French-American Working in England

This one is complicated. I'm sure I will have to investigate many resources but I thought I would post this situation here to see if there are any comments.

My wife has the opportunity to accept a position in Europe. It could be based in Engalnd or France but I prefer not to live in France. So we are looking at England. I figure there are two options to follow for her to work there.

1. Her company gets her a work permit to work in England. As her husband I should also be able to get a permit to at least live in England. I am hoping that their will be a way to get a work permit myself also. I have seen different comments on this and hope it wouldn't be too difficult.

2. My wife has a french passport. With this she should be able to work in any EU country. Great for her with complications. She didn't get her French passport until about 6 years ago. It took us nearly a year to achive that. Her mom is French but left there in the 60's and didn't keep up her documentation. Since then, we have lived in the U.S. I am concerned that it would be difficult to reprove her french citizenship (I believe her passport has lapsed). In addition, where would that leave me? Would I have to go through the process to get my French work permit so that I could then work in a different EU country (England)?

Can you imagine trying to go through two countries and the paperwork maze to be able to live and work in England? I can't. I know this brings in another country but if anyone knows anybody who has gone through a similar situation, I'd love to hear what they had to say.

Option 1 would be better but it might be easier for her company to go with her French citizenship. Ugh.

If your wife is a French citizen it shouldn't be contingent on whether or not she has a current valid passport or not.  I'm sure there's plenty of French people who don't have passports that are still citizens.  It would seems to me though her best course of action is to renew her French passport which would then give her free reign to live and work in any EU country. 

As for you, I wouldn't think it necessary for you to get a work permit from French Immigration in order to get a work permit to work in England.  In fact, I would not think that a work permit would be the appropriate visa for you at all since it's very specific and would only allow you to work for one specified employer.  I would think that if your wife ends up in the UK that you could just apply for a spousal visa which would give you a bit more freedom. 

Best of luck and do keep us posted!

It appears I may be making this too complicated. Thanks for the thoughts. I need to read up on my visa optiosn I guess.

Hi, you can get a work visa as the spouse of an EU citizen that will allow you to live and work here the same as if your wife had a British passport - I know someone else married to a French citizen who got one.  BUT I think in order to do that she would need to be in the UK on her EU passport so she should get it renewed.

Check out http://ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/default.asp?pageID=138 - it explains in detail the rights of EU citizens in the UK, and how you can get an EEA family permit (based on your marriage) which would allow you to live & work in the UK.

Thanks, Saraliz, for clearing that up - I was hoping someone would home in on the correct issue. It is also possible to clear the 4 year indefinite leave hurdle on the basis of residence in the UK as the dependent of an EU partner or family member.

And there is no "work permit" involved in such a case, as far as I am aware. You are free of work permit requirements as a family member of a EU citizen exercising UK residence rights.

Thanks Again. The website is excellent for answering my questions. I have already become more comfortable with what is ahead and am almost looking forward to it.

Just an Update. The official offer came in today and I am definitely going to England. I am still very nervous about the process but I am hoping all this information will help. Having an unexpired passport would make me less nervous but we'll work on it. Thanks again.

Just wanted to briefly say for anyone whose spouse does not have an EU passport  that, unlike the US, spouses or unmarried partners of  work permit visa holders are allowed to work.