Bob

True, but the OP hasn't said anything about the OH, she may or may not have qualifications or other options to allow her to move over without the spouse visa.

That is if the kids father would allow it.

Dorothy

True enough.

Alex Batey

OP here, I haven't got any savings or income and my family are not exactly well off and in a bit of financial strife right now so having her come here isn't exactly an option, also she does have a daughter that would be coming with her (if for what ever reason i magic some cash together) so that's an additional body.

I haven't looked too much into her coming here with the kid, however I heard that I'd have to be making £20,000 p/a plus and additional £10,000 for the kid, although I don't know whether this is official yet (I read an article from the daily mail saying that theresa may is making it this way but that was back in July).

Personally I find it a bit disgusting forcing the poorest people out of the country just to be with the person they love if they just so happen to live over seas, I can understand why this would be but that doesn't mean I agree with it.

Also the father of the child may not be too pleased, he's had the idea suggested to him and he's basicly saying no to the idea...but he's not that great a guy so if i had my way i'd say get over it and do it anyway, alas I don't have that option.

She's done college though and was working towards an EMT position, so she does have some education but no propper qualifications since she didn't finish (personal reasons).

civilservant

The new financial rules came into force on August 1st. You (like my wife and I) are caught in the 'rest of the world' financial bracket which attempts to reduce the influx of Asian spouses.

Im moving to the US as a result.

In which case its a non-starter anyway.

Good for her - but its not a good time to be trying to get into this field, what with the financial crisis in healthcare.

Alex Batey

I wish I knew how to quote individual lines propperly but...yes she has done some college but as I say she didn't finish so she couldn't realy get into that profession even if she wanted to.

A breif update on the situation; we've been discussing the advice that you've all given us and athough we're where we started on the matter we are more knowlegeable than we were when we started, so I have you all to thank for this.

We were wondering whether there was any way around the new financial requirements in the UK though (as mentioned previously), any loopholes or tips that people can give us on this subject would be great since it would mean we have more than just the one option.

Personally I'd prefur her to come here with the child and we try to start something here, although we'd be living in poverty for a while most likely...we'd have each other so it wouldn't be all bad. But realistcly speaking it would be better for everyone if I did go over there rather than her come here, then atleast if we're married and I have a green card then we can look into coming back to England.

On that note; does anyone one have any idea how easy it would be and the processes we would have to go through for us to end up living in England again after I get a green card in the USA?

Nutmegger

Alex, why do you feel it would be better for you in the US? You stated that you are 22 years of age and have never worked. Are you the recipient of benefits in the UK? If so, do you understand that you will not be entitled to any kind of benefits in the US -- including medical benefits? (Unless your prospective wife is able to get a job with family health insurance coverage.) Living at the poverty level in the US will be far more stressful for you than in the UK, where there is the government "safety net." You would be better off looking for a job in the UK and working towards having the financial ability to bring your friend to the UK; you will find it far harder to break into the US job market.

Uncle_Bob

My brother married an American and got his green card that way.

I'd advise you to keep documentation of your relationship even if you are not married yet. Old photos of you together documents of something jointly owned etc. They like to see proof of a genuine situation.

Bob

The process to move to the UK is simple, but you need to be earning quite a sum of money.

There is no point in spending a few thousand bucks to move to the US to get a greencard and then move back to the UK though. You would need to be married and hold the greencard with the US citizen wife for 3 years before being eligible for US citizenship, which would free you up to move out of the US without worries of moving back in the future. That's a little simplified, but it's the gist of things.

civilservant

In a word - no.

Previously you could use a joint sponsor, someone like your parents, who could sponsor them in order to meet the financial obligation. That option was removed under the new rules. You have to earn the requisite amount for the family size or have 3 x that amount in savings. This was the main change in the new legislation and has made it MUCH tougher.

Ethelred_the_Unready

I think the new rules are unfair and penalise the poor. The UK wants to crack down on immigration, but I hardly think that Americans marrying British souses are the cause of the problems.

It seems that the OP has a better chance of getting approved by USCIS than his partner would be, though they would both have to keep documentation and proof that the marriage is genuine regardless.

I do fear for the OP somewhat coming to the US to basically be poor. I am not so well off here myself and I can tell you that it isn't fun, especially having no health insurance. The stress alone is enough to make you ill, plus the feeling of being alone in a foreign country. Of all the world's developed cointries, the USA is the last one I'd want to be poor in.

scrubbedexpat099

Aspergers and ADHD, I always wondered if we all have it, just a question of degree? At what point does it switch to being a condition.

Certainly there is relatively cheap medicine that helps with ADHD.

I think you will have to look at this as a longer term plan. It sounds like even if you did not have the immigration issues then there would be plenty of other problems.

Moving to the US will not solve your current issues in the UK, so I would focus on those first, save some money, so you can at least have a good base to move forward.

The US allows co sponsors which the UK does not.

Noorah101

If you choose the USA route first, don't look into coming back to England until you are a US citizen. Just having a green card doesn't give you the freedom to go back and live in England again. Be prepared to stay in the USA about 4 years, so you can become a USC before moving back to the UK.

Do you mean the process of her immigrating to the UK? For those questions, you'll have to visit www.uk-yankee.com. That's a good website with a forum like this one, but for folks who want to immigrate to the UK.

As I said, though, wait until you're a USC before considering moving back to the UK. If you move back while you only have a green card, you could easily abandon your US PR status and have to start all over again if you want to move back to the USA again.

Rene

Ozzidoc

NB - this is an internet forum where often you are given answers to questions you haven't asked, and suggestions that you wont want to hear

Alex, international immigration is difficult enough for people with life and work experience, finances and company support.

May I please suggest you look long and hard at your situation. Determine exactly what is stopping you from getting work this weekend. Ask yourself honestly as to exactly how you will fully support yourself, a wife and a step-daughter with no assistance from anyone.

Best wishes

fatbrit

You both move to anywhere in the EU except the UK, e.g. Eire, for a year or so. Then you use EU rather than UK law to move her to the UK. This bypasses the UK's financial requirements

mikelincs

Many of the EU countries also have financial requirements before you can move there now, and the OP should understand that he is extremely unlikely to receive free health treatment there. It's all to do with the austerity measures required by the EU.