# US/UK Married couple moving back to the US from UK



## Team Stephenson (Jan 12, 2012)

Hi all,

First up, I apologise for what is likely a repeat question. I have looked and can't find the exact answers to my questions on the first few pages, so bear with me, please.

My US citizen wife and I have been living in the UK now for going on 2 years. We are considering moving back to the US, and we are wondering what our situation dictates with our next actions. Living here simply has not been what we expected it to be in many aspects. Our situation is as follows.

Married in the US in Feb 2012 - moved her to the UK on a Spousal visa in July 2012 (27 month provisional visa expiring in July 2014 - if we don't move back to the US, we will apply for Indefinite leave to remain here in the UK.
I work full time - she does not currently work. She is a qualified nurse with several years experience, but we simply didn't want her to work her due to the differences in care practices.

Assuming she *can* get a job as a nurse if we move back, what is our first move. Our biggest and probably most important question is, how can we avoid not having to live apart? We've done it before, and would prefer not to do it again. I know we can apply for our I-130 from outside of the US, but I am unsure what her employment status needs to be for this to work for us. Will the US accept a job offer as proof of income (for her) in the US? Or does she actually have to be employed?

I suspect if we can not do it without having to be apart for much longer than a couple of months, we won't do it, at least for now.

Any help is appreciated. Please let me know if more details are needed.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Yes, she would sponsor you on the I-130, so she'll need to pass the financial tests. Currently that means demonstrating highly likely U.S. earnings of at least $19,400. (There's an alternative financial assets/wealth test.) Or a third party individual -- usually a relative -- can agree to be financially responsible.

She can use Direct Consular Filing in London. Get on it now if you want to be ready to move in July. That's probably doable.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

We usually say between 6 to 9 months for the spouse visa for the US if straightforward- may be quicker if you can do DCF (Direct Consular Filing) through the London Consul.

..... bu it definitely will be more than a couple of months for the spouse visa processing to take its course. 

You can always visit one another of course.


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

full report of how guy did the same ...you may need to be a google member to read it 

https://docs.google.com/viewer?srcid=0B3EruivFAao7M2lrUHdlTVBQUzg&pid=explorer&efh=false&a=v


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## Team Stephenson (Jan 12, 2012)

Thank you for your prompt responses, guys. I appreciate it. Thanks also to Davis, I was trying to find just that to show my wife a few weeks ago and couldn't.

So, am I reading it correctly that if we choose to apply here in the UK, my wife will need to be in the UK throughout our wait time prior to my visa being approved? I only ask because what we were thinking was to file here, and my wife send out Resumes in the US. If she gets an interview or better yet, job offer, she would travel to the US, and I would join her at a later date. Would this method only work if we filed from the US?

Thanks


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