Returning to the U.K. with my USA husband

[Julia80]

Hi I’m new today and just at the “we’re thinking about it” stage. I am a U.K. citizen and permanent US resident. I came to the USA in 2017 and married my American husband. We’ve been together 7 years, married for almost 5 years. Recently we have talked about moving to the U.K. but every time I try and find info on where to start for our scenario I am unsuccessful.

I am a homemaker, my husband is the bread winner and that is how we would like to continue our lives. Every piece of info I find states that the U.K. citizen must prove they can support the US spouse by earning above the required amount but I am not planning on working other than maybe part time in the future. How can we apply to move without that stipulation?

We also don’t want to be apart so me moving home and getting a job temporarily to then bring him to the U.K. will not work for us (being apart is only one of the reasons it won’t work for us). Hubby is not worried about getting a job and supporting us as his line of work is well paid, and he is qualified for several different industries should his current role not be available in the U.K. right now.

Is there an option for him to apply and interview from the States via zoom or whatever, secure employment first so that I don’t have to leave him in America? Is that even possible for standard jobs these days? Can anyone shed any light on this?

[ALKB]

Hi I’m new today and just at the “we’re thinking about it” stage. I am a U.K. citizen and permanent US resident. I came to the USA in 2017 and married my American husband. We’ve been together 7 years, married for almost 5 years. Recently we have talked about moving to the U.K. but every time I try and find info on where to start for our scenario I am unsuccessful.

I am a homemaker, my husband is the bread winner and that is how we would like to continue our lives. Every piece of info I find states that the U.K. citizen must prove they can support the US spouse by earning above the required amount but I am not planning on working other than maybe part time in the future. How can we apply to move without that stipulation?

We also don’t want to be apart so me moving home and getting a job temporarily to then bring him to the U.K. will not work for us (being apart is only one of the reasons it won’t work for us). Hubby is not worried about getting a job and supporting us as his line of work is well paid, and he is qualified for several different industries should his current role not be available in the U.K. right now.

Is there an option for him to apply and interview from the States via zoom or whatever, secure employment first so that I don’t have to leave him in America? Is that even possible for standard jobs these days? Can anyone shed any light on this?

It is possible to apply for jobs in the UK from abroad but it will depend on how much in demand his specific skill set is. Any potential employer will have to be a licensed sponsor (there is a list published by the Home Office) and the role will have to be eligible for sponsorship of a skilled worker visa (there is another list for that).

Depending on what exactly it is he does, this could be easy or very, very hard to do. I know Americans who have been applying for jobs in the UK for the last ten years without any success, even though they have successful careers in the US and never have a problem getting a job.

Alternatively, he can apply for a spouse visa with cash savings of at least 62500 pounds held in a readily accessible account for at least six months prior to application.

[vinny]

Unfortunately,

Only the income of the UK-based sponsor will count. This means that if the foreign partner is the main or sole earner, the couple cannot live together in the UK, no matter how much the foreign partner owns. Imagine you are the British wife of a high earning foreign banker. Tough!

Do you have savings £62,500?