howdy you yanks!

  I'm fending off two toddlers and a hairdryer in my kitchen but it happens several times a day that I think about moving to England.  My British wife and and I have made a life in Kansas City for the past 6 years and are planning a move in the Spring to Cardiff Wales area. I'm already searching for jobs (architecture), deciphering which visa to apply, and looking at all our stuff(she says it's all mine) wondering what to store and what to take.  We plan at least 5 years there but life is not that predictable. So... that's it for now - i look forward to hearing feedback, stories and advice on UKY! 

Welcome to UKY!

...though you may find out that living in the UK 'yank' is often a derrogatory term and many expats do not like being referred to as such...especially ones from the South 

As your wife is British, your visa is not complicated at all & will take very litte 'deciphering'. You'll need a spouse visa which will allow you to live & work in the UK for up to 27 months. Once you near the end of that one if you're still here there's another visa after that you can apply for...but one step at a time. Have a look at the visas section of UKY for 'Spouse Visa' and you'll find many threads on how to apply & what you'll need.

Good Luck.

Welcome to UKY! And best of luck with the visa and job search! 

Hey Kansas City!  Welcome!

I'm a native Kansan, and spent about 15 years all together first living in Lawrence, Kansas (where I went to university) and then here, there & everywhere all over the KC metro area.  Now please please go eat some Gates & Sons BBQ for me:  HI! MAY I HELP YOU?!!!! 

Oh!  And Manny's Mexican Restaurant too! 

Not all of us are sensitive about the term 'Yank' - I think it just depends on who's on the other end - lol!  There are even threads about that on here. 

Good luck with your planning & the move & welcome to UKY.

Hello and welcome!! 

Yeah, I worked in a pub for a summer and 'yank' was how I was greeted by the owner (who 'did some time' in NYC restaurants) and spoken in a wink-wink fashion.
 Actually, I grew up in Lawrence... and KU grad also. Gates is good - I prefer Okla Joe's now and again too.
 Looked at Spouse visa and reading more now about settlement visa just to be sure that's not a route to go. We were married in UK if it makes any difference... anyway, I'll post more about that when I can.

I am not sure that Okla Joe's was there when I lived there - I have been gone a long time!  I also liked the Smoke Stack BBQ of Martin City - at 135th and Holmes.

Looked at Spouse visa and reading more now about settlement visa just to be sure that's not a route to go. We were married in UK if it makes any difference... anyway, I'll post more about that when I can.

A spouse visa is a type of 'settlement' visa if applied for outside the UK (the 'settlement' visa category covers all family-related visas).

It doesn't matter where you got married, it just matters that you are married when you apply for the visa.

If you have been married and living together outside the UK for more than 4 years, you can qualify for permanent residence in the UK almost right away instead of having to live in the UK for 2 years first.

In order to get permanent residence, you need to take the 'Knowledge of Life in the UK' (KOL) test first, which can only be taken in the UK.

So, you have 2 options for applying for your visa if you meet the 4-year requirement:

1) Apply for a spousal visa, and request that you are given a 'KOL' required stamp, based on being married to a UK citizen and living together outside the UK for more than 4 years (you will need to provide evidence of this). This allows you to move to the UK, take the KOL test whenever you're ready and then apply for ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) without having to wait until you meet the 2-year residency requirement.

2) Take a trip to the UK as a visitor before you apply for the visa and taken and pass the KOL test while you are there. Then, once you have returned to the US, you can apply for a spousal visa, but request ILE (Indefinite Leave to Enter) instead... if it is granted, this will give you permanent residence right away.

Belated Greetings!

I am originally from Kansas City as well, born in Overland Park, graduated from UMKC and spent loads of time in Lawrence (partying!) haha! LOVE OK Joe's too! And Jack Stack, La Fonda and Minsky's Pizza!

Good luck with your plans, let us know how you're getting on with everything, and as mentioned, the boards will have loads of info for you. Any questions, just ask. Everyone is friendly and helpful.

 

Welcome to UKY 

My BF works in architecture and its quite tough for work and jobs right now.  So good luck!!