So anyone thought of moving back/already moved back???

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Hmm, we will go back again at some point. Never really sure about himself getting citizenship since Uncle Sam likes to tax you no matter where you live in the world.

Sammy - you will probably want to check out this site for more specific answers to your questions. Best of luck!

http://uk-yankee.com/

[Alex+R 0]

We're waiting for Rey to get his citizenship and then we're planning to move to the UK.

He is also Portuguese so we plan to make the move over there. Both our fields would translate fairly easily (although not without some bumps and setbacks for me, I'm sure). We aren't sure if we'd plan to make a life there, though. Probably not. We'd probably come back after 2-5 years.

[annelizabeth 1]

Does anyone know what the implications are re. timing? eg if you move back to the UK before lifting of conditions, or after naturalization? Do you jeopardize your status if you stay away too long?

Just wondering .....

[no name 1]

Does anyone know what the implications are re. timing? eg if you move back to the UK before lifting of conditions, or after naturalization? Do you jeopardize your status if you stay away too long?

Just wondering .....

It's considered abandonment of your GC if you are gone for 6+ months...you need to maintain a US residency to keep your GC. Otherwise, you start all over form scratch again - hence the need for many to get their US passport first...

[Lou Lou 1]

I'm up for citizenship this year and from then on we are planning to go back but we don't know where yet. We don't need to rush. The ole man is taking early retirement and may go back to school so that will determine what happens from there. I'm ready to leave VT and the winters, that's for sure!

[Krikit 1,164]

Does anyone know what the implications are re. timing? eg if you move back to the UK before lifting of conditions, or after naturalization? Do you jeopardize your status if you stay away too long?

Just wondering .....

You may want to visit the Dept of State Travel site. Here's a bit of information from that site:

A permanent resident alien who intends to remain abroad for more than a year should, at least 30 days prior to the proposed date of departure, apply while in the United States to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the Department of Homeland Security for Reentry Permit. The permit is valid for two years and may not be extended. If such a permit is obtained the alien may use this card to reenter the United States within the period of validity. Every alien applying for readmission must satisfy the immigration authorities that he or she is eligible in all respects for admission.

A Reentry Permit does not preserve residence for naturalization purposes. An application for preservation of residence must be filed with USCIS prior to departure from the United States. Further information may be obtained from the USCIS office having jurisdiction over the alien''s place of residence in the United States.

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

It's just my own opinion, but I can't imagine doing all this to move, just to get citizenship, only to move right back again. The visa process is nothing compared to uprooting lives, careers, making new friends, hairdressers, bank accounts and everything else that comes along with it. And I definatley wouldn't hang around somewhere i didn't want to be, for 3 years just for the sake of making coming back more easily.

Maybe it's cos I'm doing DCF, and we're together, and not in a rush, so it doesn't seem as bad. But i'm expecting the actual move to be a much bigger trauma than the paperwork. Just my two cents.

[no name 1]

It's just my own opinion, but I can't imagine doing all this to move, just to get citizenship, only to move right back again. The visa process is nothing compared to uprooting lives, careers, making new friends, hairdressers, bank accounts and everything else that comes along with it. And I definatley wouldn't hang around somewhere i didn't want to be, for 3 years just for the sake of making coming back more easily.

Maybe it's cos I'm doing DCF, and we're together, and not in a rush, so it doesn't seem as bad. But i'm expecting the actual move to be a much bigger trauma than the paperwork. Just my two cents.

*shrugs*

As the OP says, things change. People change. Priorities change.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Things definitely do change. If you'd asked me three years ago if I ever would move back to America, I would have said no way, no how. Even when my ex and I split, I didn't consider leaving what had become my real home. And though I say never now, well, I might just have another Damascene conversion. Unlikely, but possible, just not right now or in the immediate future.

[redkitty 0]

We both can't wait to get out of England, so no chance of us ever moving back here again. Home is San Francisco and retirement years from now is Spain, but no England.

[gwenneh 7]

Heh. We said "ZOMG we're SO not going back!" too. Nine months later, there we were.

Things don't always pan out the way you think they will!

I also don't find enormous moves traumatic, even ones that involve immigration. I'm pretty good at taking stuff in stride!

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

I think i wasn't clear enough, I know for sure that things change, and situations change, and what people want out of life changes. I just meant that I can't imagine moving to the US already knowing that I want to move back here. I sorta understand your attitude a little more, Gwen, because I like moving to new places etc. I just don't understand moving over or back just for the sake of citizenship. Again, everyone makes choices that make the most sense for them, no judgement. It's just not something I would do.

[Sister Fracas 5]

It's just my own opinion, but I can't imagine doing all this to move, just to get citizenship, only to move right back again. The visa process is nothing compared to uprooting lives, careers, making new friends, hairdressers, bank accounts and everything else that comes along with it. And I definatley wouldn't hang around somewhere i didn't want to be, for 3 years just for the sake of making coming back more easily.

Maybe it's cos I'm doing DCF, and we're together, and not in a rush, so it doesn't seem as bad. But i'm expecting the actual move to be a much bigger trauma than the paperwork. Just my two cents.

I can only speak for hubster....he DOES love it here as well as back in Ole Blighty. The reason for waiting for citizenship IS for the unforeseen being that we have to come back here for some reason. Being dual passport (for both of us) just makes moving around be it for leisure or more permanent reasons, just a bit easier. Who knows.... I may HATE actually living in England and we'd decide to come back. Never know...

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I have completely uprooted a few times in the past 10 years and the biggest obstacle by far has been immigration for hubster. I totally understand why people want to get the citizenship.

[mustang-sally 8]

For those thinking about moving back to the UK, the British government has added yet more hurdles for potential immigrants today. Those who are thinking about or have emmigrated to the UK legally are up in arms about this.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7253933.stm

As usual in everything here in the UK, the government has chosen the ones that have to go through all the protocol that suffer, the easy targets. The ones that can bypass all this are the ones that are really causing the problems, ie the EU citizens that are flooding into the UK, these don't seem to count in the figures, nothing can be done about them.

It would be like the USA suddenly opening its borders freely to Mexico, then expecting everyone else to obtain permits and visas, but not only that, everyone else has to pay extra fees and taxes so these Mexicans can stay. There would be an outcry and understandably so.

I am so glad to be moving out the UK, there is no law and order, no respect, housing prices are ridiculous, taxes, bills and cost of living are way too high. OK we get more holidays and vacations but have no spare money to enjoy them. Vacations to a lot of my friends are a stay in a caravan in a seaside resort in another part of the UK, how many Americans would spend a vacation in a trailer? The NHS is a joke, free healthcare is appealing, yes. But waiting 18 months for a routine appointment isnt the ideal, then another long wait for treatment? I would rather pay private and get seen right away, in fact because of the NHS I took out private medical insurance as many more people here are doing more. There is no confidence in the NHS.

The USA isnt perfect, but compared to the UK right now its so much safer. If the UK becomes a much safer place in the future, then maybe I would consider moving back, but as it is now there is no way. I can't honestly see a big change in the next few years though.