England to USA, K-1 Visa

[kennym 275]

Kenny -

People who are moving to the US from another country had better "over analyze" it. It's a big decision.

In the end of stressing, there is a good chance they will still encounter unexpected challenges.. Regardless of where they decide to stay.. Over analyzing is a futile effort.. Because it requires a crystal ball..

No one can be sure of the future, so the real question is, do yo love each other.. Millions have plowed through challenges either here or anyplace, so just decide what works best..

Either way, because it is the US and England, you aint stuck if you change your mind later..

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

In the end of stressing, there is a good chance they will still encounter unexpected challenges.. Regardless of where they decide to stay.. Over analyzing is a futile effort.. Because it requires a crystal ball..

No one can be sure of the future, so the real question is, do yo love each other.. Millions have plowed through challenges either here or anyplace, so just decide what works best..

Either way, because it is the US and England, you aint stuck if you change your mind later..

Love doesn't pay the bills. It helps get through rough times but at the end of the day it is not enough for survival.

Craig asked for information from people who have moved from the UK. My husband has. You did not. Neither did your wife. The two societies, while sharing a common language, are more different than you can imagine.

[kennym 275]

Rebecca, You are soo funny, of course love doesnt pay bills.. cliche'

any coupple can make it regardless of where you live... Don't over stress.. The same things that cause a couple to fail finacially will exists regardless of where they live.. just as the same things that make a couple successful...

[Ban Hammer 13,407]

back to topic please, and cease the bickering. if bickering continues, you know what happens next...

charles

vj moderation.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Rebecca, You are soo funny, of course love doesnt pay bills.. cliche'

any coupple can make it regardless of where you live... Don't over stress.. The same things that cause a couple to fail finacially will exists regardless of where they live.. just as the same things that make a couple successful...

You don't seem to be getting anything the OP said. As Rebecca said your wife and yourself don't come from an English speaking country and you automatically knew there would be some language issues, coming from an English speaking country you don't usually think it will be as hard as it is. I personally feel it's actually harder because you keep expecting things to be a certain way and they're not.

The OP is also younger than yourself and your wife. The OP's fiancee is a young USC with no credit history, and he will have none either. How are they going to rent an apartment? How are they going to buy a car? How are they going to support themselves? What about health insurance? It would be irresponsible NOT to think about these things. If the USC isn't working, where are they getting their money to live on? Her parents? Have they discussed that with her parents?

OP you're doing the right thing by thinking about all these things. I know I'm from Aus but I had several of the same issues others are discussing.

You mentioned manners. I too felt people were polite.. in the beginning. Just as many aren't polite. I've copped flack for saying things "wrong" and am occasionally told to speak English (ummm??) and one girl at work likes to scream "SPEAK AMERICAN" if I say something she doesn't understand. I have on two occasions been told I am a child of criminals (due to Australia being a criminal colony) which I of course take offence to especially seeing they don't know my lineage... but also because it's not entirely true... morons :S

Financially we were able to buy a house due to my husband having stellar credit history but I couldn't be on the deed because my financial's weren't used (some VA loophole). I couldn't even open a phone contract without a sizeable down-payment so I'm just on his (we considered different plans because he wanted a particular phone only available on a different carrier to the one we were already on). I was able to get electric without issue but I was told that sometimes you need a down-payment for that too.. depending on your credit history. I had to get a secured credit card through Capital One so that I could start building my credit history (my husband doesn't believe in CC's so i couldn't be added to his). It's only a $200 limit that I had to pay $49 for (or something like that) but it's helping to build my history. Eventually I want a car, which requires a car loan. Again my husband has great enough credit but I would at least like to be be on it. I've been here over 2 years now and I still don't have a decent enough history to do this stuff myself...

Health insurance scares the ####### out of me. Even WITH coverage I'm worried. What if something I need isn't covered? I don't want to go into debt My SIL was in a motorcycle accident (passenger, not her fault) and the treatment racked up over $250K! I have pregnancy coverage and all that but again, what if I need something but that isn't included? It's ridiculous.

A friend who has a lot of employment experience took close to a year to find a job here. I arrived in Sept 2009 and got my first job in June of this year (granted I didn't start looking till recently)... so if your USC doesn't have the fund to support you, what are you going to do? Having employment authorization doesn't mean it will be easy.

Another friend of mine recently was able to get a car. The INSURANCE on the other hand was REALLY expensive and not something she considered before buying her new car. I feel bad because neither did I but her oversight will help me when the time comes (I have a truck but I REALLY want a car.. I'm a car person).

Anyway the US is expensive, some days its harder than others but ultimately you'll be together and it can't be anything than fabulous just because of that

Edited October 8, 2011 by Vanessa&Tony

[kennym 275]

Anyway the US is expensive, some days its harder than others but ultimately you'll be together and it can't be anything than fabulous just because of that

Edited October 8, 2011 by kennym

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

I belong to a couple of other forums - one about Brits in the US and another about USC's in the UK.

It's very interesting to see the perspectives of other people in their situations. A lot of the younger Brits are very hopeful about a bright future in the US, but they seem to have a harder time with separation from family. People like my husband (who came over when older) seem to manage the family separations but they have more trouble adjusting to US ways. A female friend who is my husband's age talks about the overwhelming frustration one day of realizing she didn't even know how to post a letter.

Of course, anyone moving from any country is going to have days like Rosie's.

My husband will never make a good American . He doesn't have the killer instinct that it takes to make it in US business. And he's not a good game player either. At the moment he works with DD individuals doing Day Hab work. He is perfect for this work, but it pays diddly. He just got health insurance, but it's not the best for him. It only pays for generic prescriptions and he has a couple of name brand meds he NEEDS so he's still looking for other work. So this is something a lot of Brits in the US really hate - what they call "job lock". They may have to give up a job they love just to get decent health care. Or they are stuck in a job they hate because the insurance is good. British people don't have that kind of conundrum over there. Their health care isn't tied to their work.

My husband also has other serious health issues that could bankrupt us in the US. The best hospital in Europe for his condition is in Belfast. 70 miles from his hometown. But he came over here to the US because he wanted to be with me. I should have never let that happen.

[craig_b1990 1]

Guys, guys, guys!!! I really appreciate all your feedback. I know everyone has their own opinions and experiences, tips and advice. That is what i asked for, and so far i have recieved more than i expected, which is amazing. There is no need to argue over it all though. I have taken on-board everything that everyone has said so far, i joined this forum to get the help i needed. So everything is of value to me. So..... don't argue over me? lol.... I'll listen to what anyone has to say.

As far as the rest of it goes, i realise i am extremely young to do this, have no credit rating and all that stuff.... which is a negative i suppose, but when it comes to me moving to the USA, i will lose it all anyway, so the way i see it at the moment is that i cant lose anything i didnt have. Right? I realise this will be one of, if not THE biggest challenge of my life, i will hit brick walls, but i will work how to pass them. I know im being all "blurry eyed" about it all, but i am learning the realisation of what to expect from everyones help so far. Advice whether its constructive critisism, or what, it is all of use to me. I realise everyone has different views and experiences here, so i want to know as much as i can, so i can gain the 'average' of what to expect. Facts and figures are what help me most; what costs to expect, total costs, unexpected costs etc, and rough timelines of how long i will have to wait once started really. The rest of what im told i will use to my advantage for preparing and knowing what to expect.

I realise i will have people who knock me back along my journey, and when i reach my goal, it will perhaps not be as rosy as i expect it to be. But its a learning curve, i will deal with what comes my way as i see necessary.

With regards to funding, i am saving all i can, hopefully within the next few months i/my immediate family is coming into a reasonable amount of money (personal reasons, which i do not wish to explain, but lets say, should i need to i can cover any and every cost possible). My girlfriend, and her mum also had a substantial payout last year, and i have talked to her mother, and my mother/immediate family, my situation and my intentions are out in the open, everyone knows, and i have their word that should i need anything in terms of finance, then i only need to ask. I know that sounds very naiive when put like that, but i trust their word, although i hope i will not need to put it to the test. I suppose i came on here to gauge a good view of everything, and to know what i need to consider along my journey. That is what i have recieved so far, and i am greatful for it. I will always listen to each piece of advice or opinion on here, but theres no need to argue between yourselves over it, because it wont change what im going to listen to. Sorry if i sound abrupt saying that, i just want to gain as much knowledge as i can here.

Again, thank you ALL for your responses so far, i am grateful, and will be grateful for everything so far, and anymore advice i get. It is all coming it useful, helping me plan out my journey and make it the quickest and easiest route possible (i know it will not ever be easy or quick though!).

[Dan & Jenni 457]

*Dan & Jenny - I see it wasn't long since you started the process, I wish you the best of luck with it and i will undoubtedly keep up with you're process, and maybe ask you a few more questions along the line if you don't mind.

yeah sure you can ask me as many questions as you want mate... i mean i dont know as much as a lot of people on here and you might actually learn more from my mistakes than from my answers haha... but i will answer any questions that i can

i must say though, i think you are going the right way about it all... you understand that there will be obstacles to overcome at times so you will be well prepared when the time comes and you will go in to it with your eyes open

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Haha and I was just thinking, you guys don't really have a choice of where to live initially. The UK decided you both have to be 21 to get residency based on marriage :-(

Word on the street is that tomorrow, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom will hand down a ruling stemming from a challenge to this requirement.

So - things could change.

Or not.

Pertinent to anyone in Craig's situation, though.

[craig_b1990 1]

Word on the street is that tomorrow, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom will hand down a ruling stemming from a challenge to this requirement.

So - things could change.

Or not.

Pertinent to anyone in Craig's situation, though.

Yeah, i do have my eye on that, heard about it earlier today. Will be interesting to see the outcome of it. Hopefully somewhat positive? Who knows.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Yeah, i do have my eye on that, heard about it earlier today. Will be interesting to see the outcome of it. Hopefully somewhat positive? Who knows.

Well, I'm really really really hoping it comes out on the side of age 18. And I'm gonna selfishly say that's got nothing to do with you and Melaina My husband and I desperately want to return to the United Kingdom in a few years.

Major major changes are afoot for immigration to the UK next year. Many of the proposed leanings could be considered a violation of human rights (as the UK and the EU view these rights). A verdict in favor of age 18 for immigration would be a small step towards informing Parliament that they should not go to far in future rule changes.

[Dan & Jenni 457]

Word on the street is that tomorrow, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom will hand down a ruling stemming from a challenge to this requirement.

So - things could change.

Or not.

Pertinent to anyone in Craig's situation, though.

a government ban on non-EU foreign spouses under the age of 21 coming to the UK is unlawful, supreme court judges have ruled. it was just on the news

Yeah, i do have my eye on that, heard about it earlier today. Will be interesting to see the outcome of it. Hopefully somewhat positive? Who knows.

it was positive

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15272121

Supreme Court says forced marriage rules are unlawful

By Dominic Casciani Home affairs correspondent, BBC News

A government ban on non-EU foreign spouses under the age of 21 coming to the UK is unlawful, judges have ruled.

The ruling by the Supreme Court is a major blow to an immigration policy designed to stop forced marriages.

The rule, introduced in 2008, meant a foreign husband or wife from outside the EU could not join their partner in the UK if they were under 21 years old.

The court said that the rule was unjustified because it interfered with the human rights of couples.

The case was brought by two couples who said that the immigration rule had unlawfully interfered with their right to a private and family life - a crucial element of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Briton Amber Aguilar and her husband, Diego, from Chile, were under 21 when the rule was introduced - and Diego was banned from staying with his wife in the UK once his student visa had expired.

They couple chose to live initially in Chile, before moving to Ireland, rather than live apart. As a consequence, Amber lost her place at university in England.

The second case involved Suhyal Mohammed, a British man of south Asian origin, who was banned from bringing his young Pakistani wife Shakira Bibi to live with him in the UK.

The couple had come together through a traditional arranged marriage in which both families play a role in finding a suitable partner.

In neither couples' case was there any suggestion that the marriages were forced.

The High Court had initially backed the home secretary's power to prevent spouses under the age of 21 entering the UK.

But declaring the rule incompatible with the couples' rights, Lord Wilson said in the Supreme Court's judgement the government had acted unlawfully because it had not shown a good case for interfering with the right to private and family life.

"I would acknowledge that the [change in rules] is rationally connected to the objective of deterring forced marriages," he said.

"But the number of forced marriages which it deters is highly debatable. What seems clear is that the number of unforced marriages which it obstructs from their intended development for up to three years vastly exceeds the number of forced marriages which it deters."

Lord Wilson said Home Secretary Theresa May had not quantified the scale of the problem in any meaningful way that would justify preventing under-21s settling in the UK after marriage.

He said: "On any view it is a sledgehammer but she has not attempted to indentify the size of the nut.

"At all events she fails to establish that the interference with the rights of the respondents under article 8 is justified."

One of the five justices, Lord Brown, ruled in the government's favour.

He said: "The extent to which the rule will help combat forced marriage and the countervailing extent to which it will disrupt the lives of innocent couples adversely affected by it is largely a matter of judgement.

"Unless demonstrably wrong, this judgement should be rather for government than for the courts."

[JoannaV 174]

YES

Can't believe Denmark has a minimum age of 24 o.O

I didn't even know they'd introduced the Supreme Court; so beware that if you settle in the US then decide to return to the UK after a couple of years you might feel completely out of touch haha. Us expats belong nowhere! Except with our spouses. Lol.

Sounds like health insurance is the only thing you really need to think about, but if you both have some savings available to you then even that should be ok :-)