Moving Back to the UK...

Hi guys,

Firstly, what a fantastic forum you have here, so I figured I’d stop lurking and say hello.

I am dual UK/US citizen who came over to America after A-Levels.  I went to university in the US, got a job, went to graduate school while working, a met a girl, dated the same girl, and married her.  When we first got together, my wife mentioned how wanting to live in another country for more than a few weeks was an item on her ‘bucket list’, so in the spirit of “what do I have to lose?” I asked her one random afternoon after work if she wanted to move to the UK.  She said yes. 

With no prodding from me she said it made sense to do it now, while we are relatively young, healthy, unburdened by kids, houses, pets (not that those things are a burden, they just make things like this more complicated).  She also loves tea, jaffa cakes, footie, a pint of bitter, and the BBC, which helps  .  We have revisited the topic many times in the last year to make sure it was something we really wanted to do.  She still says yes. 

So fingers crossed as we start to get serious with the forms, biometrics, moving, taxes, etc.  I'm sure we'll be asking lots of questions in the forums.  If anything I need to know what's changed.     

Hi guys,

Firstly, what a fantastic forum you have here, so I figured I’d stop lurking and say hello.

I am dual UK/US citizen who came over to America after A-Levels.  I went to university in the US, got a job, went to graduate school while working, a met a girl, dated the same girl, and married her.  When we first got together, my wife mentioned how wanting to live in another country for more than a few weeks was an item on her ‘bucket list’, so in the spirit of “what do I have to lose?” I asked her one random afternoon after work if she wanted to move to the UK.  She said yes. 

With no prodding from me she said it made sense to do it now, while we are relatively young, healthy, unburdened by kids, houses, pets (not that those things are a burden, they just make things like this more complicated).  She also loves tea, jaffa cakes, footie, a pint of bitter, and the BBC, which helps  .  We have revisited the topic many times in the last year to make sure it was something we really wanted to do.  She still says yes. 

So fingers crossed as we start to get serious with the forms, biometrics, moving, taxes, etc.  I'm sure we'll be asking lots of questions in the forums.  If anything I need to know what's changed.   

Hello BlackAck!   
Great that you found us, hopefully you'll be able to get all the help you need here!
How are you getting on with your visa research?

It's more complicated than we initially thought it would be.  I keep getting confused by the guidance for those British citizens sponsoring a spouse from the UK and my situation where we're both together aboard.

It's more complicated than we initially thought it would be.  I keep getting confused by the guidance for those British citizens sponsoring a spouse from the UK and my situation where we're both together aboard.

The wording is confusing. This is what you want. https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk/overview

Forget that it talks about a settled person, it really means, settled or with the right to settle!
Ignore the living in the UK part too! You can move at the same time as your wife.

Well that's nice to know.  I assume I still have to provide letter(s) of introduction, evidence of adequate accommodation, evidence of adequate financial support, and all that

Well that's nice to know.  I assume I still have to provide letter(s) of introduction, evidence of adequate accommodation, evidence of adequate financial support, and all that

Yes, you do. 
The requirements are very specific though and you have to be quite meticulous with the evidence you provide.

In case you haven't come across them yet, here are the financial requirements documents.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/525708/Appendix_FM_1_7_Financial_Requirement.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-fm-se-family-members-specified-evidence

Just a little bit of light reading then 

Are there any good checklists for keeping track of all of these tiny details?

Just a little bit of light reading then 

Are there any good checklists for keeping track of all of these tiny details?

Read some of ksand's posts on the visa section.

Just a little bit of light reading then 

Hey, that's my line! 

Are there any good checklists for keeping track of all of these tiny details?

Not really and as the evidence required varies depending on the individual circumstances of the couple, it's best to make your own lists as you go along.
Study the .gov site and ask your questions as you they come up, we'll be happy to help.

Well that's nice to know.  I assume I still have to provide letter(s) of introduction, evidence of adequate accommodation, evidence of adequate financial support, and all that

For finances, in order to qualify, you will need to meet one of the following categories (although some categories can be combined):

Category A (UK citizen's employment income)
- you have been working in a UK job paying at least £18,600 for a minimum of 6 months
or
- you have been working in a US job paying at least £18,600 for a minimum of 6 months AND you have a UK job offer paying at least £18,600 and starting within 3 months of moving back

Category B (UK citizen's employment income):
- you have been working in a UK job paying at least £18,600 for less than 6 months
AND you have earned at least £18,600 in total before tax (in either the US or the UK) in the last 12 months
or
- you have earned at least £18,600 in the US in the last 12 months AND you have a UK job offer paying at least £18,600 and starting within 3 months of moving back

Category C (non-employment income):
- between you, you have non-employment income of at least £18,600 per year, which will continue in the UK (i.e. rental income, interest from stocks and shares, PhD stipend, child maintenance from a previous relationship etc.)

Category D (cash savings):
- between you, you have cash savings of at least £62,500, held in your account(s) in full for a minimum of 6 months

Category E (pension income):
- between you, you have pension income of at least £18,600 per year, which you have been receiving for at least 28 days

Category F or G (UK citizen's self-employment income):
- you earned a total of £18,600 in self-employment income in the previous full financial year (F) or an average of £18,600 per year in self-employment income for the last 2 full financial years (G)... and this income will continue in the UK

Ksand,

Thanks for laying out our options.  I've been working at my current job full time for ~8 months making quite a bit more than the 18,600. I hope to have a UK job offer at the end of the year,  So, fingers crossed we would meet the second option for Category A.  Nice and simple... yeah right.

Ksand,

Thanks for laying out our options.  I've been working at my current job full time for ~8 months making quite a bit more than the 18,600. I hope to have a UK job offer at the end of the year,  So, fingers crossed we would meet the second option for Category A.  Nice and simple... yeah right.

Lol - yeah, the important thing is the UK job offer meeting the requirement... which can be tricky if you're living in the US.

If you get a job offer, whether you are Category A or B will depend on your US employment status.
- if you are still employed with the same US company you're with now on the date of application, you can meet Category A
- if you're no longer employed by your current company on the date of application, but you have earned at least £18,600 (before tax) in the previous 12 months, you can meet Category B

Nice! Will be an exciting opportunity for her if she's never experienced living outside the country before. Hope the process goes relatively quick and smoothly for you guys

Any particular area you'll be moving to over here or are you pretty open?

Nice! Will be an exciting opportunity for her if she's never experienced living outside the country before. Hope the process goes relatively quick and smoothly for you guys

Any particular area you'll be moving to over here or are you pretty open?

Sorry for the very late reply, I've only just now seen this.  We're pretty open, we'll probably end up near to where my job is. I'm from London, so it would be nice to be 'home', but right now there's nothing set in stone. 

Sorry for the very late reply, I've only just now seen this.  We're pretty open, we'll probably end up near to where my job is. I'm from London, so it would be nice to be 'home', but right now there's nothing set in stone.

Haha no worries! always good to be flexible....but on a personal level I need to day "the south is the best! " (but the north is good too, sorry guys )


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