Immigration questions(was points to remember)

Would someone please answer a few basic UK immigration questions as we are at the start of our decision to emmigrate there.

1) I am English, so are my sons (actually we're all Dual)
2) My wife is American.
3) Been married for 14 years only in the US.

Q1: Can she get a "green card" type of visa for the UK based on her relationship to me? Able to work for any employer?
Q2: Will it have an expiration as in the US?

Thanks so much,

PS please excuse if I'm not doing the forum thing correctly - I've just discovered this way of comunicating.....!!!!

Q1: Can she get a "green card" type of visa for the UK based on her relationship to me? Able to work for any employer?

Yes. She'll apply for a spouse visa- guidelines can be found on http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk.

Q2: Will it have an expiration as in the US?

No, it won't.  Because you've been married for more than four years, she will get Indefinite Leave to Enter (aka permanent residence) when her spouse visa is granted.  You'll only have to make that one immigration application (it's very quick- takes a week or so by post or the same day if you apply in person) and then she's sorted

Dreamy - as has been said, your wife would get Indefininte Leave, which is permanent residency - this would only be cancelled if she spent two years out of the UK.

But she would be able to apply for your Citizenship and get a UK passport after 3 years of entering the country, though right?  And then that would not ever expire...

And while I understand some peoples frustrations dealing with the UK IND, there are still 100x easier and better then dealing with US Immigration.

Yes, I've dealt with the INS (now ubiquitous homeland security) from green card through citizenship. Only the DMV in NY is worse !!
Do any of you have dual citizenship as I have a passport(s) question.....

Ta.

Do any of you have dual citizenship as I have a passport(s) question.....

There are several of us here that are dual citizens.  Ask away!

Right,

Trying to figure this out.

So, I've got a US passport and a EU passport.
I leave the US with the US passport and arriving in the UK I use the EU one.

....is this right and legal?

What happens if I use my US passport to enter the UK? Now I get a stamp even though I a dual citizen???

I'm sure its not that complicated, but for some reason it's a bit difficult to fathom.

Thanks

Dreamy - yes, if your wife enters as the spouse of a UK citizen after being granted ILE, she can apply for british Citizenship after residing here for three years, and this will not be recinded if she then leaves the UK, no matter how long she is gone for.

If you try to use yout US passport to enter the UK then you won't be able to come in unless you get a visa stamped in it.  You could get a right of abode stamp in it I suppose, though I am not sure what the point would be.

Vicky

Right,

Trying to figure this out.

So, I've got a US passport and a EU passport.
I leave the US with the US passport and arriving in the UK I use the EU one.

....is this right and legal?

Yep, that's the way I do it...