Tesco

Don’t forget to file FinCEN114 and 8938 if relevant.

You could just purchase a sim while in the U.K. (EE O2 etc), a 30 day sim will give the data you want and a number, (which you wouldn’t really need). I just use WhatsApp and everyone uses that to contact me. It’s the good data package that you’d need though. You could turn off VM on your U.S. mobile number if you wanted while in the U.K., or you could add a modified OGM asking people to contact you via other means.

Patient Access was an App already installed, but also there is a website too. Initially it showed very little until we asked GP Reception to grant FULL medical record access. After a week it was done and all consultations going back many years then showed up. Current and past medication and the all important summery record. There is also the NHS App, although in our case Patent Access worked. You can download and print the summery along with medications to include any major or on-going health issues. Some GP Surgeries can give you a hard time, but ultimately they have a legal duty to provide access, albeit in certain limited circumstances it can be denied. Once access is granted there is no expiration.

16 minutes ago, appleblossom said:

 

Yup, we didn't have our IL either. @Haynes, just bear in mind the visa will only be valid for 6 months from the medical, so don't have it done too early if you can't move that quickly - we moved straight after we had our passports back with visas in, so it wasn't an issue for us, but if you want longer before you have to move then do factor that in. 

Did you not need the IL at the medical, or just to make the appointment for the medical?

2 hours ago, Haynes said:

So we got the DQ notice through today. I am expecting to receive my IL in May based on others posts. 
 

In the meantime, I am trying to anticipate what I’ll need from my GP. I have my vaccination records, and will be requesting a patient care summary. 
 

Pre-Covid, I was on medication for Anxiety but I stopped requiring medication and checkups  towards the end of 2019. Should I be requesting a separate letter from my GP specifically about the anxiety?

 

Thanks 

Ask GP Reception to give you access to your records on Patient Access, you can then download and print at home. Saves a BIG headache with not then having to rely on others. You will see any Consultant notes and print along with SCR and medications. We were DQ’d and received IL within a few weeks, it’s super quick. A little too quick as it only gave about two weeks to arrange and attend medical prior to interview.

4 hours ago, Haynes said:

DQ’d today, 3rd of April. I am trying to guestimate when I can expect my interview. From reading other posts, I am thinking around June. Does that seem sensible? Also, do I need to wait for my interview letter before booking a medical? Or can I book that in now?

 

Cheers

They will want the IL at Visa Medicals. Early June is about right based on our timeline. Had to reschedule interview as the medical would have to have taken place in just a couple of weeks time to have made the interview as originally scheduled.

16 hours ago, nbar said:

A bunch of March IL's have already been sent out for interviews in May - we were DQ'ed on the 4th of March, received the IL on 29th March, and interview date is the 8th of May. I think you may have missed the March cutoff unfortunately, and might receive a date in very late May or early June?

We had the same dates, but are rescheduling. I did see a couple of appointments left for the 9th.

Does the London Embassy conduct IR1 interviews on a daily basis or only on some days? Also, I see that many interviews are undertaken early in the morning; does anyone know if afternoon appointments are also available? Need to reschedule an interview and trying to align with train times. From what I see you first need to cancel the appointment and then select an alternative. Are you then presented with a list of days/times available after you’ve cancelled that original appointment? Thank you  

Just get Patient Access and then you can download and print your own record. Contacted the GP surgery about three months ago in anticipation of the eventual medical. It had taken them about a week to grant access and notify us. With access you are in control to view and print in your own home, otherwise you’re at the mercy of others.

On 3/5/2024 at 4:40 PM, HannahKhan said:

Got our IL Yesterday! 

Congratulations -). When is it?

After an astonishing period of just 6 days the IR1 visa has been DQ’d. 
 

There is a ‘Case FE Review note’ Im uncertain what it means though. I’d appreciate anyones thoughts on the below. My only guess is that evidence of the source of income was not uploaded, rather I uploaded bank statements with that income shown as a line item. I’m not relaying on assets to exceed the poverty level. My employment is foreign, this will end, but other income easily exceeds the poverty level. That income will continue Stateside. 

‘The income reported as stated on form I-864, I-864A is insufficient to overcome the public charge grounds of inadmissibility for visa issuance. To avoid delays, an additional Affidavit of Support Form I-864 from a joint sponsor may be submitted. For more information visit https://nvc.state.gov/aos and https://www.uscis.gov/i-864p. A consular officer will decide if you meet these requirements at the time of the interview. Note: You, as the sponsor, and any other sponsors household members and joint sponsors, must provide updated or additional evidence for the applicant to present at the time of their interview such as: * Other income * Assets * Proof of current employment Note: You submitted documentation to the National Visa Center through the Consular Electronic Application Center CEAC. You can continue to upload documents to CEAC up until the date of your visa interview.’

Did you download the SCR from Patient Access? Once you’ve asked GP reception they will give you access within a day or two. You’ll then have the ability to read, download, save and print consultation notes. Some past issues that are long gone do show as current. A sore throat from 10 years ago that is listing as current isn't obviously going to be a problem. Your mental health diagnosis letter will though. It would be prudent to print along with current status.

54 minutes ago, wallflowers said:

@Tesco thank you! My certificate only took two weeks from submission to receiving it in the post. It was quick! They say it can take up to 30 days though 🙂

That was fast! So far it’s been a 3 week wait for us. I factored in 30 days, as we’re not submitting until March anyhow. I did read that domestic DBS checks are taking up to 2 months!

I’d upload and also present at the interview. Covered both options then.

How long did it take to receive your police report?

36 minutes ago, Az21 said:

Thank you for the replies, everyone.

 

 

I think it might be the wiser decision to take the money out of bonds and put into an account I can still access from the US. Unfortunate, but I'd rather not risk things, even if I have gone all digital for the letter communication with NS&I.

 

The form filing is something I clearly need to look into as that's sailing right over my head at the moment. Definitely something I need to learn about.

 

On a related note, then, I assume I would need to disclose any stocks I have invested in from the UK?

 

If you do decide to ‘Cash in’ your PB’s you could

look at a Direct Saver with NS&I. You’re safe with deposits over £85,000 (unlike regular banks). If you have an existing ISA, then you can make no further deposits once you’ve left the U.K. (not a product I’d recommend under the circumstances).

I’d be far more concerned with any stocks you retain when Stateside. There maybe PFIC and OEIC reporting. Also US SEC implications. You’d really need guidance from a U.K./U.S. tax expert on that. 
 

Good luck -)

22 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Who mentioned negative rate, well unless you mean the effects of inflation, think that is about 4%.

 

No different to investing in a say a Government bond which pays 4 ish % and using that income to buy lottery tickets.

A U.K. lottery account would be problematic with the US authorities. That’s definitely gambling. 

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

You gamble with the interest not the capital.

There’s no negative rate with NS&I, your investment is 100% protected by the U.K. Government. I think you’re referring to speculative positive income, which is not gambling. 

I believe its illegal for the USPS to circulate gambling mail, NS&I is 100% online though. You don't loose your stake, so wouldn't be viewed as gambling, as you have nothing to loose. You will need to file FinCEN114 and note as Securities. Also be mindful of IRS form 8938, as the thresholds fall dramatically when you move Stateside. You will need to look at your specific circumstances, (filling status). and then look at the specified balances to see if you need to file this form. It's a bit onerous, although once you study the process, its straightforward. Keep in mind that all FFI's need to be disclosed, to include pensions and annuities/life insurance polices with a positive balance/ surrender value, so it's your TOTAL foreign assets, (Non U.S.) that will dictate 8938 filing requirements. Unlike FinCEN114, there is no need to disclose POA & signatory authority accounts on 8938. FinCEN114 a Treasury form, more aimed to seek out money laundering. 8938 targets tax evaders (FACTA and the Hire Act)

Report NS&I PB's on Schedule B also and use any 1116 passive FTC's you may have to offset U.S tax exposure. Like ISA's these wrappers and not tax efficient with the IRS. 

Your tax filing obligations are generally the same wherever in the world you reside. If you work in the U.K. file a 2555 to exclude income. File a 1116 for any tax paid on investment income. File a FinCEN114 and 8938 if thresholds require this. Remember that ISA’s and other HMRC tax free items are taxable to the IRS. TaxAct is an intuitive preparation software if you go it alone.

You can order an additional copy for £6 at the time of original order, or within 3 months, (if you really wanted two certificates that is).

8 hours ago, JH & EB said:

Thanks so much for your help. So, just to make sure I'm understanding correctly, I am correct that we will only use form 1116 since his only foreign income was the passive income from the vacation rentals. He was not employed - abroad or here - in 2023 so we wouldn't use 2555. Do I have that right?

 

And thanks for the extra flag on FBAR. I didn't realize that applied to foreign pensions but reading more now, understand that it very much does (just diving deeper into all of this now that the AOS paperwork is out of the way). We will do this asap next week; I've having him gather all his pension fund info and balances, from funds in France, UK and Italy as we speak. And I have the question re: 8938 on my list for when we find a CPA qualified for these matters. 

 

(Not looking forward to dealing with all of the financial / reporting / tax matters when he sells the vacation rental properties, but that's a headache for another year.)

 

Thanks again for taking the time to help! 

Yes 1116, 2555 is only for FEIE. There are several 1116 ‘baskets’, the passive income on is what you need.

FBAR is simple, just use the same pdf each year and change the ‘maximum value’, save and upload-very easy. He may not know the maximum value of any pension, so the ‘maximum value unknown’ comes into play. If there’s has been no pension distribution the 8938 would be $0 and no tax associated. Your international Accountant will be well versed in the onerous form 3520. This form is not for the faint hearted, but U.K. pensions are IRS qualified, not sure about the EU ones though. Good luck with it all, my advice would be to keep financial affairs outside the US as simple as possible, unless you have a significant footprint and the resources to employ experts to keep you on the right side of the IRS, SEC & US Treasury. 

You can only file a 2555 for foreign employment. You may file a 1116 for employment income under the ‘General category’ remember the 2555 excludes that income, the 1116 gives credit for foreign taxes paid and can be carried forward 10 years and back 1. ‘Passive income’ will encompass the rental income.  
you are allowed up to your US tax rate, so if  that’s 12%, and you paid 20% to a foreign country, the difference is banked (carried forward).

As for U.K. pension, make sure you file FinCEN114 and also look at IRS form 8938, don’t get caught out on this, as the penalties are catastrophic.

I have a question with regards the medical examination. If you attend the medical and at that time they require more information, (GP letter for more details for example). Would the medical date be the physical date you attended the examination, or the date any subsequent letters/follow ups had been received and then approved?

Thank you.

1 hour ago, Tesco said:

Ideally, we'd want to print the Summery Care Record from Patient Access for the medical appointment. Although access is not there right now for the full summery and vaccination record, a phone call/email to the GP practice should suffice with subsequent access then granted to the summery care record. This would mean that we can print the 'live' record close to the medical appointment date rather then asking the GP practice for a print out once we have the appointment, (with possible delays, or the timing out of the SCR if we picked a GP request date that is too early to the medical date). 

 

I'd be interested to learn who has just printed their own record like this. Also, can you print from the NHS App? I'm unable to see any method of doing so on the app, so perhaps it must be from the patient access site?

 

Thanks

Summary Care Record I mean!

Ideally, we'd want to print the Summery Care Record from Patient Access for the medical appointment. Although access is not there right now for the full summery and vaccination record, a phone call/email to the GP practice should suffice with subsequent access then granted to the summery care record. This would mean that we can print the 'live' record close to the medical appointment date rather then asking the GP practice for a print out once we have the appointment, (with possible delays, or the timing out of the SCR if we picked a GP request date that is too early to the medical date). 

I'd be interested to learn who has just printed their own record like this. Also, can you print from the NHS App? I'm unable to see any method of doing so on the app, so perhaps it must be from the patient access site?

Thanks