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Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

Original poster

Any Americans living in UK

26 replies

HereticFanjo · 14/09/2021 17:20

I know this is upside down but I'm interested to know how difficult it is for an American to move to Britain without a job / qualifications/ British spouse. Anyone from USA done it?

OP posts:
allfurcoatnoknickers · 14/09/2021 23:12

Met my American DH in the UK when he was doing a post-grad degree. Maybe look into that? I feel like there used to be a post-study visa, but I'm not sure it still exists.

It's very, VERY difficult otherwise.

MrsMariaReynolds · 15/09/2021 10:49

Damn near impossible if you've none of the above mentioned, especially a job.

I'm American but we moved here when DH (also American but now naturalised UKC) was offered a job some 11 years ago.

If you have any Irish heritage (a parent or grandparent) you could look into securing an Irish passport which would give you the right to live and work in the UK. Otherwise, unless you find yourself a British partner, you're out of luck.

Original poster
HereticFanjo · 16/09/2021 00:15

Do you actually have to be married? Or is just dating enough?

OP posts:
Ulelia · 17/09/2021 09:40

Living together for 2 years, or engaged, and then you have to get married soon after arriving. Details are here: www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/partner-spouse
You also have to be able to support yourself financially, which means a job offer.

Ozanj · 17/09/2021 09:49

Start up visas are a good temporary route if you have a business in the US that you want to scale up in the UK. It has to be ‘innovative’ but in practice as long as it’s scalable and you will employ people they tend to be accepted. For example my cousin recently got his for a garment dyeing business

BritWifeInUSA · 18/09/2021 06:03

Even with a British spouse it’s not easy. That’s why I moved to the US rather than my husband (American) move to the UK. It was actually easier and cheaper in our circumstances.

Hawse · 18/09/2021 06:14

I'd suggest joining one of the many great facebook groups for US expats in UK, and US Mums in UK to keep tabs and get help on the visa system. There is also a very good board called UK Yankee Forum that has visa advice. As someone who first time moved for education, then a second time 3 years later came on a work permit then moved eventually to a 5-year spousal track, I can say it's near impossible to move to the UK without: 1) job offer and sponsorship (often needing to be in a critical shortage industry and you must not switch jobs -eg you are stuck that visa to that employer), 2) higher education ( + they are proposing - but it hasn't been agreed yet in law - to bring back the wider post-study work visa so don't necessarily think this is a definite. Right now I think it's limited to STEM roles), 3) marriage, 4) investor (you'd need to have serious funds for them to consider this and/or business.

I've now been in the visa system for 7 years, so happy to answer any questions you might have, or what it's like being an American in the UK.

For what it's worth @BritWifeInUSA is completely correct that it is cheaper, and easier, for a British spouse to move to the USA, than the other way around. US immigration -however faulty it is - is nothing like the UK. Please also just check how expensive and time consuming this is: each visa has a cost unless your employer pays, you have to pay an NHS surcharge up front for multiple years (depending on visa length), you often have to pay for a priority charge if you dont want to wait 6+ months for a decision, you have to pay for biometrics, and you have the wonderful experience of doing all of it again and again until you achieve indefinite leave to remain (more money!) and citizenship (more money!). Though happy to help answer any questions!

Original poster
HereticFanjo · 18/09/2021 09:05

Thank you very much all. This is helpful (and depressing).

OP posts:
WHtonks · 18/09/2021 09:14

I'm an american married to a brit. All my children were born here. It's cost us over 5k in visas so far and I'm still not a Brit. The application is enormous and complicated to complete. DH has a PhD and I have 2 Masters degrees. We still had it rejected twice for not being done properly. There is very little help and zero explanation when it gets rejected. It all has to be done on tight timelines. It would have been SO much easier for DH to move to the US and cheaper.

hellointhere · 18/09/2021 09:21

Hello! I'm jumping on here because it sounds like those answering ops question might be able to help me too.
Did anyone have trouble getting a mortgage? How long do you have to be on a visa before you're eligible?
We've been living in the USA for 6 years but wanting to make the move to UK. One of us is British, one American.

Hawse · 18/09/2021 09:32

@hellointhere

Hello! I'm jumping on here because it sounds like those answering ops question might be able to help me too. Did anyone have trouble getting a mortgage? How long do you have to be on a visa before you're eligible? We've been living in the USA for 6 years but wanting to make the move to UK. One of us is British, one American.
Hi @hellointhere - so we actually didn't find the mortgage to be THAT much of a problem, but others have had varied experiences. We used a broker, and went with Natwest, who has a good track record of accepting people on spousal visas. They do require you to have a certain length of time on the visa (e.g. you cannot apply 6 months before it expires for instance), and we did have to show a history of paying bills in the UK (e.g. we needed to live here a few years to show this). They also required I think at least one of us to be on a permanent contact at work (not within probation period, so that could be anywhere from 6-8 months in a job role before applying). Tell your husband to also get on the open electoral role too as soon as possible as that made a difference. My advice is to definitely speak to a broker who can walk you through the ins-and-outs. The message board I mentioned above UK Yankee Forum also has a dedicated section on mortgages if you are interested, and could find that helpful. Good luck!
WHtonks · 18/09/2021 09:58

I couldn't be on the mortgage until I had gotten to the ILR (indefinite leave to remain) stage. Before that I couldn't be on a mortgage. You'll also have zero credit history which definitely doesn't help! You have to be very careful putting an American on a property anyway due to capital gains tax when you sell it. Americans need to file a tax return every year no matter where they live and how much they make. It's a huge ball ache especially if you're a high earner.

hellointhere · 18/09/2021 10:21

Thank you both, it sounds a little varied, the idea of having to wait til indefinite leave to remain is daunting since we haven't even begun. I will check out that forum too!

allfurcoatnoknickers · 18/09/2021 21:31

@BritWifeInUSA

Even with a British spouse it’s not easy. That’s why I moved to the US rather than my husband (American) move to the UK. It was actually easier and cheaper in our circumstances.
Same here. I'm a Brit and it was FAR easier for me to move to the US with my American DH. It's also damn near impossible to move back to the UK with him Sad.
Original poster
HereticFanjo · 18/09/2021 22:15

Why on earth is it so difficult? We're always hearing about the 'special relationship' between Britain and America, it really is bollocks in every way by the sounds of things.

OP posts:
knitnerd90 · 18/09/2021 23:05

It's not particular to the US. It's due to recent changes in immigration procedure. I know people who did the move before 2010 and they had a much easier time. At that time it was easier to go to the UK. You could literally get married in Vegas, go to the consulate, and get your visa, if you'd made the appointment ahead of time and you had the paperwork all ready. (Marriage laws are easier in the USA and less notice is needed, plus it saved on the fiancé visa.) Or get your fiancé visa on the spot, go and get married--a friend had an appointment at Lunar House the day after(her wedding and walked out with her FLR ready to look for work. Same for her ILR two years later. Now the timelines, costs, and requirements have gone up.

You do not get any special points for being an American, other than being able to speak English.

The USA actually has quite substantial wait times--I'm a dual citizen and sponsored my DH for his green card, and the express procedure (direct consular filing) still took 6 months.

There is a domestic partner visa but it requires you to have already been living together and prove it. If you haven't lived together already, it has to be as a spouse.

TheVanguardSix · 18/09/2021 23:11

I came over at the age of 23 on my British passport which I got when I was 18 (British parent). I also had a job lined up. So that’s how this Californian got here. I’m 49 now.

TableFlowerss · 18/09/2021 23:18

@HereticFanjo

I know this is upside down but I'm interested to know how difficult it is for an American to move to Britain without a job / qualifications/ British spouse. Anyone from USA done it?
I would imagine impossible really….
Original poster
HereticFanjo · 18/09/2021 23:28

It all seems a bit chicken and egg really! As in how are the couple supposed to know they want to commit to marriage without actually having the time to get to know each other?

OP posts:
Original poster
HereticFanjo · 18/09/2021 23:29

In a dating sense I mean or even living together.

OP posts:
fallfallfall · 19/09/2021 01:58

My Canadian daughter’s partner had to have 50K £ (lawyer recommended 65K to be on the safe side) set aside in a dedicated untouched account. Lots of photos, lots of dates when they were where that matched visa entry and exits. It’s taken years to meet the financial documentation requested during that time she’s had no recourse to any government programs and delivered two little ones via private health care.
At times it felt like she was an illegal immigrant, on an overstayed visitors visa.
She regularly dipped out of the UK, to return with a fresh 6month visa.

SalsaLove · 19/09/2021 02:48

Have you spent much time in the U.K.? I think some Americans have a misconception about what it’s like here, like it’s a cross between Downton Abbey and Bridget Jones. It’s a very different culture to America and not particularly welcoming to Americans.

Bagstolen · 19/09/2021 02:59

I like to think the above isn’t correct, we’ve had such happily settled US friends who are more happily settled here than they where they’re from ; and been so welcome ! and always surrounded by close friends And like family to us . I don’t know of them having trouble with entry but circs were different as one had very high level job that brought them to London.

WHtonks · 19/09/2021 09:03

The American moms in the U.K. forum is full of VERY unhappy American women. Healthcare and schools are the constant topics. It's very very different here than in the US. The ones that come as high earners and can use private schools/private healthcare do ok in general. It's not a decision to take lightly.

Steeple · 19/09/2021 09:06

@HereticFanjo

It all seems a bit chicken and egg really! As in how are the couple supposed to know they want to commit to marriage without actually having the time to get to know each other?
Sure, but your romantic attachments/willingness to commit aren’t really the concern of the immigration authorities.
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