residency are there in the US?
#88
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: Kent
Posts: 38
Re: Living half here, half in the UK .. does anyone do this?
So, I've read this whole thread, my UKC husband is freaking out about working in the US, healthcare in the US and we still want to know where we live when we do come back to the UK - holiday lets?
I became dual national in UK/US and had to jump through a lot of hoops, but I did it by following the rules and reading carefully, and paying a ****load of money to the UK government. Someone earlier asked is it just not possible to live in 2 countries - I go further and ask, in all seriousness, has no-one ever actually done this? It seems from here that lots of people want to, but are daunted by the tax, health, residency - anything. Does this mean that we're forging some kind of new living policy?
I became dual national in UK/US and had to jump through a lot of hoops, but I did it by following the rules and reading carefully, and paying a ****load of money to the UK government. Someone earlier asked is it just not possible to live in 2 countries - I go further and ask, in all seriousness, has no-one ever actually done this? It seems from here that lots of people want to, but are daunted by the tax, health, residency - anything. Does this mean that we're forging some kind of new living policy?
#89
Re: Living half here, half in the UK .. does anyone do this?
So, I've read this whole thread, my UKC husband is freaking out about working in the US, healthcare in the US and we still want to know where we live when we do come back to the UK - holiday lets?
I became dual national in UK/US and had to jump through a lot of hoops, but I did it by following the rules and reading carefully, and paying a ****load of money to the UK government. Someone earlier asked is it just not possible to live in 2 countries - I go further and ask, in all seriousness, has no-one ever actually done this? It seems from here that lots of people want to, but are daunted by the tax, health, residency - anything. Does this mean that we're forging some kind of new living policy?
I became dual national in UK/US and had to jump through a lot of hoops, but I did it by following the rules and reading carefully, and paying a ****load of money to the UK government. Someone earlier asked is it just not possible to live in 2 countries - I go further and ask, in all seriousness, has no-one ever actually done this? It seems from here that lots of people want to, but are daunted by the tax, health, residency - anything. Does this mean that we're forging some kind of new living policy?
If they are going on the B-2 visa, they have to have enough money so that not-working in the USA won't be a problem. If they are dual citizens, they can both work in either country with no problem (but I can't think of any employer who will let their employee have 6 months a year off every year!)
Rene