Changing Status in the UK

Hi folks,

My wife and I will be moving to London in March 2003. We're both US citizens, and my wife has Irish citizenship as well (via the Irish Foreign Births Registry). My employer will be arranging the proper work permit for me.

Three questions:

1) Which is the easiest and most flexible method for my wife to enter the UK? ... on her US passport or on her own Irish passport.  She plans on working in the UK on the strength of her EEA/EU citizenship. If she enters on her US passport, can she later regularize her status to work without a permit?

2) I'm in the process of seeking Irish citizenship via post nuptial declaration. If it (finally) comes through after I'm already in the UK, is there a way to regularize my own status  and abandon the work permit.

3) If these questions require the services of a UK immigration lawyer/solicitor, are there any good ones in Washington, DC?

Thanks,

Doug

Go to http://www.britainusa.com and find your local British Embassy. These are questions you'd want them to answer. Them or an immigration lawyer.  

I may be wrong here, but so far my experience with the Immigration here leads me to believe that:

Your wife should enter on her Irish passport, otherwise her US Passport will be stamped for a 6 month visitor stay. The Irish passport entitles her to work here. I think anyone with dual nationality should enter the country on that country's passport. Anyone know otherwise?

In your case, I think that once you've received the Irish passport, that it might automatically alters your status. You would no longer need a work permit as you'd hold the Irish passport. Things aren't as complicated here as they are in the states.

I can tell you who would know, you can find Scrumpy over at the forum on www.americanexpats.co.uk, she is a dual citizen and probably has some good advice.

Best of luck, let us know what you find if you can.

Doug, I sent you a private message that may be of some help. Good luck.

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll keep researching it.  Things would be sooooo much easier if Ireland would hurry up and hand over a citizenship to someone who doesn't live there, and never intends to  

Doug

Doug, I don't know the answer to your dilemma either.  I think it's a matter of scanning the Immigration website and asking questions.  Best of luck and do keep us posted with what you find out!