I have finally made the decision to leave Taiwan. I am going to do another year which should hopefully give me time to prepare for a departure in June 2014.
However the question is what can I do with this time to better prepare myself for my return to the UK? My plan is to try and learn as much Chinese as possible, take a few courses at the local community college or the Open University and finish exploring the areas of Taiwan that I haven’t seen yet. I may even try and go to China during my winter vacation.
Of course I also have my wife to think about and we will need to prepare visas and all of that together.
My main worry is what can I do when I get back to the UK? What have other Forumosans done? My time in Taiwan has taught me that I am not a very good teacher and I don’t like teaching anyway. I wouldn’t want to go back and get my teaching certificate and continue down this path. I am done with teaching. I also don’t want to move “home” but instead to London – a city where I think my wife would be happier than living in rural Yorkshire.
In July we returned home to visit the UK and speak with friends and family and seeing them has given me the final push I need to move back. To see them on their career paths and having a ladder in front of them to climb has made me realize that I need to start my life too and not piss it away teaching English in Taiwan and living with my wife’s parents. My wife and I have always had a dream of moving back to Perth in Western Australia and we are not going to achieve this dream as we are now. However daunting the cost of living comparisons are when looked at on the computer screen this has to be done!
At the moment I am avoiding the big questions and worrying about all of the little things like what are we going to do with all of the stuff that we have acquired over the 3 years. The big things such as preparing my resume, worrying about my wife and starting the job application process are on the back burner when they shouldn’t be and I don’t know why.
I have spent all morning reading many helpful threads on Forumosa which has been great but there are not a lot of references regarding moving back to the UK.
Any thoughts, comments or tips would be appreciated.
[quote]
I also don’t want to move “home” but instead to London – a city where I think my wife would be happier than living in rural Yorkshire. [/quote]
That’s probably a good idea—I think most Chinese prefer urban life to suburb or country life. You are aware of the UK laws that require you to be making a salary of above 18K pounds for you to be able to bring your wife over (although there was a recent court case on this that may impact it bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23198144).
I think that the most important thing you can do right now is look into the cost of living in London and see if it is doable. You will want to have a chunk of cash saved up for living expenses for a number of months until you can get settled in and find a job as well as have enough to secure a flat and buy the essentials. London is very expensive and if you have been out of the country for a long time, you may be a bit out of touch as to what things actually cost nowadays. I know that my husband and I certainly are for both the UK and the States…we spent a couple of months in the States this past summer and it really hit home. We were surprised at just how much more expensive everything is now than when we last lived there 13 years ago (and on short visits home over the years, we hadn’t really realized it). Ditto for England.
Also, your wife may not be able to work until her paperwork is processed, which can take some time (although I’m not sure how long). You will need to budget for that as well.
London sounds like a good bet for your wife to find a Taiwanese community and also for the job market for both of you. I think that I would just be a bit concerned about the cost of living there, especially if you are starting out with a new career that may not pay well to start out with. If that’s the case, your quality of life may not be the same as what you had in Taiwan, which could be very tough for both you and your wife.
Indiana, the first thing he needs to do is look at the new laws as Chewie mentioned. I have several British friends in Taiwan who are simply unable to move back with their wives as they cannot secure a high enough paying job before moving. The UK government is not immigrant friendly these days. It’s an important consideration when thinking of moving back.
[quote]The rules for bringing a spouse back to the UK were drastically altered on 9th July 2012.
In a nutshell the new rules require (in almost all cases) a guaranteed annual income of at least £18,600 or savings of over £64,000. IF you are abroad then you will also need to secure a job in the UK before applying for the visa. [/quote]
You also need to prove your current job in Taiwan pays more than £18,600, not always easy if you are teaching as schools under-report income.
[quote=“Mucha Man”]Indiana, the first thing he needs to do is look at the new laws as Chewie mentioned. I have several British friends in Taiwan who are simply unable to move back with their wives as they cannot secure a high enough paying job before moving. The UK government is not immigrant friendly these days. It’s an important consideration when thinking of moving back.
[quote]The rules for bringing a spouse back to the UK were drastically altered on 9th July 2012.
In a nutshell the new rules require (in almost all cases) a guaranteed annual income of at least £18,600 or savings of over £64,000. IF you are abroad then you will also need to secure a job in the UK before applying for the visa. [/quote]
You also need to prove your current job in Taiwan pays more than £18,600, not always easy if you are teaching as schools under-report income.
I didn’t know the law had changed…how are people supposed to repatriate when they have been overseas for a long time? Sometimes it is difficult to secure employment before moving back. Actually, I would say that it is tricky to do that most of the time unless you work for an international company already that has a branch back at home.
I wonder if that also applies to retirees. We are considering of moving to the UK down the line when we retire and I would have to go through the same process.
Facism under a different name. Corporatist-Moneyist-Anti Individualism?
I welcome people to work in Ireland first and use the EU treaty priority rights to get your spouse into the UK. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23029195
Read this…
Frequently asked questions We’ve just celebrated our golden wedding - does this apply to us?
Yes, the length of your marriage is not considered a factor I have a job offer in the UK earning more than the required amount but the country I’m in means I’ve not been earning enough for the past 6 months. Can I really not come back?
Correct, if you are not able to show historical earnings above the required amount then any job offr in the UK is irrelevant. You will have to use savings or non employment income to cover the financial requirements (see example 6, Leroy, on page 54 of the Statement of intent) My husband is the main breadwinner but I am the british citizen, I stay at home and look after the children. Now my mother is very ill and we want to go back to the UK to look after her
Only your income is taken into account when initially returning. So, no, you can’t come back unless you can find a way to fall under one of the [exceptions] above.
[quote=“Indiana”]…I didn’t know the law had changed…how are people supposed to repatriate when they have been overseas for a long time? Sometimes it is difficult to secure employment before moving back. Actually, I would say that it is tricky to do that most of the time unless you work for an international company already that has a branch back at home.
I wonder if that also applies to retirees. We are considering of moving to the UK down the line when we retire and I would have to go through the same process.[/quote]
Seems to apply to retirees as pensions can be used as a form of income. But I would imagine by retirement age you should have enough savings to apply.
If at the time of any application you have not been employed by your current employer for at least 6 months then you must prove that you have earned the relevant amount for the past 12 months.
America too. Iv been doing a bit of reading and many couples , already married and some with children are being kept waiting for a visa. Without any rhyme or reason.
Me and my fiancee are being held up the same way. With no rhyme or reason. Just a “your case is still undergoing processing” . “nothing needed from you, we will call you…”
I can understand why there are new rules…too many people abuse the system and immigrate to the UK and US to benefit from the generous welfare system, etc. and marriage fraud abounds. It puts too much of a strain on the economy.
It’s just such a shame that it affects legitimate marriages and people who want to contribute to the system rather than just take from it.
The system is unclear as to what it wants to achieve. Does it want to keep non EU immigrants out full-stop? Does it want to allow immigrants with money in only? Why is length of marriage not taken into account etc? Does it believe in punishing the many to prevent the few enjoying benefits (very puritan that idea…)?
Does the UK want to be in the EU or not?
Why use money as the spindle around which to judge a couple and to extend them their human rights?
Does it believe in punishing it’s natural born poorer citizens…for being naturally born poor? It seems it’s okay to import a bride/husband as long as you have money, so rich people have more rights now? Is that constitutional in the UK?
I doubt anybody immigrates to the US for it’s almost non exist social welfare system (the system in Taiwan, Japan, Korea etc. would actually be better these days taking into account national health insurance) and not too many would go to the UK either, it’s not particularly generous these days!
[quote=“Indiana”]I can understand why there are new rules…too many people abuse the system and immigrate to the UK and US to benefit from the generous welfare system, etc. and marriage fraud abounds. It puts too much of a strain on the economy.
It’s just such a shame that it affects legitimate marriages and people who want to contribute to the system rather than just take from it.[/quote]
There might be a benefit in the UK, but I dont see the benefit in the USA though.
I will have to pay 260/month for my wife’s health insurance (if i covered it all myself it would be 450/month, so the company is paying nearly 200/month to contribute).
Theres welfare if neither one of us has a job. But with what they pay, i would have to live in a dangerous part of Oakland where several people are shot dead each night.
Why use money as the spindle around which to judge a couple and to extend them their human rights?
Does it believe in punishing it’s natural born poorer citizens…for being naturally born poor? It seems it’s okay to import a bride/husband as long as you have money, so rich people have more rights now? [/quote]
I wouldn’t say that they are discriminating against the poor…making £18,000 a year in the UK hardly makes a person rich! A couple living on that amount is probably living hand to mouth.
Indiana, I’m not sure about your above logic, you seem to be agreeing with me in your above statement. :s
Well to be fair in Ireland or other countries there is a stated ‘need to prove you have the funds or ability to look after your family and yourself for the first year’ but the actual amount is not stated, and once you submit documentation to support proof of bona-fide marriage and perhaps evidence of job interviews or a job offer or even just an offer of accomodation and support from your parents you are through.
The number in the UK is certainly making things very clear (more British style that…it has it’s good and bad points) BUT it also makes you wait for 6 months just to get an application in (against human rights of family) and I think the extra money per child etc. is really corporatist. It does not take into account support from your family in the UK, or the bona-fides of your marriage, or the rights of your children.
Basically it is making every individual out to be worth a certain amount of money. That’s a very dangerous trend. It is actually stating that if you don’t make this amount of money you can’t bring your own children into the UK, even though you were a natural born UK citizen! It is also expensive at 1000 GBP per application, basically another tax on citizens.
