Michael

Immigration has changed since I brought my British wife to the US in the 1970's. At that time, everything was easy and quick. Although theoretically she could come with you to the US and adjust status to get her green card but that is illegal if she had the intent to remain when she entered the US on the visa waiver program.

Currently you need to go through a 8-10 month process to get a CR1/IR1 visa while she is living outside the US (you can also remain outside the US during the process). The CR1/IR1 visas are the same process but the CR1 visa (conditional visa) is issued for marriages less than 2 years old and the IR1 visa (unconditional) is for marriages of over 2 years. The process could take less time than that if you do Direct Consular Filing (DCF) to the London embassy which I think is still currently allowed since you both currently live outside the US.

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/CR-1

Start a thread in the "Marriage Based Visas" forum when you want any assistance filing the forms and any other questions concerning those visas.

penguinsix

We were a family of four paying for 'good' health insurance. Our premiums were $500 a month and the overall cost of the plan, had we not be subsidized by our employer, was $1,500 a month. If you don't have an employer subsidy, you could easily be looking at $1,000 a month for a premium.

Add that to your rent figure of say $3,000 a month and you are looking at $48,000 a year before you eat or drive anywhere. Add to that taxes and you are looking at basically $60,000 just to exist with a house and insurance (not including food, cars, and other bits).

While you do see things like laptops and other small items costing the same in £ as they do in $ in the USA, there are other things that are cheaper in the UK, such as many groceries, local and state taxes, and in some places, the utility costs. Let's face it you aren't buying a laptop or an ipod everyday. I think most people have expressed the differences as "a bit of a wash" really when you get to the end of it.

Your son will get citizenship provided you have resided in the USA at least 5 years, two of which were after your 14th birthday. More here:

http://luxembourg.usembassy.gov/birth_abroad.html

This might not be what you want to hear, but it's something we often mention to people looking to leave the US and move back to the UK: is there another move you could be making that won't be as rough? Is there another part of the UK that might have better jobs, better (slightly) weather, better etc that won't require you to undertake a massive logistical and paperwork effort of crossing the ocean? Sometimes we find expats are just in the wrong place, not necessarily the wrong country. It might be somewhere else a bit closer to where you are might be a bit easier, at least in the short term.

Another option is "not California". While it may be where you feel most at home, it might not be the most cost effective place to be right now. Other states have far better unemployment and government finances at the moment, and you can live much cheaper in many parts of the US than you can in the Bay Area, even those bits of the Bay Area that are further out from the craziness of Silicon Valley.

By the way, most US schools start kindergarten at 5, not 6, and in California they have a program called transitional kindergarten which starts at age 4.5, more or less.

christmasoompa

Sorry, but that's a ridiculous statement! We make less than that and live in one of the most expensive parts of the UK (Berkshire). Our life is anything but 'rough'.

erics_dad

Hi Penguin,

Thanks for the reply and good points you make. Wow, $1000+/mo for health insurance? Now I understand why Obama is having a helluva time getting some sort of (oooh, shall I say it?) "social health plan". A total rip off IMO and one thing that really sucks about the US. That's probably why I went 90% of my adult life in the US without insurance. But, if you don't have it, a simple "leg break" could cost you $20,000+ whereas here in the UK there'd be no charge. That's a big factor in staying here but, I have never broken a leg so it's hard to justify that is a good reason to stay. The older I get though, the more health "insurance" becomes relevant.

So, you're agreeing that $60k is "just enough" to exist, yes? Before I met my wife, my BEST paying job was working at a design company who did the "water features" for the Bellagio in Vegas. I was hired on $34,000/yr. Granted, that was back in 2002. But, to say that working for a reputable design company, as a designer, 34k was FAR inferior to what one needs for THE BASICS is ridiculous. Maybe England isn't looking so bad afterall...despite the shi***y weather (which I can't stand btw!)

I agree, maybe Ca is not the place to consider. I also admit that all I've ever known is Ca. The midwest doesn't appeal...despite cheaper homes. I don't really fancy tornados, snow, hurricanes, etc. hence why I love Ca. I know what you're saying though and the US isn't such a big priority that ANYWHERE suits...I'd rather move to the south east UK first to give that a shot before moving to e.g. Montana...know what I mean?

Good to know about my sons citizenship.

As far as kids starting to learn at 4.5/5 yrs old...that's cool. However, raised in CA I know that my sons wouldn't be where he's at as far as learning compared to where I was at at 4 yrs old and that's one of the many things I like about the UK...teaching kids early. Not going to comment on high school here but starting early I think is a good thing!

Apfelkuchen

My jaw dropped at that too! When I was growing up my parents had a combined income of around £110K but they divorced when I was 11 so for many years they had to run two lives on that money (in Belfast). We always had an extremely affluent lifestyle, including luxuries like foreign holidays every year, and they paid to put both my brother and me through (undergraduate) university (fees were low then but they paid all our living expenses).

When I was a PhD student I again lived extremely comfortably (in Oxford) on a £13K scholarship plus £3-5K scraped together from various part-time jobs and teaching. That included a lot of travel, including approximately 3 trips to the US every year to visit my (now) husband, and I saved quite a bit of money during my time there. Obviously as a student my expenses were much lower than the average working family with kids, but there is a hell of a difference between £16-18K and £100K!

The OP has mentioned council tax a number of times. How does it compare with property tax in the US/California? And how do taxes in general compare?

erics_dad

Hi christmasoompa,

I agree, I was exaggerating a little bit there but, as one who has earned as much as £100K/year as a self-employed person (but don't earn nearly that now) I can say that I'm not far off.

For example, my first year earning my income online was in 2006. I earned roughly £93,000 (taxable) that year. I had roughly £24,000 in taxes. That left me with ~£69,000 for the year. But, it didn't work out that way. As I filed for "Limited Company" that meant that I couldn't claim more than £2,500/mo in income (whereas my bills are higher than that). Also, in the UK, as you probably know, if you earn X-AMOUNT year 1 then the HMRC wants you to not only pay your taxes for YEAR 1 but want you to pay THE SAME taxes for YEAR 2 in advance so in January, you owe not only last year's taxes but they want next year's taxes too (50% at least, the other 50% in July).

So yeah, £100k isn't exactly what it seems to be. If you own your house (ie no mortgage), no debts (ie no cc debts, no personal loans, etc.), you own your car, etc. etc. etc. then yes, £100k is more than enough.

However, earning £20k/yr which would be considered an enviable wage when I moved here in 2004!!!! is not only nothing (back then) but less than nothing now....that...is the sad truth! Keep in mind, I live in the North West...not London or the south/south-east/south-west.

erics_dad

Hi Apfelkuchen,

Not sure why you folks are so surprised by that £100k figure. I tell you, the ONLY time I had it "good" (and believe me, it wasn't all that 'good', just 'comfortable') was when I earned £93K that year.

I had a taxable income of about £30-35k last year and I felt I hardly was able to pay the bills and take a very humble holiday to Lego Land in England (for my son) and that was it! Yes, that's it. Pay the bills, simple holiday in a caravan park on £30-40k yr.

Considering most folks make 1/2 that (in my town anyway), I'm a rockstar! When I made £93k (before taxes) I was considered a God! lol But, I had £24k in taxes...sorry, more than that (100% for year prior, 50% for next year + 50% for next year due in July).

So yes, earning £100k (before taxes) ain't going to give you a luxury lifestyle and it sounds like when you were a "kid" and went to Uni, everything was a lot cheaper. Not now.

I don't make £100k now and I know if I did, my attitude would be different. But, I earn around £30-£40k and I feel like I'm struggling like someone on benefits and to me..that's not right.

England is expensive, we have to pay a ton in taxes, full stop. On top of that, it's an "indoor country" so the lifestyle isn't healthy (hence why we're considered the "fat man" of Europe")...it's not all about money, taxes, etc. it's also about lifestyle. I'm struggling to find the balance to be honest.

md95065

Unfortunately I don't think that you will find yourself better off in the US on $60,000.

Apfelkuchen

Maybe, but my parents still have very comfortable lifestyles now, and my mum doesn't even work full-time anymore, so I think she only earns about £20-25K. I only left university 18 months ago.

It wasn't so much the £100K that surprised me (although that too) but the combination of £100K and 'rough'.

Anyway, you will probably get lots more useful feedback this afternoon when the folks in the US wake up. In the meantime, threads pop up here all the time about the cost of living in different parts of the US, so you can use the search fuction or look back through the pages to find those. The answers might not be what you were hoping for - I have been pretty surprised by the numbers thrown around in such threads. I am moving to the US in a few months and am excited about it, but I am lucky because my husband is in the military so my health insurance is covered and he gets a housing allowance scaled to fit where we are living. I wouldn't be so happy about it if I didn't have that security. Our 2-bed apartment in DC is going to cost over $1600 more than the rental cost of my current place in Berlin and about $700 more than the 3-bed house I lived in in Oxford.

erics_dad

Hi md95065,

Thanks for the reply. However, you don't provide any argument which makes me wonder if you really do think one couldn't live off $60k/yr in Ca.

According to your info on the left, you're in SC. I used to live there about 20 years ago (wow, that's a long time! lol) but couldn't imagine one couldn't live in SC for under $60k because I know a lot of ex-students, hippy, unemployed do live in SC for probably next to nothing.

Is your reply on my thread a basic "I can't be arsed to contribute" or do you genuinely think one cannot live off $60k/yr in CA? I think one can so if you don't think one can, please provide an argument otherwise, you're simply commenting without providing an argument...which I prefer

Cheers

Michael

Very rough for a family in the bay area including Santa Cruz or any of the large California metropolitan areas. The medium family income in the south bay is about $96K with a large number of high tech salaries well above $100K plus bonuses, stock options, and benefits.

My son lives in LA and is purchasing his first home (a starter home of about 1,300 sq ft) for $500K on a salary of $115K.

erics_dad

Hi Apfelkuchen,

Again, thanks for your reply! Seriously. It all helps me build a better picture of my situation.

I assume (and I realise it's only an assumption) that if you just recently graduated, you're probably in your late 20s, early 30s at best meaning your parents are in their 50s/60s and probably bought their home back in the 70s/80s back when UK properties were priced CORRECTLY (not the over-inflated, bubble-bursting prices of the noughties) and if that's the case then yes, £100k is MORE than enough for folks in those situations.

For example, one could earn £1m a year but spend like a nutter and owe £900k in debt etc. It's all relative. I have debts, CCs, loan, car payments, etc. but overall where I live in the UK the average wage is roughly £10k/yr and was the same when I moved here in 2004. With the prices of food, gas/elec, water, tv, council, petrol, etc. over the past 10 years but the wages are stagnant then I'm sorry, but I feel something's wrong.

To make it worse, the weather is atrocious which means an "indoor lifestyle" which is far from healthy.

So yeah, I'm trying to weigh my options here. I know the US, with rent and health care costs, are a major reason NOT to move back, despite the better weather (talking about CA here) so I feel I need to make £100k+ to get anywhere in this life lol.

erics_dad

Interesting Michael,

I grew up in Mtn View back when many of these start ups weren't even on the map....well before Yahoo/Google etc.

I'm not surprised by the $96k+ salaries in the bay area which only drives up prices to rent/buy....even in my "deprived" neighborhood of Mtn View (near the old Moffet Field hangars) I bet it's expensive these days.

Btw, $96k USD is only £63,000 GBP which is only £5k/mo and achievable for me...yet...I guarantee you...if/when I earn £5k I'll have to set £2k aside for taxes, thus £3k is barely enough to pay for my living expenses. However, $96k USD sounds like it would go a LONG way in the US...am I wrong?

If I work hard, I can earn $100k (dollars, not pounds) per year. I think last year I netted over $100k but after expenses/taxes/paying affiliates I earned overall around $70k in taxable income and had I worked really hard I could have earned more.

But, I don't want to live in Mtn View, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, San Jose. Not saying those areas aren't ok to live, just WAY over priced for what you get.

I also realize that places like Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, certain parts of Orange County are expensive too but, at least you get a "beach town community". I guess it depends on your desires. Some folks like to be in Silicon Valley while others prefer natural beauty.

The problem with where I live, and it's a genuine SCARY problem, is the fact that 99% of jobs will only pay minimum wage or roughly £10k/yr. That's the same amount as when I moved here almost a decade ago. That's scary as hell and despite the US economic issues, you guys don't pay nearly the same in petrol/gas, overall bills (barring rent it sounds like), no council tax, no TV tax, etc. However, you pay ridiculous amounts in health care...total rip off!

Anyway, sorry for the rant. I wonder how in the he** people earning less than $60k/yr even survive!

Apfelkuchen

It's a reasonably accurate assumption , although as I say my parents' situation was complicated by divorce, so until quite recently they were paying off two mortgages on their £110K.

jjmb

Something you should consider, is becoming a UK citizen if you aren't already, before you decide to move back to the US as the spouse visa rules have changed drastically in the last year. Check out the spouse visa threads on the going back to UK forum. You may never want to return to the UK but you never know. How does your wife feel about moving to the US? Will she be able to do the same kind of work over here as she does in the UK?

Also hopefully you have been filing your US tax returns whilst you have been away.

If you are free to locate anywhere and the weather bothers you, TX is a cheaper option than CA, I suspect.