Preparing for leaving the UK: Final checklist

[CLMIKE 22]

First and foremost, let me clarify I read the "Before leaving the UK forum" in its entirety. I know that's a recommendation, and I did follow up.

Now that I got that out of the way, is there anything else people recommend my fiancee does before we leave the UK on August the 25th?

Here's what I've got so far on the check list:

• Obtained copy of long birth certificate (and requesting 1 more additional copy)
• Requested what to do about dental records. Dentist will fax/forward if required to dentist in the states. Would not provide hard copy
• Obtained any references from previous jobs
• Cancel phone
• Submit information to student loans
• Obtain any medical records
• Mail forward (may not do only cause still lives with parents)
• Obtain course history data
• Obtain copy of degree
• Does not have to worry about taxes (lives at home, previous job was volunteer for references)
• Because she plans on keeping her account open in the UK, she will not cancel her banking account to transfer funds
• Saying goodbye to all friends and family (nan, sisters, brother, parents, etc etc)
• Boot sale the stuff she doesn't want to keep
• No furniture to sell, no car to sell, nothing that probably can't be packed in 3-5 suitcases between the two of us traveling together on the 25th
• Kept separate the medical data, vaccinations sheet, and do not open package to not get damaged
• One way travel Flight booked (Esta not required to travel on K1 visa...about 99% sure that's correct)

Am I forgetting anything major? Or minor? Or last minute advice here? Thanks for reading! It's been a hell of a journey, not done yet (yay AOS) but wouldn't have gotten this far without people like Nich, Trixie, Lost at Sea, mattwood and others.

[nobbie 105]

You are 100% correct about not needing an ESTA on a K1

[landr 126]

Let her bank know that she'll be moving and that her address will be in the US. If she has any debit and credit cards she'll be using while she is over there, even if initially, she needs to make sure they don't put a hold on them when they start registering US transactions. I believe she will also need to let them know for tax purposes, especially if she holds an interest-bearing account with them. And if she makes any online purchases in the US that require entry of a billing address, sometimes, they don't accept a UK billing address or even a UK credit card.

If she has any investment products, like an ISA or TESSA, she might wish to sell them off as I believe the US don't "acknowledge" the tax-free element - a financial advisor might be able to give her more specific and relevant advice if she does have one of these products.

With only a few weeks to go, I think you're leaving it a bit tight to get some of the documents on your list, e.g., medical records. If you've already requested them, then I think you'll probably be okay. In my experience, UK bureacracy and red tape dictates 2-4 weeks generally.

[CLMIKE 22]

Medical records were requested already. She just has to go obtain them. My constant reminder for her to do it is probably annoying her more than anything.

In regards to banking, I'll ask her if she draws interest on it. I doubt she does. As for the account, she uses the card more with paypal than actually the card itself. I think in her 7 years visiting me in america, sometimes for almost 90 days straight, she's never used her card in America.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Medical records were requested already. She just has to go obtain them. My constant reminder for her to do it is probably annoying her more than anything.

In regards to banking, I'll ask her if she draws interest on it. I doubt she does. As for the account, she uses the card more with paypal than actually the card itself. I think in her 7 years visiting me in america, sometimes for almost 90 days straight, she's never used her card in America.

On bank-- My husband kept his account. He was leasing his Mum's bungalow. She has moved back to it so his bank things still go to him at that address and Mum calls if any letters come. He manages it online. His UK Vonage charge is automatically deducted from it each month, as well as UK PayPal, and his UK credit card (used rarely). I would imagine her parents could continue to receive her bank things too without changing the address since she lives with them. If she draws interest, she needs to know the amount to report on income tax. If she has over $10k (that's dollar equivalent) then there is a form to report it on each year. Both those are easy if she can view her account online.

[CLMIKE 22]

So if the account draws bare interest, and is mainly a rainy day account more than anything for paypal and online purchaes, there's really not much to concern with leaving the address the same then right?

[Big Papa Zone 93]

You are 100% correct about not needing an ESTA on a K1

Yeah................WE know that............................certain airport employees though........................

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

So if the account draws bare interest, and is mainly a rainy day account more than anything for paypal and online purchaes, there's really not much to concern with leaving the address the same then right?

Well my husband has been here since 9/30/2008 and as far as the Co op Bank knows, he is still in Oxfordshire.

For interest (if any) you could look online, get the amount, and add it on your tax return. I don't see why they would have to report it to the IRS, as long as you were honest and reported it. It would be pennies anyway. If you were a billionaire with many thousands interest and dividends, then a different story. The IRS would want to watch it all more. They aren't bothered with small time taxpayers.

If the rainy day account exceeds equivalent to $10,000 balance any time during the year, it is reported on FBAR. It is a report, not a taxable item. It is mailed to the US Treasury by June 30, not filed with the tax return. We do it every year. TurboTax even reminds us to fill it out. You can Google FBAR. Name the bank(s), address, account number, highest balance converted to $$. Done. Remembering to do it is the hardest part.

[rhirhi 35]

If she's worked at all this financial year, have her fill out and send a P85 form. She might be able to get some tax back that way.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/p85.pdf

Oh and I'm sure she already has this, but make sure she brings her degree transcript with her as well as the actual certificate. I know that in my line of work at least, that's what everyone is gonna be interested in looking at when I start applying for jobs.

[2ndMessiah 184]

Oh and I'm sure she already has this, but make sure she brings her degree transcript with her as well as the actual certificate. I know that in my line of work at least, that's what everyone is gonna be interested in looking at when I start applying for jobs.

If she plans to go to school she will have to have her qualifications transcribed into something US colleges understands.

She will have to use the services of an International Credential Evaluater.

Such as World Education Services Inc. www.wes.org, Be prepared to drop a few $100 for this service.

.

[CLMIKE 22]

If she plans to go to school she will have to have her qualifications transcribed into something US colleges understands.

She will have to use the services of an International Credential Evaluater.

Such as World Education Services Inc. www.wes.org, Be prepared to drop a few $100 for this service.

.

Thanks

I figure we'll need to do this. She hasn't quite decided what she wants to do with her psychology degree. She loved volunteering at the nursery, so she's considering pursuing what requirements are needed to teach Kindergarten.

Frankly, as long as she's here, and happy, I could care less what job she has

[Kiwinyc 62]

Well my husband has been here since 9/30/2008 and as far as the Co op Bank knows, he is still in Oxfordshire.

For interest (if any) you could look online, get the amount, and add it on your tax return. I don't see why they would have to report it to the IRS, as long as you were honest and reported it. It would be pennies anyway. If you were a billionaire with many thousands interest and dividends, then a different story. The IRS would want to watch it all more. They aren't bothered with small time taxpayers.

If the rainy day account exceeds equivalent to $10,000 balance any time during the year, it is reported on FBAR. It is a report, not a taxable item. It is mailed to the US Treasury by June 30, not filed with the tax return. We do it every year. TurboTax even reminds us to fill it out. You can Google FBAR. Name the bank(s), address, account number, highest balance converted to $$. Done. Remembering to do it is the hardest part

Is FBAR filed by June 30 for the PREVIOUS tax or calendar year? I.e. I've missed June 30 this year because I thought I would need to start reporting this years balances in 2015. N.b. AOS was only just approved a couple of weeks ago.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Kiwinyc

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

My bank (Lloyd's) were happy to change my address and will mail me new cards etc to the US. I've left some money in the account which will prove useful when we visit the UK, and write cheques for birthdays etc. I closed my building society ISA though before leaving

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Is FBAR filed by June 30 for the PREVIOUS tax or calendar year? I.e. I've missed June 30 this year because I thought I would need to start reporting this years balances in 2015. N.b. AOS was only just approved a couple of weeks ago.

June 30, 2014 deadline to report foreign bank balances of 2013. I didn't even know about it that first year. Like you, my fiancé entered around October and married that year. We filed a joint tax return. His greencard came the next calendar year. I recall sending two years together because I didn't know. Nobody at the US Treasury has complained about being a year late. I really don't know off the top of my head whether you are required to report 2013 since you weren't a permanent resident. Then again, there are a lot of visa holders who aren't permanent residents but fall under the category "US person" who is supposed to file the report. Send it late or skip it. I doubt that anything would happen either way.

There is also FATCA with the $100,000 threshhold (if married). It is filed with the tax return to IRS. Money in foreign pensions counts along with investments and such. It was annoying and impossible to get good info on the first year and crashed TurboTax e-filing, so I purposely chose to skip it. Next year, it wasn't clarified much better, but at least TuboTax had programmed their software to handle it. So I broke down and listed UK private pensions with addresses and $0 for how much since we get no dollar value statements. Their instructions actually say if you have no way of knowing the amount, enter $0. So there...they know he has private pensions now and we estimate it is well over $100k or we wouldn't have done the form. Whatever! The good thing about TurboTax is that it fills in whatever you did before so you don't have to go look up and type in the names and addresses again. I'm sure it sounds overwhelming to a new immigrant, but it is just kinda routine now.

[Kiwinyc 62]

June 30, 2014 deadline to report foreign bank balances of 2013. I didn't even know about it that first year. Like you, my fiancé entered around October and married that year. We filed a joint tax return. His greencard came the next calendar year. I recall sending two years together because I didn't know. Nobody at the US Treasury has complained about being a year late. I really don't know off the top of my head whether you are required to report 2013 since you weren't a permanent resident. Then again, there are a lot of visa holders who aren't permanent residents but fall under the category "US person" who is supposed to file the report. Send it late or skip it. I doubt that anything would happen either way.

There is also FATCA with the $100,000 threshhold (if married). It is filed with the tax return to IRS. Money in foreign pensions counts along with investments and such. It was annoying and impossible to get good info on the first year and crashed TurboTax e-filing, so I purposely chose to skip it. Next year, it wasn't clarified much better, but at least TuboTax had programmed their software to handle it. So I broke down and listed UK private pensions with addresses and $0 for how much since we get no dollar value statements. Their instructions actually say if you have no way of knowing the amount, enter $0. So there...they know he has private pensions now and we estimate it is well over $100k or we wouldn't have done the form. Whatever! The good thing about TurboTax is that it fills in whatever you did before so you don't have to go look up and type in the names and addresses again. I'm sure it sounds overwhelming to a new immigrant, but it is just kinda routine now.

Thanks Nich-Nick... I'm going have to get my head around this. DH filed as Head Of Household for last year but we will file jointly for this year and I'll have to do all my declarations as I have a pension in the UK and savings. He uses TurboTax too so we'll have to give ourselves extra time to get all the info required.