ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
US Citizenship General DiscussionHow many Citizenship's can one person have?
My wife is an Iranian citizen by birth and a Swedish citizen by naturalization, she is currently residing in Sweden.
She will be residing with me in the USA when her Immigrant Visa (I-130) is finalized and therefore eligible to become an American citizen after meeting the requirements.

I am a Canadian citizen by Birth, and an American citizen by naturalization.
My parents were born in the UK, so I therefore have birth rights to become a British citizen.

How many citizenship's can one person have?
Is the number of citizenship's based on agreements between individual countries?
Is the Department of State the best agency to contact regarding this?
Sara & MarkMaleSweden2013-01-03 13:03:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsVisa in hand and flight booked for tomorrow! FINALLY!!

Congratulations, I'm happy for the both of you, enjoy your lives together.

 

My wife and I were neck and neck with you as far as our timelines go, but we fell behind due to USCIS's inability to return to us many "Original Documents" submitted during the I-130 process, documents that are also required at the NVC stage.

 

We had to request new original copies from various countries and have the certified translation redone sad.png


Edited by Sara & Mark, 19 August 2013 - 09:18 AM.

Sara & MarkMaleSweden2013-08-19 09:17:00
United KingdomHow long did it take you to feel at home in the US?

I've been here since late 2008 and it took me a couple of years to feel settled.  I too felt a bit like an alien, getting used to the different ways of doing things compared to the UK.  However for the last three years since starting up my own accountancy business I have felt much more at home.  Meeting lots of new clients, mostly American, has made me a lot more comfortable.  Also the overall climate here in Phoenix is too good to pass up.  Waking up to sunshine and blue sky almost every day is wonderful. :)


HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2014-07-19 19:02:00
United KingdomTax on property in the UK after moving to US

Once you move to the States you will become non-resident for UK tax purposes.  That means you only need to report your UK rental income on the UK tax return and complete the non-resident pages.  The self-employment income (if it continues) will only be reported on the UK tax return if you keep a permament establishment such as an office in the UK.  Otherwise the self-employment will only be reported on your US tax return.

 

The UK rental income will also be reported on your US tax return with some changes in some of the expenses you can claim and how the income is reported.  For example the income will be reported on a cash basis and you can claim a depreciation expense for the cost of the building spread over a 40 year period.  If you pay any tax in the UK on the rental income you can claim a credit for this against your US tax on the rental income.

 

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts you will need to submit online form NRL1 to HMRC so that your tenant can pay the rent to you gross without any tax deduction.

 

Hope that gives an outline of what to expect. Basically you will continue with your UK tax return under self-assessment and also have the joy of starting in the US tax system. :-)

 


HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2014-10-06 23:23:00
United KingdomTax on property in the UK after moving to US

Plinkabob,

 

I'm still here occasionally :-)

 

What do you want help with?  Rental income or PFICs?

 

 


HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2014-09-28 16:26:00
United KingdomTax on property in the UK after moving to US
QUOTE (saywhat @ Aug 29 2009, 06:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Super - forewarned is forearmed

There is good news because death duties are a lot easier to legally dodge than in the UK - the UK considers everyone 'deemed' domiciled for at least 3 years after leaving the UK and they get you for inheritance tax...

Even after 3 years, if you had income and bank accounts and a house in the UK, they would possibly take a pop at 'considered domicile'

I will have my pension and bank accounts in the UK, but if I become a USC next year then that will help me to escape the UK inheritance tax net when I pop my clogs - and they say I will one day


I spent a couple of hours yesterday evening looking at the detailed IRS rules on the foreign passive investments. Pretty convoluted stuff. smile.gif

Based on the examples they gave and the fact I have only been in the US for a short period I should be able to do the mark to market election for 2009. I can then at least keep the investments for the short term with the US tax hit not being too bad whilst I review whether to sell the investments and invest in something similar in the US.

My 2009 1040 is going to be quite interesting!!!
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-29 13:13:00
United KingdomTax on property in the UK after moving to US
QUOTE (saywhat @ Aug 28 2009, 11:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Also be VERY careful with Foreign Passive Investments (ISA unit trusts etc) The IRS hates them and taxes them up to 100% all the way back. I had an isa with a £100k profit and I dumped it the week before I emigrated
In the land of the free they dont ban stuff - they just tax it at 100%


Thank you for bringing these rules to my attention. I hadn't realized they existed and will now evaluate if it is worth me retaining my UK investment trusts and VCTs, although some of the VCTs I need to keep for a few more years to keep the UK tax relief I got.

The tax joys of being affected by two tax systems. smile.gif
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-28 19:18:00
United KingdomTax on property in the UK after moving to US
As a US resident you will be taxed on your worldwide income. It does not matter if you remit the foreign income to your US bank account or not. The income received anywhere in the world is taxed.

As rental income is not earned income it will not qualify for the US foreign earned income exclusion so, it will be fully taxable in the US.

However, you will get some relief for any UK tax you pay on the rental income. Depending on the amount of the rental income and any other UK income you have, you may have no UK tax liability as you will still get the full UK personal allowance.

The key to remember about living in the US is that they tax your income wherever it arises in the world and that the UK will tax you as a non-resident on your UK source income. So, there is an element of double taxation for which there is some relief to make sure that income does not get taxed twice.

One other thing to remember about the rental property in the UK is whether your are using an agent or directly managing it yourself you will need to complete the HMRC form NRL1. If you don't, the agent or the tenant is required to deduct basic rate tax from the rent before it is paid to you.

HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-23 18:36:00
United KingdomIf you need a new UK passport in the US, some help from us

I used Walgreens and the photo was rejected as not being of acceptable quality even though it was the right size.  For $34 I got another set done by  a quy here in Phoenix who specializes in foreign passport photos.  Way better quality than Walgreens and far superior service than I got at Walgreens.  For peace of mind I would recommend finding a local photographer who specializes in foreign passport photos.  For a modest extra cost you will get a product that will pass the quality standards.

 

The guy in Phoenix is Nabil Williams of Williams Passport Photos.  http://www.passportphotoaz.com/


HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2013-10-27 11:50:00
United KingdomLondon Medical - Knightsbridge Doctors
I had my medical yesterday. The total time from entering to leaving was 50 minutes and the whole process was very straightforward.

The medical was at Bentinck Mansions which I found easy to find from Bond Street tube station.

At the reception they took my passport to photocopy, the medical questionnaire, photo and vaccination certificate. Overall I would say the reception staff are efficient but not overly welcoming. I was then shown to the waiting room and after a few minutes given the second questionnaire to complete and the aids test authority to sign. The questionnaire is broadly similar to the NVC one. It was useful to read the bottom half of page one which the doctor completes to get a feeling for what they are looking for, i.e. assessing general demeanour, giving honest answers etc. Once I handed back the questionnaire it was about a five minute wait for the radiologist to call me through for the x-ray. She sounded South African and was quite friendly. The x-ray was very quick, just take of my shirt, stand in front of the developing plate, hold in a deep breath and that was it. Back on with the shirt and then off to the second waiting room.

The wait here was about 15 minutes and then the doctor called me through. I had the Irish doctor. He is very easy going and we had a chat about the 3 month delay to the visa process last autumn due to the back log and how I lost the coin toss and am ending up in the US. smile.gif

The examination itself was very basic and apart from shoes didn't involve taking any clothes off. I was weighed, height measured and eyes tested. Then a quick look in my ears and mouth. He lifted up my shirt to check my chest with the stethoscope and did a quick feel of glands etc. With trouser belt undone it was a quick look down to make sure I am what I say I am and then on to drawing some blood.

With that it was all done and time to pay the £180 fee.

They gave me a copy of the vaccination documentation worksheet which shows the waiver claimed for all the vaccines not appropriate for my age group. They were happy with the Td vaccination I had and didn't require me to have the Tdap one.

So overall very straightforward and now hopefully one more step to go with the embassy interview on 27th October and I will finally get the visa after 14 months.
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2008-10-21 08:29:00
United KingdomLondon Medical - Knightsbridge Doctors
QUOTE (Nich-Nick @ Jun 3 2008, 08:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Medical June 3, 2008 - Bentinck Mansion

Immunization: He wanted to have everything done before immigrating so had gotten MMR jab at National Health doctor and took updated records also noting he had chickenpox disease. As it turns out a new US requirement (Feb '08 nurse said) not on the website or the Packet 3 paper is adults must have the DTaP shot. (Diptheria, Tetnus, acellular Pertussis) Pertussis is whooping cough and the nurse said that's the new US concern. It also takes care of the requirement for the tetnus booster. Since his interview is awhile off, he is going to National Health for the shot. They don't have to do Visa shots for free, but his MMR was free. Nurse said for his doctor to fax them when he's had the shot and they will add it to the record and send everything on to the embassy at that time. They will also mail him a complete record of his immunizations.



That is interesting as I raised this topic a couple of weeks ago and there was a lot of confusion about whether DTaP was required, with some UK doctor's practices thinking the P meant polio. Please let us know if your fiance does get it on the NHS as my practice nurse has never heard of the DTaP vaccination and doesn't think it is available on the NHS. At "only" £25 I will probably have mine done at the medical in London. My local NHS doctor has already fleeced me £25 for the MMR jab and £25 for the immunisation certificate.
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2008-06-04 04:21:00
United KingdomTesco's Fresh and Easy Stores
We found the same when we visited the store in Mesa, AZ at Christmas.

Quite a good selection of ready meals and good quality but nothing special price wise. Would be worth the occasional visit but as you say no ex-pat stuff.
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2008-03-09 06:22:00
United KingdomBanking in US/Uk
QUOTE (Robyn-n-Kris @ Apr 18 2008, 12:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Ok.. maybe someone else has gone through this and has some advice. Kris is needing to keep an account going in the uK because of some of his debts he will still be paying for when he gets here.... what we are trying to figure out is what is the best way to do this. I have an account in the US but they do not do interntional transfers. Thoughts???


Smile (www.smile.co.uk) do a current account which does international transfers for £8 a pop. They also pay interest on the balance in the account. I opened one a few months ago and have done one transfer to my SO in the US which went through fine. When I finally get to the US I intend to use the Smile account for routing my funds from the UK to US and for paying any ongoing UK expenses.

It only takes a short while to open an account with them on-line.
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2008-04-20 05:05:00
United KingdomTdap Vaccination
My vaccination saga continues. I went to the pharmacy this morning, which is next door to my doctor's practice, to collect my MMR and take to the practice. After a short wait they found the prescription and said it hadn't arrived and would call to see when it was due in. Five minutes later they come back and say that they are not authorised to order MMR. Only a doctor or hospital can order MMR. So they walked in to the practice and spoke to the head practice nurse to explain the position. The practice nurse then confirmed that she had MMR in stock for babies and that she could use that.

I then got handed over to the practice manager and I had a good chat with her. It turns out that if you are aged over 25 the UK has no requirement for MMR so they are unable to give the injection free on the NHS. They can take some from their baby stock but must charge me £25 as a private patient. That would explain why some people on Visajourney are getting it free as they are under 25. Also it would depend on how switched on the practice is about knowing that they need to charge otherwise they don't get reimbursed by the NHS for doing the injection.

It then got better as I mentioned that I would need some sort of certification of my jabs. She then proceeded to tell me that would be another £25 as per the price list on the wall and as recommended by the British Medical Association. I told her that most people just got a free printout from their doctor or nurse. I guess I am just unlucky that my GP practice is super switched on to what they are supposed to be doing under the modern NHS. :-)

She also confirmed that Tdap is not available for adults in the UK.

So, I will go ahead with my MMR at my doctors (£10 cheaper than Knightsbridge) and leave determination of the pertussis until the medical.

In respect of polio, per the vaccination chart on the US Embassy web site, http://london.usemba...ccinechart.html , it is not required for anybody over the age of 18 so I don't think the p in Tdap refers to polio.

Edited by HikerMark, 16 May 2008 - 06:13 AM.

HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2008-05-16 06:11:00
United KingdomTdap Vaccination
Oops looks like I have opened a can of worms here. smile.gif

To be fair, Knightsbridge must already know about it because they have Diptheria, tetanus and pertussis listed as one of the injections they can give at the medical. Of course this may be the DTP or DTaP which is given to kids not adults.

I'm also wondering if Tdap is like the varicella injection in that it is not readily available in the UK and so Knightsbridge have to pass everybody with just the Td.

Anyway I will get the MMR done by the GP and get a certified print out of all the jabs I have had and leave it to Knighsbridge to decide if I need anything extra.

The background to Tdap is that the US authorities approved the first vaccines in 2005 because they have been concerned about an increasing incidence of whooping cough amongst adults which in turn can infect children.

I just love this immigration application journey with all its twists and turns....... not. smile.gif
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2008-05-15 15:21:00
United KingdomTdap Vaccination
Has anybody had this vaccination at their local GP on the NHS. It is the combined Tetanus, diptheria and pertussis(whooping cough) vaccination now required for everybody aged 10 to 64. Before they only needed Td.

My practice nurse says she can't get it and has referred me to be an outfit called The Master Clinic to see if they can do it. It certainly doesn't appear to be a regular vaccination for adults in the UK but is now recommended for all adults in the US.

Unless others have managed to get it done on the NHS I'll bring proof of my up to date Td to the medical and if they still require the Tdap get them to do it for the £25 they quote on their price list. My practice nurse is already charging me for the MMR.
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2008-05-15 07:56:00
United KingdomDigital Watches at Interview
Thanks for all the replies especially Nich-Nick. Putting them through the scanner seems like the most pragmatic approach. I may chicken out though and leave the watch in the station left luggage with the rest of my stuff.
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2008-10-25 15:51:00
United KingdomDigital Watches at Interview
I have my interview on Monday at 8.00am. I know that I can't take my mobile to the interview but for those that have had interviews recently were you allowed to wear your digital/electronic watches at the embassy or do these also have to be put in left luggage somewhere?
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2008-10-25 10:20:00
United KingdomApproved :-)
I had my interview at the London Embassy yesterday and was approved. smile.gif

Everything was very straightforward. I arrived at just before 8.00am and was all done and out of the Embassy by 9.30am. Suffice to say I had a very big smile on my face as I walked through Hyde Park on the way back to Paddington. I got the text from SMS at 3.30pm to say they had the visa and it and the infamous "Do Not Open" envelope were delivered at 1.15pm today.

I have had my flight to Phoenix booked for some time so I depart these shores on November 22. It is now all hands to the pump to get my house cleared, organise the shipping, change address etc etc. It doesn't look as if I will sell my house before I leave but I am lucky that I have family who live near by and can keep an eye on it. It has only been on the market for two months so in the current climate one can't expect instant results.

I am so excited that I can finally now live with my wife. This day seemed like a fantasy when we started the application just after we got married 14 months ago. Like everybody else on VisaJourney there have been ups and downs, happiness and frustration at the process, but at last we have the visa.

I would like to say a big thank you to everybody on VisaJourney. It is a wonderful resource and has made the whole experience so much easier and less intimidating than it might otherwise have been.

So, I will soon be able to support close at hand the Cardinals and the D-Backs, enjoy some pleasant winter sunshine and warmth, oh...... and spend a lot more time with my wife. biggrin.gif

Best wishes to everybody still working their way through the process, hang in there and you will soon enjoy this day as well.
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2008-10-28 11:37:00
United KingdomFreight companies
I've booked my shipping to Phoenix with Excess-Baggage. They had the cheapest quote and based on the good reports from VisaJourney I decided to go with them. They quoted £458 including delivery of the cartons and collection once they are full and ready for shipping. The quote is for 24 cubic feet made up of 6* 2 cubic feet book cartons, 1* 3 cubic feet clothes carton and 1*9 cubic feet carton. The service is door to door by ship.

I placed the order yesterday and the cartons were delivered this afternoon with plenty of tape for sealing them and bubble wrap for packing.

I have booked collection for November 20, a couple of days before I depart on November 22. It will be interesting to see how long it takes to be shipped but I am working on probably 8 to 12 weeks.
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-04 12:12:00
United KingdomSuperbowl
Here in Phoenix we are getting geared up for Sunday. Will soon have the beers in, the chips and whatever gunk we can find. At least this year I will be in the same room as Kim rather then last year when I was watching it in the UK and we had to converse by phone.

Bring on the Cardinals!!!! smile.gif
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2009-01-27 14:55:00
United KingdomExcess Baggage
Cost was £597 including the insurance. This was for eight boxes totaling 23 cubic feet.

It took 13 weeks door to door.
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2009-03-04 11:15:00
United KingdomExcess Baggage
Now that all my boxes have arrived from the UK I thought I would give some feedback on my experiences of using Excess Baggage.

From the start I would say that overall I have been pleased with their service. Out of the eight boxes I had shipped only one item was broken and that was due to my poor packing skills. smile.gif

One box was open when it arrived but nothing was missing and one box had been inspected by US Customs and re-sealed by them. The rest of the boxes were just as I had sealed them and not damaged.

In terms of time I always knew it was going to take some time by sea to get them shipped to Phoenix (via LA). The boxes were collected from Exeter on November 20 and reached Phoenix on February 27. So just over 13 weeks. Within that timescale they sat in London until December 26 when the ship arrived in London and in LA there was about a week delay for a customs inspection of the container with by boxes in it. I had no duty to pay following the inspection and just had to pay the agent in LA a $50 inspection fee. This was collected as cash at the time of delivery.

The few times I contacted Excess Baggage and the agent in LA for updates I got very quick responses by email. The delivery driver at the Phoenix end was also very good. Strictly speaking they aren't supposed to deliver above ground floor without an extra charge but with a bit of help from me he was happy to deliver to our second floor apartment. smile.gif

So, I would recommend Excess Baggage for moving items to the US. They may not be the cheapest but the service is good.
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2009-03-03 14:17:00
United Kingdomhow to watch UK tv Online
Does anybody know the legal status of these various sites and programs that allow access to live UK TV from overseas?

As per this page on the BBC web site you need a UK TV licence to view live programs on the internet plus there are the copyright issues which prevent the viewing of programs on the BBC iplayer.

With the US having particularly strict copyright laws what are the risks of viewing these programs in the US?

HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2009-09-21 19:38:00
United KingdomAnybody here that kept bank accounts in the UK?
To add to Nich-Nick's comments remember that "account" also includes any defined contribution pension plans that you may still hold in the UK. For example personal pension plans, old style FSAVCs etc. Employer provided defined benefit pension plans do not need to be reported.
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2011-06-27 18:48:00
United KingdomWhy did you decide to make the move to the USA and not the other way?
We weighed up all the pros and cons and in the end it came down to just a few factors. Kim would have found it difficult to find similar work where I lived in the the UK. Housing is cheaper here in the US and my career was more transferable being a tax adviser. So far it has worked out pretty well. We now have a nice brand new house, after two tax seasons with H&R Block I will soon be starting up on my own and Kim has kept the wolf from the door with a good job and benefits. :)

Oh, and I don't miss the UK weather. Waking up to blue skies and sunshine almost every day is very therapeutic. :)
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2011-04-24 17:29:00
United KingdomTaxes, healthcare, etc!
Thanks for raising that point Trompe le Monde.

It was one of the solutions that crossed my mind. Provided it is set up as true self-employment that should work well for the UK business and for the US sub-contractor. i.e the UK business does not have to pay any UK NI contributions or be subject to employment laws/tax in the UK or the US. For the US sub-contractor they get the benefit of self-employment deductions plus they will get a US social security credit based on the US self-employment tax they will pay.
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2012-07-22 14:42:00
United KingdomTaxes, healthcare, etc!
Both you and your UK employer need to get tax advice on this situation.

By employing you in the US your UK employer might be establishing a US presence and could then become subject to US taxes. Similarly your wages maybe subject to US withholding. This employment needs to be structured correctly to minimize the taxes due.

As for you, as a Green Card holder you will be treated as a US resident for tax purposes. That means you file a US tax return every year and you report and are taxed on your world wide income. So by default any UK income gets taxed on the US tax return with credit for any UK tax that is paid on that income.

However, if you are non-resident for UK tax purposes (because you no longer live there)some of the UK income will not be taxed by HMRC, plus there is a double tax treaty between the US and UK which will affect which country taxes your income.

Several people have mentioned the US foreign earned income deduction. Note that is only available to US residents with foreign wages who were working outside the US. That probably won't apply to you as you will be living and working in the US albeit for a UK employer.

As you can see there are quite a few issues to consider which is why professional advice would make sense before you commit to the employment.
HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2012-07-22 11:45:00
United KingdomMoving Money to US
Yes you are right, that after a certain time period all of the gain on the sale of the property will be taxed by the IRS. Basically you have to have owned and lived in the property as your main residence for at least 2 years out of the last 5 years up to the date of disposal. That means that after you move out and start renting, most of any gain from a sale in the next 3 years will be tax free up to $250,000 (maybe $500,000 if you satisfy the married conditions).

Some of the gain will be taxed because the US allows a depreciation deduction for the cost of the property and that will be clawed back on the sale.

If you sell after 3 years all of the gain would be taxable in the US. This contrasts with the UK where the time period that you lived in the property is used to exempt part if not all of the gain even for rental properties.

Note that you would also be reporting the rental income to both the IRS and HMRC with a tax credit available to you on the US tax return for any UK tax paid.

Edited by HikerMark, 06 March 2013 - 09:48 AM.

HikerMarkMaleUnited Kingdom2013-03-06 09:47:00