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My mom is British, married my dad (a U.S. serviceman) back in the late 1950s and moved to the U.S. with him. He died shortly thereafter, but she stayed and raised us here in the U.S. (except for 3 years when we lived in England -- her second husband was also a U.S. serviceman and we were stationed at Alconbury Air Force Base, although we lived in Peterborough). After more than 50 years here in the States, she still is not a U.S. citizen. She still has many relatives in England including a brother she is very close to.
(BTW, all of us kids are strictly U.S. citizens. I don't know if we ever had the option of becoming British citizens [subjects?] as well, but it's a moot point now!)
If she ever decided she wanted to move back to England, would she be able to? How difficult would this be? She is going to be 80 this year and I think she is kidding when she talks about "going home" to England, but you never know!
My mom is British, married my dad (a U.S. serviceman) back in the late 1950s and moved to the U.S. with him. He died shortly thereafter, but she stayed and raised us here in the U.S. (except for 3 years when we lived in England -- her second husband was also a U.S. serviceman and we were stationed at Alconbury Air Force Base, although we lived in Peterborough). After more than 50 years here in the States, she still is not a U.S. citizen. She still has many relatives in England including a brother she is very close to.
(BTW, all of us kids are strictly U.S. citizens. I don't know if we ever had the option of becoming British citizens [subjects?] as well, but it's a moot point now!)
If she ever decided she wanted to move back to England, would she be able to? How difficult would this be? She is going to be 80 this year and I think she is kidding when she talks about "going home" to England, but you never know!
She can move back any time she wants.
You would also have the right to become British citizens.
It wouldn't be at all difficult - but, notwithstanding that she has a brother and other relatives in England, there would be more than a little 'cultural shock'.
Perhaps you (or she) might consider taking an extended holiday in the UK later this year?
I visited RAF Alconbury two years ago, it is nothing like it was, very few of the old buildings left, just the cinema, bowling alley, the old NCO club is now an internet cafe, they do have a large new commissary, it brought back a few memories though. Frankly i think your Mum would be better to stay living where she is, things are not the same as she knew. Perhaps as someone suggested a holiday, just to let her have a look around. She needs to have a look first it would be a big step at that age.
Things have changed a heck of a lot there even in the past few years.
A childhood friend from my England years (her dad was also in the U.S. Air Force) went to England several years ago and visited Peterborough just out of curiosity. She said it had changed tremendously and not for the better. We lived on a dead-end street (Angus Court) that was leased by the Air Force so that families that couldn't get base housing (there was always a shortage) could still get housing with other Americans. As far as I remember, Angus Court was the only "American" street in Peterborough, although I expect the Air Force might have done the same in other British cities/towns as well. Virtually all of us kids were bused to Alconbury or Molesworth Air Force Bases for school -- I think the local British schools back then were actually better, but U.S. schools stateside would still have likely required us to repeat a grade if we attended British schools for 3 years instead of the American schools on base.
I think my mom would be more interested in Hull as that is where her brother still lives (and some other more distant relatives as well). That's where they (mostly) grew up although they were kids during World War II and weren't always together. (It is fascinating to me to hear her talk of those days, but that's another subject!)
My mom's family was pretty poor and she didn't have an easy childhood, but her brother ended up doing very well for himself. He's in his 70s now and retired.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Manuel de Vol
It wouldn't be at all difficult - but, notwithstanding that she has a brother and other relatives in England, there would be more than a little 'cultural shock'.
Perhaps you (or she) might consider taking an extended holiday in the UK later this year?
I am curious as to what kinds of culture shock you think she would face?
I actually went on a research trip to England/Wales in May 2010. Unfortunately I only had about 10 days there and had to visit Oxford, Cambridge, Birmingham, and Cardiff, so it was rather a whirlwind. I am hoping to be able to go back on my next sabbatical (I'm a college professor in the U.S., I think the equivalent is "lecturer" in your universities) but that is a few years away.
My mom's brother has visited here in the States several times and really wants my mom to come visit him and his family. I remember them well from when we lived in England -- we would visit a lot back then.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roscoe Conkling
She can move back any time she wants.
You would also have the right to become British citizens.
I am curious about the second statement -- we (my sisters and I) would really have the right to British citizenship? I vaguely remember looking into this many years ago when I was in my 20s and I thought I was told that I would have had to choose it at the age of 18. This isn't something I've ever considered since but I am curious.
A childhood friend from my England years (her dad was also in the U.S. Air Force) went to England several years ago and visited Peterborough just out of curiosity. She said it had changed tremendously and not for the better. We lived on a dead-end street (Angus Court) that was leased by the Air Force so that families that couldn't get base housing (there was always a shortage) could still get housing with other Americans. As far as I remember, Angus Court was the only "American" street in Peterborough, although I expect the Air Force might have done the same in other British cities/towns as well. Virtually all of us kids were bused to Alconbury or Molesworth Air Force Bases for school -- I think the local British schools back then were actually better, but U.S. schools stateside would still have likely required us to repeat a grade if we attended British schools for 3 years instead of the American schools on base.
I think my mom would be more interested in Hull as that is where her brother still lives (and some other more distant relatives as well). That's where they (mostly) grew up although they were kids during World War II and weren't always together. (It is fascinating to me to hear her talk of those days, but that's another subject!)
My mom's family was pretty poor and she didn't have an easy childhood, but her brother ended up doing very well for himself. He's in his 70s now and retired.
I am curious as to what kinds of culture shock you think she would face?
I actually went on a research trip to England/Wales in May 2010. Unfortunately I only had about 10 days there and had to visit Oxford, Cambridge, Birmingham, and Cardiff, so it was rather a whirlwind. I am hoping to be able to go back on my next sabbatical (I'm a college professor in the U.S., I think the equivalent is "lecturer" in your universities) but that is a few years away.
My mom's brother has visited here in the States several times and really wants my mom to come visit him and his family. I remember them well from when we lived in England -- we would visit a lot back then.
I am curious about the second statement -- we (my sisters and I) would really have the right to British citizenship? I vaguely remember looking into this many years ago when I was in my 20s and I thought I was told that I would have had to choose it at the age of 18. This isn't something I've ever considered since but I am curious.
Thanks for all the replies, I will rep you all!
Because your mother was a British citizen born in the UK and because you were born before 1983 (presumably), you probably have the right to apply for registration as a UK citizen.
If you were born after 1982 then you are automatically a British citizen. There is no impediment to being a dual citizen - US/UK - from either government.
Before our mother takes any decision you should also look into tax and estate tax issues.
As your mother is still considered a resident alien she will loose her Green Card priviliges when she moves her center of life to the UK. How this might impact her access to US facilities there, retirement payment - I cannot tell you.
As your mother is still considered a resident alien she will loose her Green Card priviliges when she moves her center of life to the UK. How this might impact her access to US facilities there, retirement payment - I cannot tell you.
Good point.
This could have all kinds of repercussions.
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