Hello all! First of all, I'd like to apologise if this question has been asked over and over... I just really struggle with navigating these forums! Any help or information someone could provide with the following would be greatly appreciated
My name is Claudia and my husband, David, and I have been discussing moving back to my home of Arizona, USA in the next five years or so. We just thought it would be smart to have kind of a head start on some of the info... Like I said, I'm American and Dave's English. I am also presently 3 months pregnant with our first child. What kind of process would we have to look into for David (and the baby?) to emigrate to the states? And is my baby automatically British AND American? We're really hoping that the fact that I carry a US passport AND we're already married will ease the process...is that true? Or does it complicate things that we've been/have been settled in the UK for about 7 years total?
I hope that all made sense!!! Thanks for your help in advance wink
Claudia
PS We have a cat...does that complicate it further? roll
First of all, congratulations!! On the upcoming addition to your family, not the move wink Although perhaps congratulations are in order there too! There is often something very empowering about making a decision and having a goal to work toward as a family.
I have so much I'd like to share with you, as my British husband and I (I'm a Yank)have just been through the very move you and your husband are contemplating. Just got here in March, currently living with my mother in Utah, and getting used to the hot, dry weather.
However, since your intended move is still a few years off, I'll just limit myself to sharing one little shred of advice! Start saving money now. It's probably the very smartest thing my husband and I did after making the decision to move - we started putting aside money every month into our moving fund. Not only have we been able to pay for the airfare and removal in cash (we shipped the bare minimum - photographs, sentimental items, and books mainly. We sold and gave away everything else. The money from the things we sold went into the moving fund. But that is a conversation for another day!), but we have been able to sustain ourselves and live off our savings while looking for work, instead of being unemployed, living with mom, AND in debt! mrgreen
With regard to your cat, according to the U.S. Embassy website http//www.usembassy.org.uk/ukcust1.html#pets
there is no federal law requiring quarantine of a cat arriving in the U.S.A. from the U.K., but that individual states may have their own requirements. It also states that you'll need some sort of document from a vet vouching for the health of your pet, but that there is no official form to fill out.
With regard to your English husband, you will need to make a petition for him to receive an Immigrant Visa, immediate relative category. The visa will only be valid for 6 months, so wait until you are really ready to move! But it sure doesn't hurt to research the whole process in advance, so as to be better prepared.
It is a costly procedure, another good reason to start that monthly savings. It costs $190 just to make the petition (which you will probably have to make in person in London), some spare change for photographs (have to be the right size, right backround, right pose, and on the right paper), more money for a full physical for hubby (including chest x-rays and AIDS test - we spent about $100 on it), a few bob on a police report from the local constabulary vouching for hubby's good behaviour and model citizenship (cost £10 if memory serves), and yet more money (another $190 or so) to actually get the visa, if your petition is approved.
You will also need to fill out a sponsorship form, declaring that you will financially support your beloved immigrant until they have worked in the States for a certain amount of time. As part of the sponsorship form you will have to provide evidence that you can keep him in the manner to which he has grown accustomed - your income must be such as to place you at least 25% above the poverty line lol .
We had difficulty with this, because I am a SAHM, and have been for nearly my entire married life, thus no income nor proof of income (tax returns, etc.). My husband has supported our family nicely, but his income doesn't enter into it - it must be the American's income which could potentially support the legal alien.
We had to enlist the help of a co-sponsor. Fortunately, we have maintained strong ties to my family in the U.S. and did not find it difficult to find a close relative willing to sign an affidavit that they are willing to support my husband financially for the rest of his life or whatever... wink
Oh, maybe I should also mention that as a sponsor, you will be legally required to keep the immigration authorities informed of your current address for a period of 10 years or so, once you have moved to the States.
read more about the process here
U.S. Embassy in London homepage
http//www.usembassy.org.uk/
info on who is considered for an immigrant visa
http//www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/iv/immrel.html
links to actual application form, and further details about how to petition
http//www.usembassy.org.uk/dhs/uscis/i130filing.html
more details about the affidavit of support
http//www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/iv/i864.html
I must say, the whole process was quite involved and expensive, especially in contrast to the simple process we went through to get my residency permit before we moved to Britain.
I think that was all done by mail, and they just wanted a copy of our marriage certificate and a look at our passports or something. Didn't even require an interview. Very much a "welcome to the family!" attitude rather than our "show me your lungs" attitude. I have developed a greater appreciation for why we have so many illegal aliens here in the U.S. - just try to get in legally! Then again, we got my U.K. residency permit back in the days before Sept. 11th... things have probably changed.
Anyway, despite all the bureaucratic hassle and expense, things went quite smoothly as far as getting the visa - as long as all your documents are in order and your wallet is open, everything seems to just tick along nicely! And in our case it was a lot of fun to take a day off work to visit the embassy in the big city, stand in that little patch of America for a few minutes and imagine what the real America will feel like for us, then go out to eat afterwards and dream and plan... grin It all seemed so much more real from that point on!
And now for your bundle of joy! A trip to the U.S. Embassy in London is required, the baby has to be there in person. Likewise the American parent, of course! Be prepared for more lightening of the pocketbook, the privileges of U.S. citizenship don't come cheap! Current fees are $65 for consular report of birth (U.S. birth certificate), $82 for passport for a minor. Again, as long as your documents are in order, it should be smooth sailing for your little dual citizen! If your husband is not able to accompany you to the embassy, be sure you check with them first whether or not you need a document from him certifying that he has given permission for your child to apply for a passport - sometimes there are rules in place to prevent a parent getting a passport for a child and then leaving the country with babs without informing the other parent.
you can read more here about consular report of birth, first passport, etc.
http//www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/acs/passports/childindex.html
http//www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/acs/passports/robirth4.html
Well, good thing I limited myself to one bit of advice roll otherwise this might have been really long.
Good luck with everything! Moving has been a challenging effort, but one that has also been so rewarding - we have streamlined our lives as a result, identified our true priorities and dreams for our family, drawn closer to our extended family, taken the opportunity to appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of our surroundings while we had a chance, made a point to tell our good mates how much they meant to us and made time in our lives to spend time with the people we cared about most before making the move. In short, we left with no regrets or unfinished business, economically or emotionally. We were solidly confident about our decision to move, and have been able to start off our lives here looking forward to working at fulfilling our dreams, instead of looking back with longing at what we've left behind. It's all an adventure.
Best of luck to you! grin
Holy Moly! Whew! Well, thank you SO MUCH for all the advice and tips and info... I may need to hassle you in the future as you and yours went through a really similar situation. It does seem like so much to take care of, which is why I wanted to have a good idea of what was in front of us. And I know what you mean about getting into the US. Before we got married, we contemplated him moving to be with me...and that didn't last long! The process for getting into America is...well, confusing, long, and hard. I understand those border hoppers as well! It was SO much easier for me to come here to London. But I'll keep note of those sites and be sure to be well prepared for it all when the time comes. And the money advice is duly noted! We've already opened a moving to America savings... May it go forth and multiply! lol
How long, once you guys applied, did it take you to get the visa? And I think I got kinda confused about the supporting your foreign husband thing... Because I also hope to be a SAHM and that may include some of our time here... Does that mean we should look into getting a sponser for him? Also, did you find it difficult to do certain things like rent/buy? get a bank account? you or hubby find a job? I know we have a long way to go in the grand scheme of things, but I'm also a worrier! Our main plan for the moment is to save every penny we have and move there with a nice cushion under us for any eventuality (or most, at any rate).
Congrats on your successful move! I really hope both of you enjoy your new life you've made for yourselves! Keep me posted on how you're getting on...especially if your husband is lily white and never spent any great amount of time in the sun, like mine! lol Utah is quite near Arizona and I bet it gets its fair share of summer, too. Slather on the sunscreen, stay cool, and take care! Thank you again for all your help! You're a star wink
Claudia, David, and baby under construction...and Luka the cat grin
Hassle away! It's so boring being full of knowledge, but with nobody to pass my wisdom on to lol Seriously, though, we are happy to share our experiences.
I believe it took the best part of six months before we had the visa in hand, but we did drag our feet a bit getting our paperwork in order, and getting the medical done. I think we waited about two months on our end before setting up the interview because my husband was travelling on business and we needed his passport to be available for that.
You may get a better idea of the average waiting time by calling the embassy and asking for a time estimate. They will, of course, avoid making any statement that could be viewed as a promise, but if you make it clear you are just looking for a general idea of how long the average process takes, they will usually throw you a helpful timeframe.
With regard to the sponsorship question, I hope I can clarify and not muddify Because we have a limited social care network here in the U.S., the gov't wants assurance that each immigrant has some means of support, and won't be starving out on the cruel city streets the day after arriving in the land of opportunity. They want to make darn sure that folks are prepared for the harsh realities of capitalism.
As the sponsor of your husband, you only have to give evidence that you COULD support him if necessary. You will submit 3 years of your most recent tax returns as evidence that you are capable of supporting a dependant. This in no way means that you HAVE to be employed once you arrive in the U.S., but it does mean that your husband is not eligible for welfare, Medicare, and other government sponsored types of support, paltry as they are. The buck will stop with you, and there is no safety net.
By the way, this does not extend to your child, who will be a U.S. citizen. So you would be eligible for WIC, Medicare, food stamps etc., as would your child.
As far as sacrificing your SAHM years just for the sake of having juicy tax returns to flash at the U.S. embassy, in my opinion it would be unnecessary and regretable.
Your husband can get other sponsors, but you would never have the chance to re-live your baby's infancy. Motherhood is one of the most satisfying, difficult, ennobling experiences life has to offer... savor it, immerse yourself in it, and live each day creating a world of security and love that your child will draw strength from all their living days, even after you are dust. JMHO. A person can break out of economic poverty, but emotional poverty tends to hold its prisoners for life.
Well, not that you were even considering doing that, I'm just saying - there is more than one way to skin a cat (sorry Luka), and if it is your hope and dream to spend time at home with your baby, than I say go ahead and do that and let the future take care of itself. It has worked for us wink
Btw, if you haven't been submitting U.S. tax returns all along, the point is pretty much moot. Your best bet is to call the consular section of the embassy, let them know you are preparing to submit a petition for your husband, and ask what types of proof of income are acceptable for the affidavit of support if the U.K. has been your tax home, and you have not filed in the U.S. for ___ years.
There will be a way - for instance if he gets a job and his employer is willing to sponsor him. Or if you aren't planning to move for 5 years and you get part-time employment after your baby has grown up a bit. Or perhaps you have assets that you can use in lieu of tax returns... savings accounts, car, house, boat? Or if your maternity benefit or income support are in your name they may count as income, and might be sufficient for the affidavit of support. Or if you're comfortable moving sooner rather than later, you can coast in on the strength of your current income, rather than speculating on future income.
Well, sorry this has been another book. roll
The way we have successfully negotiated the process was to get a co-sponsor (close relative in the States who was willing to sign on the line for my husband). We moved in with my mother to start with, and are now building up a credit history (put our name on utilities, buy something and make payments faithfully) so we can get our own place.
There is an adjustment to be made, but we have goals that we have our eyes on and it makes all the difference to have something to work toward. The difficulties have a meaning then. And our extended family here are so supportive, and frankly we just love a good adventure anyway!
Ta Ta For Now - until your next question!
We have gotten horribly sunburned and are now taking the weather a lot more seriously
sad hats and sunscreen from here on out!
Hi, just to rekindle this post... i would like to know if there is any change in the system for green card/alien card? i am british and my wife is american... we have been married for 9years... and we have two daughters not registered as american citzen.. the US embassy says that we will have to get my in law to sign the form for me 1st before my children can become us citzen.... I also have my own house in USA in my name only... would that help? i pay property tax on it.
Do you need full health check up before receiving green card??
Any of you don't regret moving to USA after all this time?