Hello Everyone!
I am ashamed to say that I have been a member of this site for quite a long time (at least six years, possibly more) but I have never said "Howdy" or passed on any good tidings, advice or anything. I know, bad, bad member but I decided it was time to change all that. I restarted my membership with a new email address (also because I can't for the life of me remember the email address/ password I first used, lol) and a new outlook and ready to be a part of this wonderful and informative community
My name is Lorena and I am originally from El Paso, Texas but currently live in Houston. I have known my English husband since 1986 when we were "pen pals". Yep, the old school way with paper and pens, air mail envelopes, stamps and week long waits for replies...We did all that from 1986 to 1993 when we finally met. On that day, I decided, "Eh. I think I'll keep this guy" and we embarked on a long-distance relationship. In late 1995, we had spent way too much money (calls to the UK were $1.50 A MINUTE!!!) and too much time apart so we decided to get married and I was to move with my three-year-old son to England.
As I mentioned earlier, I have been lurking on this site for a while and I am FLABBERGASTED at the amount of B.S., I mean, bureaucracy that exists now regarding legal immigration to the UK. It was pretty easy to move to England "back in my day" (I sound like my father, lol) and I don't know how you guys do it now. It really is a test of your dedication and endurance and you all have my respect.
Close your eyes or skip ahead because this was the extent of my difficulties in 1995:
I walked into the British Consulate General in Houston on November 1st, 1995. I told the clerk that I wanted to move to marry my English boyfriend and live in England. She gave me the forms for a Fiance Visa and made me an appointment for November 21st to be in the office with the completed forms, documentary evidence, two photographs of both me and my son and the fees. I got my "Entry Certificate for Marriage" or Fiance Visa stamped in my passport on the day of the appointment. My son and I arrived in England on November 30th, 1995.
We married on February 24th, 1996 and on March 1st, 1996 (less than a week), I got a letter informing me that I had been granted the permission to live and work in the UK for one year. I got my NI number and card on March 12th and I was working on April 2nd. I got my "Indefinite Leave to Remain in the United Kingdom" on February 12, 1997. All in all, it was 15-16 months in those days. Yes, it was that simple.
We lived in Reading from 1995 to 1999 where I gave birth to a son and in Bolton from 1999 to 2004 where I gave birth to a daughter. In April of 2004, we left England and moved back to my hometown of El Paso where my husband got a chance to be an expat. Since then, we've lived in Chicago, Austin, Atlanta and now back in Houston for the last five years.
Now, after this time, we have decided that a part of us will forever be in England and we have come to the conclusion that it is time for us to move back to be closer to my husband's family when my sixteen-year-old graduates high school in June 2015.
So yes, it is now time again for the B.S. red tape, exorbitant waiting times, my husband having to find employment back in England and start the process all over again. That's right, I DID NOT get my citizenship when I had the chance all those years ago because I DID NOT think it was going to be difficult. ARGH! I am banging my head on the desk now! So, I am now in the same boat as so many of you.
Thankfully, UK-Yankee exists now and the community is always so giving of so much information, a good ear to listen to complaints and offer encouragement. I am truly grateful since it's all so daunting to me. I do have many years of living with an English spouse, have been an expat, have been married to an expat, have experienced both UK & US schools for kids, been homesick in both directions, have a sympathetic ear so if you ever need a helping hand, I am here to help in any way I can.
Lorena
