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Hello – I am looking to relocate to the UK from the US with my boyfriend. I am a US citizen living in Philadelphia in the US, while he is a UK citizen, living in Glasgow, Scotland. We met 2 years ago in a bar in Glasgow when I was touring Scotland and Ireland. Since then we make sure to visit each other back and forth between countries every 2 – 3 months, while staying in daily contact via email, messaging & Skype. We plan to live in Glasgow for a year, then move permanently back to the US.
We were advised that we should apply for the unmarried partner visa, but were hoping to get some advice from anyone who is kind enough to offer up any guidance on this process. We have tons of questions, like do I still have to pay US taxes when living in the UK, is hiring an immigration lawyer wise, how will my money transfer without getting foreign transfer fees, how does credit history transfer (I have maintained a great credit score), what do I have to do to keep my US citizenship, how to find a job, what restrictions would I have with my visa, could I be able to travel freely from the UK to US & other countries, and could I at some point apply for dual citizenship?
As you can see – lots of questions.
Thank you to any and all who can help steer us in the right direction!
As you only intend on staying in the UK for a year i'd hazard a guess that a temporary working visa is what you'll probably need. You wont lose your American citizenship, if you get the visa you'll search for a job like any one else. A problem i can see arising is getting a job in the UK then getting entrenched over there then end up wanting to stay over there then you will have to address the whole permanent residence immigration issue.
Welcome to the forum Jen.
I am in a similar situation except while visiting a woman I met in St. Andrews.. my 2 week visit turned into 4 months and we ended up getting married. But from what I can see, I can't apply for the Spousal Visa due to not meeting the Financial requirement?? still unsure on that. The other option is work visa, but seems unlikely as I'm not a Dr, Nurse or Therapist.....
I am in a similar situation except while visiting a woman I met in St. Andrews.. my 2 week visit turned into 4 months and we ended up getting married. But from what I can see, I can't apply for the Spousal Visa due to not meeting the Financial requirement?? still unsure on that. The other option is work visa, but seems unlikely as I'm not a Dr, Nurse or Therapist.....
The financial requirement is not set in stone and you can argue your case with supporting documents. Although there are guides that recommend that your wife show savings in her account, a regular income showing that she is able to support you can be made even without savings. The point here is that you will not have recourse to public funds, so you will be totally dependant upon her. I think the requirements are a salary of £18,600 per year which is not a high bar. Show this as a regular income (about £1100 per month after tax) for at least 3 months and you should be golden.
There potentially is room to argue regarding disposable income rather than net - i.e that your wife has less expensive outgoings so a lower monthly rate of pay is equal to a higher rate. This would be a risky route to take though.
However, given the expense of the spousal visa, its best to have a chat with an expert on these matters before going for it. In my experience, additional supporting documents which explain the context of each document the Home Office require, removes delays, questions and provides context if the case worker is tempted to delay or refuse an application.
I know it's a bit of an old thread, but I can answer some of OP's questions (to help anyone else who stumbles across here):
Do I still have to pay US taxes when living in the UK?
Possibly. The US is one of the few (the only?) country that taxes its citizens on foreign income. However, if you pay higher taxes in the other country, you may not owe the US any taxes. It makes it a bit of a burden, because you're still required to file with the IRS -- but they'll ask you about income earned abroad, and taxes paid there. If you were to go to a country that had lower taxes than the US, you would have to pay the difference, from what I understand.
Is hiring an immigration lawyer wise?
This is entirely dependent upon the situation. If you're just going to the UK on a work or holiday visa (or an unmarried partner visa, if that's an option), I wouldn't bother. Just contact the embassy, figure out what hoops you need to jump through, and go from there. If you plan to fully emigrate to another country, an emigration lawyer would probably be beneficial.
How will my money transfer without getting foreign transfer fees?
Ideally, you'll establish a new bank account in your new country, instead of using a US bank account abroad. However, I do not know if you'll get any fees transferring your money to a new account.
How does credit history transfer (I have maintained a great credit score)?
This I'm not sure about. Credit is huge in the US, but works differently in Europe. You could possibly consult an emigration lawyer on this one (I'd imagine you could find one who will give you a free consultation to answer the more difficult questions).
What do I have to do to keep my US citizenship?
You will not risk losing your US citizenship.
How to find a job?
Don't we all wish we had the answer to this? Find postings online, ask around, talk to your significant other's contacts.
What restrictions would I have with my visa?
This depends on the type of visa you have, and the country you are going to. For the most part, you'll just be limited to length of stay, and terms of employment (for example, you can't get a job on a tourist visa, and some countries have work restrictions on student visas).
Could I be able to travel freely from the UK to US & other countries?
As a US Citizen, you are allowed to travel within the Schengen zone on your passport alone. It counts as a 90(?) day tourist visa. This area is includes most of the EU countries. If you had a separate visa (say, a spousal visa for the UK), you would be able to freely travel between other Schengen countries and the UK -- your visa restrictions would be different in each, however, as you'd be a tourist in other countries but a temporary resident within the UK.
Could I at some point apply for dual citizenship?
Multiple factors to consider here. If you got married, for example, you could potentially apply for dual citizenship. Quick note on that: the US does not recognize dual citizenship. This does NOT mean that dual citizenship is illegal. You will not loose your US citizenship if you get citizenship in another country, either. All this means is that, if you return to the US, you will be treated as an American and nothing else. The US simply won't recognize the fact that you are a citizen of another country.
The financial requirement is not set in stone and you can argue your case with supporting documents. Although there are guides that recommend that your wife show savings in her account, a regular income showing that she is able to support you can be made even without savings. The point here is that you will not have recourse to public funds, so you will be totally dependant upon her. I think the requirements are a salary of £18,600 per year which is not a high bar. Show this as a regular income (about £1100 per month after tax) for at least 3 months and you should be golden.
There potentially is room to argue regarding disposable income rather than net - i.e that your wife has less expensive outgoings so a lower monthly rate of pay is equal to a higher rate. This would be a risky route to take though.
However, given the expense of the spousal visa, its best to have a chat with an expert on these matters before going for it. In my experience, additional supporting documents which explain the context of each document the Home Office require, removes delays, questions and provides context if the case worker is tempted to delay or refuse an application.
Thank You Cocaine... I agree the 18,600 isn't alot and I meet that requirement HERE or the Equivalency of 28,0000 easily.... but it's solely based on her Income I just found out... She has 3 young children and can't work full time as child care is too expensive.. So she has to be able to get them to and from school everyday... There is no help from the kids father. It's a catch 22 really....... I'm writing the local MP there and seeing what other options we have..
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