Financial Requirements - Can we use our investments?

I have been living outside of the UK for the last 11 years (7 years in Korea, 4 in the US and I just became a US citizen). My US husband, UK/US daughter and I would like to move back to the UK sometime within the next 18-24 months.

We're trying to figure out whether we need help from a solicitor for our application or not - would rather not use one if not necessary.

It's my understanding that we could go one of two routes. We do not want to be apart during the process as we are planning to have another child next year before we move.

Employment - 12 months of pay stubs from my US job plus an offer of employment for a job in the UK starting within the next three months. (both above 18,600 GBP)

Savings - 62,000 GBP. My question is can we use our investments as part of this total? We currently have about $70,000 in investments made up of stocks and mutual funds and $20,000 in cash savings. Do the investments have to be liquidated to count towards the total? 

Any help or advice is much appreciated.

Welcome to the forum .

The amount needed in savings is actually £62,500, not £62,000... which at today’s exchange rate is equal to $79,769.40.

Ideally you want to have a buffer of a few thousand dollars just in case of exchange rate fluctuations. For example, just 5 days ago, £62,500 was worth $80,100 and 10 days ago it was worth $80,300.

If you are using investments, they do need to be liquidated as you need to prove they are immediately accessible and can be withdrawn in cash at any time (with or without penalty).

As long as you have held the investments in full for at least 6 months, they can be used as cash savings right away after being liquidated.


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Cash savings is the easiest route to prove and to use, so if you can meet the requirements that way, it would be your best option.


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