British Expatriate Network

Dear All

I have seen some great advice given on this site and now am in nee of some myself. To cut a long story short, I was recently fired from my job in the U.S. Although on an E-Visa I actually got married last month to a U.S citizen who I am expecting a child with in August.The problem is that I have filed for my Green card so I don’t need to leave the U.S but I cant work until I get my EAD (2 Months optimistically – NYC)

The problem is that I am sending money back to the U.K to cover Credit Card/Student debt and as I cannot work legally at the moment and with the baby coming up etc I am in dire financial straits. Basically, I was wondering what the recourse would be from the U.K if I said that I was unable to make these payments for the short term, whether any action taken by authorities in the U.K could affect the Green Card processing and as my details are registered under my families address what the implications would be for them?? I was wondering if anyone had any advice or had been in a similar dire situation.

Any help is greatly appreciated

Hi, welcome to Britnet and congratulations on the impending birth!

As far as I am aware, debt in the UK cannot affect your immigrant status here. I'm sure someone will be along shortly to correct me if I'm wrong.

As for your debtors, you can negotiate with them for a couple of months without payment/reduced minimum payments/reduced interest etc. -write to them and explain the situation. They are likely to want to make a deal with you rather than have to write off the debt or try and chase you for it.

Hope it all works out....

Many thanks for the response.
One question, can they actually chase me over here?

Don't think so -not without more effort than it's worth, anyway. But I'm a goody-goody and wouldn't advocate running from your debt permanently -just be up front and they'll more than likely be accomodating and allow you some breathing space while you get it together. Then you can pay them back on a schedule that suits your new budget.

It's unlikely that your creditors will "chase" you over here or interfere with your green card application. However I have to agree with monster on trying to work something out with them until you can get a steady job. I know it might seem very unlikely now but you might want to return to the UK one day and bad credit could hinder any big purchases you might want to make there.
I had a bank loan when I left the UK and ended up making arrangements with the bank to pay it back a little at a time. I told them that I was emigrating and the amount I felt I could afford to pay them on a monthly basis. They readily accepted my offer as they were well aware of the fact that I could have just up and left and not paid them a penny back.

Hope you're able to work things out.

ukm )

I know the rules for student loans differ, slightly, depending when you took them out. But, when I was paying mine back you were able to suspend the repayments if you lost your job or if your income dipped below the the threshold for repayment.