Im sorry all I am really really confused etc and worried that I may forget something etc. I was wondering those of you that have moved or are moving and planning to move to america... can you help me please?
I wanted to start a thread where maybe we can start liasting things to do before you leave for the states.

- I know I need to let inland revenue know that I will be moving etc
- I know we can still have a bank account here in the UK - mine is a current account with the Nat West so I can do online banking.
- Another thread I read mentions about not paying tax when selling my property if I am a non-tax payer - I am on disability allowance, income support and incapacity benefit so I hope that applys to me ( I will have to ring IR for confirmation)
- Use someone's address as contact for things like doctors etc (My doctor told me to do this so If I ever come back to UK and need to see him I still can as I am a citizen and will kepp UK citizenship) - this is strange cuz I get two stories - my doc said I can still get NHS as I am a citizen and the nurse there said I wont as I am immigrating... does anyone else know this?
- Redirect my mail from my current address to the address in America - I know this can be done as I did it for a few months before.

This is all I can think of right now, please let me know if there is anything major I need to do before leaving. I am not much for doing lists but I think I do need to do one this time as I cant afford to forget something and my mind is so stressed right now as I have a million and one things rolling over and over in my mind:( Pluss I found out today that my sister-in-law died yesterday and I am so sad and cant think right:(

Thanking in advance... Lina

Tell the DHSS, and the Council so they take you off the voting list - these arent vital though and could wait (not sure if the DSS liase with NHS eithr - so you might wanna hang fire on that til you get the Doc situation clarified)

*hugs* for your sad news

Hi Lina,
I can think of a few maybe.
Get copies of all your prescriptions (meds & eyes if you wear contacts or glasses) Get refills before you leave for as long as they will allow you until you can find a new doc in the US.
Transfer utilities out of your name and give forwarding address for final bills
Get your hair cut, etc. so you won't have that to worry about for a bit
Same for nails--manicure/pedicure
Stock up on the treats you love and you won't find easily in the US (marmite/cadbury,etc)
Having your UK bank account is good but ask them if you decide to close it, how can you do that from overseas? (We asked our bank here in NZ and they gave us a form to use if we decide to close later)
Sorry to hear of your loss.

Sadie excellent tips!
Dentist check up - have one done before you go - another thing you won't need to worry about for a few months.
Stock up on yr fave beauty products! And sunscreen! In the USA they don't have the UVA/UVB ones only UVB, which aren't as effective so get your faves before you go - I already did that one
Leave behind things like hairdryers etc - you CAN get adapters but the machines don't work nearly as well and new ones arent that pricey, and will work at optimum voltage.
Ditto towels - Walmart sell very cheap towels so don't use up valuable suitcase space / shipping space with them unless you're using them to wrap stuff.

With regard to the NHS treatment your doctor is wrong but since you're under him on disability and incapacity he is seeing you a a 'special' case for him? Anyone who has emigrated and lived out of the UK for over 6 months loses the right to have free routine care with a GP. Of course as a citizen visiting your own country and needing emergency care you will not be denied but going back for prescriptions and other care is not allowed. I know plenty of expats do it but I guess that depends on which side of the fence your ethics lay.

Good tip on getting your hair cut. I had a horrible time finding a decent hairdresser!

Bring your fave foods before you get so desperate you'll pay $5 for a pack of digestives.

Dental check up is good too. Again, you will not entitled to go back for NHS dental care but I actually go back and pay for private care with my UK dentist as he's so much cheaper than my US one. My insurance company still pays for half the UK bill so it's worth checking out if your insurance will do that too if you so wished.

Good advice Lou, can I ask what insurence you have state side for future reference!! Thanks in advance!

Yes I havent worked out what would be best as for health insurance, should i just get a 3 month travel insurance to cover any health issues if they occur? My fiance doesnt have health insurance with his company so we will be looking at buying private health insurance - once I am in the US and married but in the meatime anyone have any ideas what do in the short term - plus I am concerned about prescriptions - I am on Paroxitine which is for anxiety and depression - I cant ween myself off it right now as with all the stress of the immigration stuff and family not backing me I cant seem to get off it - my doc suggestes that e will give me enough (possibly 6 months supply) and when I move to america and am settled there i should ween myself off it then - but what if I need more? I know I would have to get a doctor over there in the states - but will this be covered with health insurance or is it preexhisting? I get so confused with all this - plus I am on pills for vertig - which I need all the time mostly my doc again can give me a supply but I may need more:( I am so lost:(

Lina

Ohh yes I am also gonna ship a crate of baked beans with the stuff I ship over lol I love my baked beans on toast:)

Hi Lou Lou,

My name is nina, I was just reading your thread...You were saying something about health insurance and that you can still go to the dentist to the UK because it is much cheaper...could you please tell me what health insurance you using in the U.S?!

My problem is that my fiance has no health insurance and I defenitly want to get one...I know they are really expensive but I would be to worried without one...Maybe you can help me with that!

Thanks in advanced

Nina from Germany

Just so everyone knows at least in the Midwest you can get UVA/UVB. Lina I know you're going to be just to the south of us in Ohio...Meijer store has a great brand of UVA/UVB sport sunscreen (i'm wearing right now after planting flowers all day) AND they have a british food section that carries all the necessities like beans and digestives. They also stock some great curry sauces. Check with your fiance if you're close to a Meijer, they have them in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana.

All the best!


Joey

All the sunscreen in Utah has UVA and UVB in it, too.

Uh huh Meijer has English stuff, but its expensive......................

It is. But after living over there I've found that all of groceries here are more expensive than in the UK (fresh meat, produce, etc.) while our fast food is dead cheap in comparsion. It's sort of wrong when you think about it but it is what it is. The british section is expensive and the Tikka Masala sauce I buy there is like $4 a jar but I'll happily pay it, my fiance is giving up a lot more than just the food to come live with me after all...I'll whip up a bean and cheese jacket potato with a drifter bar for afters any time he wants. Luckily we have a great wine/imported food store here in Midland where I live that carries curly wurlies, drifters and a lot of other things he can't get anywhere else. Whew.

YES your right, it is expensive grocery shopping here, & now after Mark visited the UK & tasted Galaxy, we have to get that too

we have a local store that sells a few british items but they are SOOO pricey!

I will just keep having Chris' most send stuff from Yorkshire.
I have about 4 bottles of HP sauce, a few birds custards, and gravy granuels so I can make Yorkshire puds with gravy while he is here!


Still want to know about the cheap health insurence!

Cool. I want HP sauce too....................i'm a Yorkshire lass, & should beable to make Yorkshire puds, BUT the temps on the ovens here is hard to get used to, so out of the times i have made them , only twice did they turn out right

yeah gas ovens work the best with the yorkshires I think. It was hard but I just had to keep my eye on it.
These will be treats that is for sure as it took a while.
I modified it and made a yummy dessert. Instead of animal fat I used veggie cooking stuff and made yorkshires that way. Then put spiced apples and birds custard on it...It was really really yummy!

Actually.....I will pm you with a question..

Thank you Joey - Im not much of a sunscreen wearer lol I am naturally tanned and I dont burn but I guess the sun in the states is much hottter than here in the UK LOL Yeah I went to a meijer while I was there so I know there is one - as for curry sauces - I make my own authentic curries lol as I am Indian and is the traditional dish My dave loves my curries lol. I have seen online stores that sells hienze baked beans but they seem to be really expensive - Ive kinda got used to Tescos brand baked beans and well they are extremely cheap so Im gonna go with shipping a case or two I hope I dont get problems with customs lol

Lina (UKC)

Hey Joey I must get clarification on this LOL - From your picture I kinda gathered the guy was from the states and the girl from UK as the gay is wearing the redwings shirt, and is extremely tall (as most american men are) lol - after seeing your post here I take it that you (the female) is Joey the american half and the guy (your fiance) is the UK half, LOL am I right now? whatever you still make a good couple:)

Lina (UKC)

Nah, I think they'd understand, just ask them if they could live without their favorite food. Lucky guy - the best i can do is a jar tikka masala. Meijer also stocks GIANT cadbury bars but with the cadbury eggs/bars it sounds crazy but the ones made for american distribution do NOT taste as nice though it claims they are still made in England. Weird, but true. My fiance brought me some cadbury eggs for this past Easter and my mom put some in my Easter basket too and the difference was obvious. So if anyone is in need of a proper cadbury bar I'd find a store that imports them direct.

Quick question: Isn't brown sauce just repackaged as Heinz57 here? I don't know, I dont' use it.

Good luck!

LOL Lina. It is a bit confusing especially with my nickname. My actual name is JoElle, joey is just easy to pronounce and less formal. Im the USC and VERY short. I'm only 5 foot so at 6 foot my fiance looks REALLY tall in the picture. The picture was taken at a Detroit Red Wings hockey game this February - I'm a huge fan and he's wearing the jersey I bought for him right after we first met...I started working on him from the beginning. LETS GO RED WINGS!

joey

Tis a cute picture!

I know how you feel with the tall fiance...although I am 5ft 6 he is 6ft 6...so still a big difference.
Umm brown sauce...it could be. But it tastes different to me. But then everything tastes different to me over there in England! Who knows!

Travel insurance will not be valid once you are an immigrant. You can get health insurance to cover you until you are working. There are a few threads kicking around on the 'moving to the US' forum. I used www.expatriate-insurance.com who gave me a good deal but there are plenty of companies around. Most companies will be ok with your pre-existing problems. They are fairly common so I wouldn't worry too much. Your GP sounds great to be giving you extra prescriptions - definitely take him up on that offer! Once you are here it would be best to ask friends and family about a good doctor - they can be very hard to find so start looking soon.

ajames79 - I have insurance over here with Cigna. I didn't say it was cheap! I said my private dentist in the UK is cheaper than my US one. For example, Cigna pays half of all my dental care and I have to stump up the other half apart from cleanings and check ups. So if I need a filling, it costs around $180 here in the US but only $100 in the UK. I called Cigna and they said it didn't matter where I got the treatment so I schedule the big stuff when I'm going back home. I do get all other healthcare free tho apart from the co-pay visit which is $15.

(we also get UVA/UVB sunscreen readily here too...and don't forget peeps it goes off after a year and becomes less effective )

zgood to know! I have had cigna health care before with a company. Thanks for sharing!!

Lina, if you have pre-existing medical conditions, I'd strongly advise your fiancee to get a different job with a group health plan. Private insurance is all well and good, but you either have to take a physical or answer a medical questionaire, then your premium is based on how well you are.

I had brain surgery from a car accident about 8 years ago, and even though I've been medically cleared for about 6 years now, when I lost my group plan & applied for private coverage, the lowest premium quoted was like 500 a month because of my history.

You should try to get as many meds as you can from your GP now, cos I can't see the logic in weaning off anti-anxiety meds while you're moving countries. It might take a while to adjust.

Sorry about your sis-in-law!

Lina - I was in natWest the other day asking about using an online account while overseas and they told me I couldnt use the account to xfer money from a UK account to a US one using online banking - that I can only do that using WRITTEN PERMISSION (Halifax told me same thing, cept I can do it over the phone with them - which sucks, but not quote as bad).
Nat West person told me banks wont do it cos of worries over money laundering (I did ask her waht about those of us who ar NOT money laundering but she ignored that, lol).
I beleive there's a way around it using payPal - and having a UK verified account (so you have to be in UK to set it up) and a US one once you get to US (I think..not sure) and i think Jay-Jay is the queen of how that one goes - I've PM'd her and when she pops back and replies I'll put what she says in here or a new thread so we can all benefit I know she won't mind - hopefully she'll pop back before I leave!

Yes i think I remember that they said it would have to be in writting so I could write a letter from states as long as I dont need to transfer the money quickly as it takes 5 days to get the letter here in UK from states or I can fax a letter they said - but again this was some time ago I still have to go in and talk to them:)

Lina (UKC)

Could I suggest Money Corp (www.moneycorp.com) they are a commercial currency broker. You phone them up in the UK agree the deal over the phone and they then send an email with payment instructions. You go to your online bank and transfer them the pounds, they are based in London. Three to four days later the money arrives in your US account, the delay is to allow the money to get from your UK account to them.

They are cheaper than NatWest and offer a better exchange rate.

They are several other commercial currency dealers who will deal with individuals if you want to shop around.

Lansbury, I used to work for Moneycorp, when I was in the UK. I used them for my money transfer, too. You really do get fantastic rates there and fast, friendly and professional service. I totally second the recommendation.

Also, you can get a card through them that will give you a rate improvement and commission free, should you need to change money at the airport branches.

is this for moving money over on a regular or ad hoc basis.?

For a one off lump sum we have been quoted by both Lloyds/TSB and the Nat West that for anything over £20,000 they will charge £20 and if you want it there within two workind days they charge £35.00.

It is also business rate that you get and with Nat West they phone up for you there and then and get the best deal they can and you have 30 seconds to agree or not. I did it just for an excercise one day and we asked what they could get us to transfer £50,000 and they came back with a higher rate than the business rate they were showing and what had been on TV that morning. Plus it was higher than one of the money brokerage type companies that I had also checked.

At the moment we are going with Lloyds, as when we checked with them on Saturday, they also came up with a really good rate I think it may also be that the more you are sending over the better deal you will get. All I needed was my bank account details in the US, even though it is only a saving account and the routing number

I take it thats for moving money PRIOR to leaving the UK? Or is it by phone after u left?
This just confuses the heck out of me, lol..I like 'easy' and 'hassle free' oh yeah and 'legal'

I only moved money just the once, but you will have an account with them, for any further transactions. I'm pretty certain that they will at least match LLoyds or any other banks buisness rate, if not beat it. But it's not something where you have to make a split second decision like you had to for NatWest, so you can think about it a little before you actually do it (although I'm sure you'd have to make a decision on that day). You will have to go through anti-money laundering procedures, but every financial institution in the world has to do this. The person has to be sure that you are genuine and know where the money comes from, kind of like the Consulate Officer has to be convinced that you are genuinely together with your fiance. It's definately worth checking them out and either dropping them an email or calling up to see.

YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS -

My son is a chef and has a fail-safe recipe for YP's - he got it from an Army chef in Germany - it works for me in the UK - don't know about US but will hopefully soon be able to try it out:

Whisk 2 eggs - add flour a little at a time whisking all the time until its too thick to go further - add milk gradually until its the right consistency. Pour into hot fat and watch em rise......... SIMPLE

Let me know if it works for you.

I have the strongest suspicion that jenart's post about yorkshire puds doesn't belong in the financial discussion here
Maybe she is craftily using the yorkshire puds to export grenbacks?

Nah...This thread covers everything!! It started out about health care and HP sauce, and has gradually made its way to moving money and yorkshire puds.... I'm finding it very informative!!