Anyone moved back to the UK?

[Cam54 84]

I moved to the US to marry my husband 5 years ago and have a 9 month old baby now. I cant seem to shake the thought that we would have a better standard of living moving back to the UK (free healthcare, more time off etc) has anyone else made the move back? I recently got my citizenship so we could move back to the us if it were a mistake. We live in coastal California and to afford life my husband and I work opposite shifts so we never get to enjoy our baby together and with only 1 week off a year we never even get to enjoy this country, at least in England we would have 4+ weeks a year holiday and likely weekends off together as we would have my family to help with childcare in the week so I could work. I just cant imagine going back to the uk climate though 😬. The move back wouldnt be for maybe 3 years since my husband needs to finish his apprenticeship and we have 2 trips back to England in the meantime so I guess I'm gona see how I feel when im there.

[Dashinka 23,305]

Might not be a lot of information here relative to this topic, but there is a forum for immigrating out of the US.

 

Good Luck!

 

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/163-emigrating-outside-the-us/

[junkmart 320]

1 hour ago, Cam54 said:

I moved to the US to marry my husband 5 years ago and have a 9 month old baby now. I cant seem to shake the thought that we would have a better standard of living moving back to the UK (free healthcare, more time off etc) has anyone else made the move back? I recently got my citizenship so we could move back to the us if it were a mistake. We live in coastal California and to afford life my husband and I work opposite shifts so we never get to enjoy our baby together and with only 1 week off a year we never even get to enjoy this country, at least in England we would have 4+ weeks a year holiday and likely weekends off together as we would have my family to help with childcare in the week so I could work. I just cant imagine going back to the uk climate though 😬. The move back wouldnt be for maybe 3 years since my husband needs to finish his apprenticeship and we have 2 trips back to England in the meantime so I guess I'm gona see how I feel when im there.

You could also consider moving to another part of the US with a lower cost of living. California can be expensive. According to one cost of living comparison website, the cost of living in Ojai, California is roughly 165% higher than were I live, for example. And the median home cost is 726% higher.

Edited June 21, 2019 by junkmart

[Cam54 84]

10 minutes ago, junkmart said:

You could also consider moving to another part of the US with a lower cost of living. California can be expensive. According to one cost of living comparison website, the cost of living in Ojai, California is roughly 165% higher than were I live, for example. And the median home cost is 726% higher.

We considered that but it wouldnt fix our limited time off work and lack of family unfortunately. I miss my 4 plus weeks vacation a year and having family close to hang around with 

[junkmart 320]

2 minutes ago, Cam54 said:

We considered that but it wouldnt fix our limited time off work and lack of family unfortunately. I miss my 4 plus weeks vacation a year and having family close to hang around with 

I hear ya. I feel blessed to have two weeks paid after working for 5 years. It's the most paid time off I've ever had in my 20 years of working.

[yuna628 9,533]

The burden is on the UK citizen to find a job that meets the UK financial criteria (£18,600 per year), and maintain that job and that number, meaning the US spouse would be left behind until the application is complete and they are authorized to join. There is also a per year health surcharge. If successful, the US spouse would have to begin an even lengthier multi year process of remaining in the UK. The burden of the financial requirements is difficult for a significant amount of the UK population, and that is why many US/UK couples choose to remain in the US for the long haul. Since citizenship in the US has already been obtained in your case, your only question is to if you can pass the requirements. Likewise in the same way it is better for the UK citizen to complete their US citizenship before moving back to their home country, it would also be strongly advisable that if you are serious about bringing your US spouse, you stay in it for the long haul on the UK side of things. Remember, a US spouse has no free movement rights, and with Brexit looming, requirements could still further change.

[Wuozopo 4,285]

It is quite expensive where you live, but you get the lovely weather, mountains, ocean.  I find the UK quite expensive for housing too. But you have valid reasons and at least you have citizenship so can change your mind and not do immigration in the US again if you ever want to come back. Have you thought that a cheaper place to live might allow you to get a part time job or be a stay at home mom for awhile?  

 

There is somebody in this forum right now that went back to the UK and is now working on immigration again to come back to the US. See the thread called "DCF London (merged)" Missynick0903 is the name. Maybe you can reach out to her and have a PM chat. I've known a few over the years that went to the UK then decided to come back. But we wouldn't hear from those that stayed in the UK and found it wonderful because they would have no need for Visa Journey, right?

 

The financial requirements are here https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/783641/Appendix-FM-1-7-Financial-Requirement-ext_1_.pdf

 

If you don't work in the UK six months at a job before he comes, you can do it with £62,500 cash savings. And there's so many combinations explained, it does my head in.

 

 

[mlh 93]

My husband is from the UK and I hate seeing people say that there is "free healthcare" in the UK.  The amount taken out of your paycheck each month, for what I would consider average  to below average healthcare is anything but free. 

 

He has some heart problems and was told in 2015 before he moved to the US that he was in total heart failure and would need a heart transplant.  Moved here, got a new pacemaker put in, and other than being dependent on that due to a mistake the UK doctors made 18 years ago, his heart is totally healthy and he is nowhere near needing a heart transplant.

 

We also considered living in the UK over the US, and the cost of living was a lot more for us to move there than what we could get here in TX.

 

Time off from your job depends on the company.  I don't know what you do for work, but like others said, you could look at moving to a different part of the US and changing companies that may have a better benefits package to give you more time off.  I know it doesn't solve the family support, but just some things to consider before making that big leap, and like others said, you'd have to move first, get a job making enough to meet the income requirements (with no option for a joint/co-sponsor) before you can both move over.

[Boiler 43,596]

I have NHS horror stories and am no fan to say the least, however given a choice the US system or lack of is worse. I would like to see something better.

[yuna628 9,533]

10 hours ago, Boiler said:

I have NHS horror stories and am no fan to say the least, however given a choice the US system or lack of is worse. I would like to see something better.

Given what I have seen with the NHS and everything I have endured of the past two months in the US medical system, I'm very much inclined to agree with you.

[Cam54 84]

12 hours ago, mlh said:

My husband is from the UK and I hate seeing people say that there is "free healthcare" in the UK.  The amount taken out of your paycheck each month, for what I would consider average  to below average healthcare is anything but free. 

 

He has some heart problems and was told in 2015 before he moved to the US that he was in total heart failure and would need a heart transplant.  Moved here, got a new pacemaker put in, and other than being dependent on that due to a mistake the UK doctors made 18 years ago, his heart is totally healthy and he is nowhere near needing a heart transplant.

 

We also considered living in the UK over the US, and the cost of living was a lot more for us to move there than what we could get here in TX.

 

Time off from your job depends on the company.  I don't know what you do for work, but like others said, you could look at moving to a different part of the US and changing companies that may have a better benefits package to give you more time off.  I know it doesn't solve the family support, but just some things to consider before making that big leap, and like others said, you'd have to move first, get a job making enough to meet the income requirements (with no option for a joint/co-sponsor) before you can both move over.

I did actually see an article where it proved that you dont pay more in taxes in uk or any other country with socialized healthcare for that matter than the US, the US takes far more money for military, I'd rather my taxes go to the NHS than the military personally. There is the option of providing evidence of 2.5 years worth of income in savings which is the route we would go down. To live somewhere cheaper in the us I feel like I'd have to move somewhere less desirable anyway so i might as well go home to rainy England lol, tbh though I do prefer the culture in the uk, the people and how things are run and I came into the US so wanting to prefer it but it didnt happen because everything felt so backwards

[Cam54 84]

On 6/21/2019 at 6:37 PM, Wuozopo said:

It is quite expensive where you live, but you get the lovely weather, mountains, ocean.  I find the UK quite expensive for housing too. But you have valid reasons and at least you have citizenship so can change your mind and not do immigration in the US again if you ever want to come back. Have you thought that a cheaper place to live might allow you to get a part time job or be a stay at home mom for awhile?  

 

There is somebody in this forum right now that went back to the UK and is now working on immigration again to come back to the US. See the thread called "DCF London (merged)" Missynick0903 is the name. Maybe you can reach out to her and have a PM chat. I've known a few over the years that went to the UK then decided to come back. But we wouldn't hear from those that stayed in the UK and found it wonderful because they would have no need for Visa Journey, right?

 

The financial requirements are here https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/783641/Appendix-FM-1-7-Financial-Requirement-ext_1_.pdf

 

If you don't work in the UK six months at a job before he comes, you can do it with £62,500 cash savings. And there's so many combinations explained, it does my head in.

 

 

Thanks! I just PMd her

 Yeh we considered that but the idea of knowing absolutely noone and raising a family sounds awful. We visit England again at xmas so I will try and look at it through objective and not emotional eyes 

[Cam54 84]

On 6/21/2019 at 6:37 PM, Wuozopo said:

It is quite expensive where you live, but you get the lovely weather, mountains, ocean.  I find the UK quite expensive for housing too. But you have valid reasons and at least you have citizenship so can change your mind and not do immigration in the US again if you ever want to come back. Have you thought that a cheaper place to live might allow you to get a part time job or be a stay at home mom for awhile?  

 

There is somebody in this forum right now that went back to the UK and is now working on immigration again to come back to the US. See the thread called "DCF London (merged)" Missynick0903 is the name. Maybe you can reach out to her and have a PM chat. I've known a few over the years that went to the UK then decided to come back. But we wouldn't hear from those that stayed in the UK and found it wonderful because they would have no need for Visa Journey, right?

 

The financial requirements are here https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/783641/Appendix-FM-1-7-Financial-Requirement-ext_1_.pdf

 

If you don't work in the UK six months at a job before he comes, you can do it with £62,500 cash savings. And there's so many combinations explained, it does my head in.

 

 

It looks like if I have a job offer in uk wirh same company starting within 3 months of the move that also counts as income! And my company does have practices out there!

[Wuozopo 4,285]

1 hour ago, Cam54 said:

It looks like if I have a job offer in uk wirh same company starting within 3 months of the move that also counts as income! And my company does have practices out there!

Is that the financial part about if moving to a similar job held in US,  the 6 months is waived? I've forgotten the specifics, but a more lenient option.

 

You'll just have to search your heart for what works for you and if your spouse can embrace it too. We're all different.

 

I love Texas. I love the super friendly culture. I love that it's not cold and rainy. I love that we own a palatial home for what a 2BR end terrace would cost me near my UK family (or $1.25 million where you live). I love that 40% of my salary no longer goes to income tax plus 10% more to National Insurance. I love no state income tax. I love 7.25% sales tax vs 20% VAT. Cheap petrol. Acres of free parking.  I tolerate the summer heat and crazy drivers.  I would never move back and my wife would say bye-bye if I mentioned it. Immigrating has worked out for me, thank God. 

Edited June 23, 2019 by Wuozopo

[JFH 12,189]

8 hours ago, Cam54 said:

I did actually see an article where it proved that you dont pay more in taxes in uk or any other country with socialized healthcare for that matter than the US, the US takes far more money for military, I'd rather my taxes go to the NHS than the military personally. There is the option of providing evidence of 2.5 years worth of income in savings which is the route we would go down. To live somewhere cheaper in the us I feel like I'd have to move somewhere less desirable anyway so i might as well go home to rainy England lol, tbh though I do prefer the culture in the uk, the people and how things are run and I came into the US so wanting to prefer it but it didnt happen because everything felt so backwards

Depends on which sources you read, I suppose. The latest I have seen is that the U.K. spends £125 billion on the NHS, which is roughly $160 billion. The US spends $600 billion on the military but with a population 6 times the size of the U.K. 

 

My “issue” with state-funded healthcare is that the taxpayer pays for it every month, whether they use it or not. Aside from my ongoing need for my epilepsy medication, I’m a very healthy person and can’t remember when I last had the need to see a doctor for anything other than regular epilepsy check ups. I prefer only having to pay when I use it, not paying for it every month, regardless of my usage. My husband had three major surgeries last year. For two of them there is a very long waiting list in the U.K. - total knee replacement. He had both knees replaced within six months of each other and the first one was done with 6 weeks of the doctor deciding that everything else wasn’t working and this was the only solution. That 6-week period wasn’t a waiting period, it was the necessary time required to complete various pre op measurements etc and also because I needed time to get things ready for his recovery.  To think if we lived in the U.K. he’d probably still be in the agonizing pain and unable to walk like he was pre-op is heartbreaking. 

 

I have just converted my US salary to pounds and run a calculation to see what I would pay in taxation and national insurance and I’d be much worse off than the sum of my deductions here, including my healthcare out of pocket maximum. I also live in a state with no income tax. 

 

I get 4 weeks off a year here in the US and it will be increased to 4.5 next year (having completed 3 years with the same employer). Perhaps a change of job would help? Not sure what part of CA you are (apart from coastal) but we have employees at LAX who get the same time off as I do. My employer also pays my healthcare premiums at 100% and puts $1000 a year into my HSA. So there are great employers here. 

 

I’m not trying to deter you from moving back. I just think there is a tendency among us Brits (and I’m guilty of it too, from time to time) to view life in the U.K. with a nostalgia for a life we would not have if we were to move back permanently. 

 

In short, it’s not perfect here. But it’s not perfect there either.