fatbrit

Sure. But most won't have the hefty, hefty UK requirements.

Ethelred_the_Unready

But moving to such countries has been made more difficult now. Naturally you would have to learn the language, but you may also have to pay for your own healthcare and residency is dependent on employment.

I know this because I have been researching moving to Sweden as an alternative to moving back to the UK (I know a bit of Swedish), but it's not as easy as just moving there and being granted permission to stay indefinitely. I'd have to have a job to satisfy residency requirements.

To the OP: I would NOT move to the US in your situation. You will find yourself very alone in the sense of having virtually no safety net. The US is an awful place to have to struggle. I would focus on trying to get yourself in a position where you can meet the minimum salary requirements in the UK and have your family there. Take it from a Brit whose struggling in the US...it is no fun and the stress has probably shaved 10 years off my life. I really feel for the poor here.

Jerseygirl

Any move from the US for the OP's girlfriend looks like a non starter...as she has a child and the father will not give his permission to remove the child.

So it's the US or nothing...and moving to the US doesn't look promising for some time. Has the OP has a couple of issues...has anyone mentioned healthcare yet?

Nutmegger

I raised the entire benefits spectre in post #21.

Jerseygirl

Trying to catch up with the threads...so don't have time to read every post.

Must try harder.

AmerLisa

Where have you been, JG!

fatbrit

It's not really looking happy either way, is it?

Hotscot

Alex...let me ask this with all respect. This may sound condescending and I do not intend it to be. However I am curious about your relationship.

How much time have you spent together and are you so committed that you can't bear the thought of being apart?
Are you going to move heaven and earth to be together no matter how long it takes?

I ask this because I've been through a situation, when I met an American girl, and thought I was in love but really it was infatuation and a case of the grass is greener. Eventually the feelings passed but they were very strong at the time. So strong that I was ready to jump on a plane, fly over and marry her, even though she had five kids.
As you can imagine it was a bit of a fantasy and I eventually faced reality.

However here's the twist. Years later, even though I wasn't keen on the idea, I transferred from UK to US via the company I worked for, Adobe. I then met an American girl, settled down, married, and became a citizen. And the woman I married, who I met at a conference, came from the same small town as the first girl.

Anyway, that's all good and well but for your own situation my opinion is this this. The only practical way you can be together is

1. You can get married and she moves to the UK but you have to be earning 18,500 GBP

2. You apply for USA marriage visa, which takes around 9 months, and then you move to the USA, get married and stay there. Your wife, (or a co-sponsor), would need to show they make a minimum of @ $23,900 a year and are willing to enter into a legal contract with the US Gov stating this.

There is no possibility you would find someone to sponsor you for work in the US.

You mention that the ex won't let the child move to the UK so if the only option is you moving to the US you would need to get married first then obtain sponsorship via your new wife.

One last point in case you're wondering. If you enter then USA on a tourist visa there is nothing stopping you getting married while here. The ability to get married is not dependent on visa status, And possibly you may be able to file for readjustment of status so you can stay here, however legally that is a dangerous route to try and you could find yourself barred from America.


My fellow chums on this forum can correct any points that I have wrong but please discuss any thoughts with us and we'll try to help.

Jerseygirl

Soaking up the rays in Hawaii.

Unfortunately it isn't.

dunroving

I think you also need to be employed in the EU country in order to then qualify to move to the UK. You can't just move to the EU and live off benefits or minimal wage for the period before moving to the UK. I think this is called the Surinder Singh route or something similar - maybe the OP could Google Surinder Singh or look on the MBBTUK forum as it's been covered there extensively. I'm not that familiar with it because it doesn't really affect me so caveat emptor - these are just my vague recollections.

mikelincs

See here..

http://webdb.lse.ac.uk/gender/Casefi...d=118&pageno=7

Flabound oneday

my thoughts too....no money no job , how as the OP been travelling to and fro to the US to see and be with his 'wife' ?