Is moving to the USA even feasible?
Jun 19th 2011, 6:18 am
#17
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: Is moving to the USA even feasible?
I am moving your thread to the USA forum. Your quesitons are for information that will definitely influence your choice to immigrate or not, but they are not really immigration questions. Lifestyle & financial quesitons like these get a much broader response in the USA forum and I'm sure plenty of people will want to participate in your conversation.
Bottom line, immigrating can be worked out with what you've got. When you need more specifics, pop back over to the marriage-based visa forum.
Jun 19th 2011, 6:43 am
#18
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7
Re: Is moving to the USA even feasible?
Rules in Keeping ILR (Uk Permanite Residence)
Once you have been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain you should not spend more than two years outside of the UK at a time. Living outside of the UK for an extended period may result in your ILR being cancelled.
When you are away from the United Kingdom, you should maintain personal and financial ties to the UK. Staying in the UK for a short period of time each year for a number of years may also lead to ILR being withdrawn.
If she stays outside then she must go through the entire UK Immigration rigamole again. I chose to get the Dual Naturalisation myself because when we move back to the USA and my British hubby or myself does not like it there or gets homesick then we can return to the UK without any immigration control. As far as the test is concerned, it is quite easy and there is so much material out there that she can use to study for it, even online sample tests.
Becoming Dual makes it all worth it in the end after having to go though all the paperwork, expense to be in the UK in the first place. I couldn't bear to have to go through all the visas and paperwork again to return to the UK.
Also makes me proud to say that I'm American British. American by birth, British by choice, and PROUD of BOTH.
Once you have been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain you should not spend more than two years outside of the UK at a time. Living outside of the UK for an extended period may result in your ILR being cancelled.
When you are away from the United Kingdom, you should maintain personal and financial ties to the UK. Staying in the UK for a short period of time each year for a number of years may also lead to ILR being withdrawn.
If she stays outside then she must go through the entire UK Immigration rigamole again. I chose to get the Dual Naturalisation myself because when we move back to the USA and my British hubby or myself does not like it there or gets homesick then we can return to the UK without any immigration control. As far as the test is concerned, it is quite easy and there is so much material out there that she can use to study for it, even online sample tests.
Becoming Dual makes it all worth it in the end after having to go though all the paperwork, expense to be in the UK in the first place. I couldn't bear to have to go through all the visas and paperwork again to return to the UK.
Also makes me proud to say that I'm American British. American by birth, British by choice, and PROUD of BOTH.
That makes sense. I don't think she'd have much problem with the test as she is interested in British History and knows more than me about it!
Chris
Jun 19th 2011, 6:48 am
#19
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7
Re: Is moving to the USA even feasible?
Yes, true... but it'll be quicker if she was under age 18 when you and your USC wife married and she remains unmarried. Once she marries, she automatically gets catapulted into a long, long wait (read = many years instead of 1-3 years). Sorry, yes it really does take that long for an adult child.
Jun 19th 2011, 7:22 am
#20
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Temecula, CA
Posts: 4,759
Re: Is moving to the USA even feasible?
A +1 from me as well for taking the UK citizenship. A few hundred quid (£580 when my wife did it a couple of years ago but is probably more now), a simple test, meet the mayor at the ceremony, and you're done. That few hundred quid could save thousands in the long run if your circumstances change and you choose to come back to the UK/Europe.
Jun 19th 2011, 10:12 am
#22
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Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,176
Re: Is moving to the USA even feasible?
The pension thing isn't a problem, young enough to work up the 40 quarters to get a US pension and able to continue contributions to get a UK pension too, plenty of recent threads on this subject as well as pensions in general.
Jun 19th 2011, 10:23 am
#23
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 928
Re: Is moving to the USA even feasible?
I think you only have to have 30 years NI conts to get a full UK pension, so if you've got that it wouldn't be worth paying extra. I think the US is one of the countries where they don't 'freeze' your UK pension (I think in Canada and other places you get no inflationary increases). I could have got this the other way round though, but I'm sure somebody knows for sure!
I think the UK naturalisation is over £900 now, but definitely needs to be done. She can get her passport checked with a special checking service run by many local councils I believe, which would save her sending it off and being without it although I think (not certain) that citizenship is only taking 2 or 3 months at present. She should have applied years ago, they only make these things harder. I tell my USC husband the same! When he was first eligible for UK citizenship it cost £108 and there was no exam or ceremony, just a quick trip to the solicitor to take the oath. Now he too would be looking at nearly £1000 with a test and a ceremony. The funny thing is his Anglophone mom would love for him to become a Brit! He just says he would 'feel less American.' Silly sausage!
I'm no expert on Medicare but I think I read that it only pays 80% of medical costs, is this true?
I think the UK naturalisation is over £900 now, but definitely needs to be done. She can get her passport checked with a special checking service run by many local councils I believe, which would save her sending it off and being without it although I think (not certain) that citizenship is only taking 2 or 3 months at present. She should have applied years ago, they only make these things harder. I tell my USC husband the same! When he was first eligible for UK citizenship it cost £108 and there was no exam or ceremony, just a quick trip to the solicitor to take the oath. Now he too would be looking at nearly £1000 with a test and a ceremony. The funny thing is his Anglophone mom would love for him to become a Brit! He just says he would 'feel less American.' Silly sausage!
I'm no expert on Medicare but I think I read that it only pays 80% of medical costs, is this true?
Jun 19th 2011, 10:49 am
#24
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,176
Re: Is moving to the USA even feasible?
Jun 19th 2011, 12:15 pm
#25
Retired
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,649
Re: Is moving to the USA even feasible?
The test isn't really about history, more a reflection of the priorities and ideology of the Labour Party that introduced it. But it is apparently not too difficult to pass provided you know the material and answer the "right" way.
