ChrisMc

Hello!

I've received a lot of good sound advice from this web site, and for that I thank you all sincerely.. I wonder now may I ask again for your advice?

I am a UK citizen, and have just gone through the application process for US citizenship and have been naturalized, so I am now lucky to be a 'dual' UK/US citizen.

My husband is born and bred in USA, but my question is, does he have any rights in UK as he is married to me?

I'd like to try to get him UK citizenship as well, as we would like to know the possibilities to have two places we could call home. I have no property in UK, I sold it when I left UK,but all my family are still there, and we go back to visit them often. I have paid NI contributions so I believe I am entitled to health care and pension if/when I return.

Could my husband also share my NI benefits as he is married to me?

Thanks for any comments/advice..
..and Happy Sunday!
Chris

Elaine B.

Hi there

somebody will be along to answer in more detail but for starters you have to be living in the UK (for 3 years I think) to apply for Citizenship you can't just get it through marriage unfortunately.

dunroving

As far as health care is concerned, the wonderful NHS will take care of you and your husband as soon as you become resident in the UK. This is regardless of whether you have made NI payments, or how much NI you have paid.

JAJ

Similar process to how you got your green card and citizenship.

Bob

just quicker in how it's processed...and less hassle...but not necessarily cheaper.

avanutria

Hi Chris,

I am a US citizen in the UK with my British husband. I recently received my UK citizenship.

Your husband will not be able to get UK citizenship without spending a certain amount of time living in the UK, as stated above. Currently the time requirement is three years for spouses of citizens.

He won't need citizenship for short visits, obviously. US citizens are allowed up to 6 months of any 12 month rolling period for tourism, I *thinK*, but check that before making any long-visit plans. If you should decide to move back to the UK he will be able to get a spousal visa to live there. Under current rules, the spousal visa would be good for two years, after which he would have to apply for ILR - Indefinite Leave to Remain. he would have the right to work in the UK under both the spousal visa and the ILR, and he would also have the right to NHS care. I don't know about sharing your NI benefits, sorry.

ILR gives him the right to live in the country whether or not he is married to you. (On a practical, albeit brutal, note, if you think that there is a possibility that he would want to live in the UK after your death, then this would be the way to do it - he would not be able to live there without first having ILR.) After obtaining ILR and living in the UK for a total of three consecutive years he could apply for citizenship. if he does not go for citizenship, and only stays on ILR, then in the event that he leaves the UK for two years he would lose the right to live there and would have to start all over again.

Note that the rules change quite often, usually for the worse! It's been getting harder and more expensive to obtain citizenship. I don't know what changes might be brought in in the future.

TracyTN

Unless you are planning to relocate there for long enough, there's not a way to do it. Sounds like what you were asking is would he be able to apply somehow while you two live here - and he can't.

I'm bitter about this too because I wanna be a UK citizen too! But no plans to ever live there so I'm screwed.

chartreuse

Never a truer word spoken! You've accurately described how the system was (it was the same when SWMBO went through the hoops) but they've already started changing it. The new thing is called "paths to citizenship" and you've got to do things like unpaid voluntary work to earn points towards eligibility for naturalisation.

avanutria

Wow...I'm glad I got in under the wire (though I did volunteer with a Girl Guide group for a year or so) but I find it mildly annoying that my understanding of the method is already out of date! LOL Though I guess it has been nearly a year now since I got my citizenship. I ought to have an anniversary party...