Hi all. My fiance and I were talking on the phone last night and she is seriously considering moving over to the UK. Reason is that she's now starting to feel the pinch with the economy and is really worrried that it will get worse. Even though she has filed the K1, Lara may end up coming here to the UK instead.

Does anyone know what the process and immigration laws are for the UK? All I know is that it's quicker and easier but thats as far as it goes.If she did move over here it would only be herself, so no kids involved. Any info would be greatly appreciated on this one.


Thanks.

I don't really know too much about the process but I was talking to a colleague recently and discovered that they brought their fiancee here from Oz at Christmas and the whole process took 3 weeks from start to finish. Another member of staff piped up once they overheard what we were talking about and told me it took 6 weeks for him to get his wife here from India and that was a little more complicated as she didn't speak any English and couldn't write her name. It doesn't sound anywhere near as complicated as the whole US fiasco.

You can probably get the ins and outs of it from the home office website here.

Good Luck. xxx

A few members have made the move to the UK...most recently EnglishSammy (you can click on her profile in 'similar topics' t the bottom of this page) RubyWine and Gwen666....I'm sure they could tell you more about the process. All I have heard is that it is quicker and cheaper

Good luck in your decision making!

Try these expat sites:


http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php#3


http://www.americanexpats.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=26

Actually you only deal with the Border Agency if you are applying from within the UK (which is perfectly allowable). If she's applying from the US she would apply to the nearest embassy like here.

The process is as follows, you follow the links on the website, and fill out the appropriate form. Yes, that's singular - form. It asks for various pieces of evidence, which you send along to the embassy along with her passport and payment. Between 3 and 6 weeks later, she'll get the lot back with the visa in her passport.

If she enters as a fiance then she the visa is issued as multi entry, good for 6 months. She has to do another application to change her status, and can't work till that's processed. But I think the waiting time would be also in the 3-6 weeks range.

Please note that if she doesn't enter on a fiance visa, to marry in the UK to someone without Indefinite Leave to Remain you must have a Certificate of Approval from the Home Office, the application is similar to the fiance application, but you can apply for it once she's already in the country, and then do the spousal application after. So if you've followed all of that, you'll notice that the easiest way to go about the whole thing, is to marry in the US, then move. There's no real difference between applying for the spousal visa from the US, or residency appication based on spousal relationship once in the UK.

Hope that clears some of the procedure up!

Another member, EnglishSammy, has recently gone through the process for her SO (she is already married though). Might be worth pming her.

I came to the UK just over a year ago on a spousal visa. It was far easier than getting Glyn's visa to go over to the States. If you need any help...let us know. I am not sure how it is for a fiance...but I would think the basic process is the same.
The website that Poiteen posted above is where you should start. They were VERY helpful when I went through it last year.

Thanks for all the help folks and links folks. One more question. If my fiance did move over to the UK, would she be entitled to NHS once we got married?

My husband came here from the US just over a year ago... He was entitled to the NHS and got his medical card within a month of being here. Is there is anything else that you want to know let me know.

The process was really easy and he was here within 2 months of us sending off the paper work.

Thats one thing that doesn't make no sense to me, why would you move over to the UK????? from here? do people read the newspapers? do people realise how bad and expensive it's getting there? have people seen the price of gas? it makes absolutely no sense to me. I'm not saying America is the most perfect country in the world, cos it's not. But I think England is so much worse. It's like you really need some good luck.

Were not talking of England. I live in the far north of Scotland in which housing is far cheaper. Were taking everything into account but haven't made that decision yet. I have been in the States myself and Lara has come to Scotland twice.

We have to look at the facts in which is better for us long term, living in Scotland or USA.

Hi, I read your post and have to chuckle because I have considered moving to the UK, as well. As Peter says, it would be "sod's luck" that as we finally find each other, the economy heads south. I know that this makes the whole move and resettlement process even more overwhelming. Peter and I have even considered Canada because I have dual citizenship. But, in the end, we decided to stay with the US. I sure wish the process of obtaining permanent residency was easier, though.
If I were you, I'd do a real analysis of what you wish to accomplish as a couple (i.e., home, family, career goals, and personal accomplishments, too) and think about your career options. Are Lara's skills easily transferrable? Would her skillset (teacher, architect, nurse, for example) be recognized by professional/credentialing organizations in the UK?
Look at the cost of living indexes for where you think you'd like to settle, etc., etc. In the end, if you folks decide later that you do wish to reside in the US, it is always an option to pursue this at that point. As the saying goes, the "grass always looks greener on the other side." Try to use some concrete information to help guide you. While you may discover that there are pros and cons for each place of residence and that, in the end, each pro/con has balanced itself out, at least you will have work through (if you haven't already and I am sure you have) what you both want.
Cheers!

Just to give a balance here. It makes total sense moving to the UK from the USA. I think Britain is preferable to the US as a place to live (house and rental prices are falling), a better place to work, bring up kids and have quality leisure time (that's a decent amount of paid days off work!!!). Banking, education and healthcare is inexpensive and you only need to moan about petrol prices if you drive 'American style' distances to go shopping. Most British folk will walk to friends houses or to the pub and even to work (or use public transport).

I agree. But to each their own. Some people like the US and some the UK.