Boston MA to ???

Hi All,
I'm glad I've found what looks to be a great and helpful forum.   I'm a British citizen who came to the US nearly 20 years ago "for just a couple of years", met my American wife and ended up staying here.  Now a combination of UK family member illness, utter frustration with US health insurance (on the rare occasion we make claim) and a desire to explore Europe like I should have when I used to live there is taking me and my family back to the UK.

When I came to the US it was just me and a suitcase.   Now there's a spouse, children, 3 cats and a house .... it's a bit more overwhelming this time.   Still I'm sure we'll get there eventually.

I must say I've loved my time in the US (San Jose CA, and Boston MA), but it's time to head back and be with my parents while they're still around.

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your move back to the UK .

I think the main hurdle you will need to negotiate is whether your wife can qualify for a spousal visa to move to the UK with you (I'm assuming your children are dual US/UK citizens, but your wife is a US citizen only?). There are accommodation and financial requirements you must meet in order for her to qualify for a visa.

The main ways to meet the financial requirement are:

a) you have been earning at least £18,600 in the UK for a minimum of 6 months
or
b) you have a guaranteed job offer in the UK, paying at least £18,600 per year and starting within 3 months of you moving back, AND you have earned at least £18,600 in the US for the last 6 months
or
c) between you, you have at least £62,500 in savings, which have been held in your account(s) in full for at least 6 months.

There are a couple of other ways to meet the financial requirement (i.e. £18,600 per year in non-employment income, pension income and self-employment income), but these are the most common ones.

See here for information on the spousal visa:
https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk/overview

and the financial requirement:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-8-appendix-fm-family-members

Thanks for the quick reply.   I was aware of the financial requirement: does the 62,500GBP have to be in a UK account or will they take US bank statements ?   I wasn't aware of the 6 month requirement, so if it has to be a UK account I'd better start wiring some money to be prepared.  Luckily we have that amount in our emergency fund savings.  Hopefully there will also be a job offer, but I need to be prepared in case there isn't.

I'll need to look into the spouse visa - my wife is a US citizen.  Children are dual citizens. 

Thanks again.

We are in a similar situation, and I just got my spouse Visa. US accounts are fine, they will simply calculate the value in pounds at the time that the Visa is submitted. The only way around the 6 month requirement is if you have funds from a home sale (we took this route). Then you only have to provide documentation showing that you owned the home 6 months prior to the application.


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Thanks.   We have a US savings account with adequate money (college savings for the young 'uns) and been open for several years, so I'll use that.  Good luck with your move.

Just want to say welcome to the forum..

I'm a "Masshole" born n bred. Lived in Massachusetts all my life.
Was born in Boston and grew up in a small town about 20 miles SW of Boston called Medfield.. Lived in Medway, Mass before I moved here to Scotland in 1999, originally on a work permit and worked my way up the ladder and have had dual citizenship for many years now..

I'm currently in the Fife region of Scotland..

Kay
 

Hi Kay,  Medfield, you say.   We're currently living in Needham! What a small world !  It's nice around here, and I'd stay if it were not for aging parents in the UK (and to a lesser extent the outrageous medical costs which seem to get worse every year).
My wife grew up in Dedham (MA) which is how we came to be here.  Sean

Definitely small world then Sean,

Before coming here to Scotland I was working in Needham at the then Glover Memorial Hosptial, then Deaconess Glover and now of course Beth Isreal Deaconess Needham.

It is a great area..

Kay

Small world, indeed. I went to grad school in Worcester, MA!

Boston is the Hub of the Universe 

Boston is the Hub of the Universe 

 

This looks to be a lively forum!

I too am moving from Boston area (Sudbury) to London in 6 weeks or so.  My wife is due to follow in March/April.  We are selling our Sudbury home and looking forward to living car free in London for 2 years.  I have a work Visa through my employer, and they provide one for my wife as well.  Our kids are recently out of the house with their own jobs (hurray!) so it will just be the two of us and our aging buy spry Norwegian Buhund (the best breed of dog noone has ever heard of). 


I am sure I will have many questions and will look to this forum for some guidance.  I have a question about neighborhoods to focus on for flats, but will put this question in as a main topic so it doesnt get lost.

Paul

Hi - we are form Boston area too.  We live in Roslindale and are moving to Dundee, Scotland in April we hope!  I am UK/US citizen and my husband is US citizen so we are getting everything ready to file for the spouse visa at the end of Febuary.

Kezzie

Hi - we are form Boston area too.  We live in Roslindale and are moving to Dundee, Scotland in April we hope!  I am UK/US citizen and my husband is US citizen so we are getting everything ready to file for the spouse visa at the end of Febuary.

Kezzie

Hiya and welcome Kezzie,

Hope all goes smoothly for you and hubby. Dundee is about a 50 min drive away from me here. I'm closer to the Forth Road Bridge end of Fife .

Kay

I too am moving from Boston area (Sudbury) to London in 6 weeks or so. 

I'm from Middlesex Co. originally:  Winchester.  You'll find lots of advice about moving on this forum.  Good luck.