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Do Americans need green cards or anything to live in England?

Jack Denfeld

12:24 / 10.07.05

If an American wanted to reside in England would it be a huge paperwork nightmare? Or would England be all like "Hey, our good American brother, come in, make yourself at home! Glad you got out of there in one piece!". Would you need a work visa, or green card, or some kind of official papers?

Regrettable Juvenilia

12:28 / 10.07.05

You might have to marry a British lady to stay here. Given your reputation, I don't imagine that will be a problem.

Jack Denfeld

12:45 / 10.07.05

Wow. There's 2,786,954 rules for moving to the UK. Even the marriage thing says you have to arrive with some kind of fiance' visa. And the site said that every single job available must be offered to UK citizens and the Europeans first before an American can be offered it.

Best bet is to arrive as a tourist and not leave I guess. And play internet poker for money. Ahhhhh, just a daydream I guess.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

13:11 / 10.07.05

Getting married's the easiest option, and even that's fraught with bureaucracy...

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

13:26 / 10.07.05

Or so I hear, anyway.

dj kali_ma

16:00 / 10.07.05

I'd considered taking some classes in Oxford and doing a student visa thing, myself. Have some buddies who are willing to let me couch-surf for a while... are student visas any easier?

sleazenation

16:10 / 10.07.05

Depends how long you want to stay and what you plan to do when you get here...

Cherielabombe

16:23 / 10.07.05

Hey! I'm an American and I live here! It *can* be done - but you have to be clever. Why don't you do some research on jobs? If you can find a place that will hire you, you will probably be able to stay. Not definitely, but probably.

I am here on a work permit. For what it's worth, many people told me it would be impossible for an American to get a job in the UK. But I am highly motivated by spite, don't know about you!

Jack Denfeld

17:09 / 10.07.05

Didn't see anything for comic shop employee, convenience clerk, or handsome devil, so I may be outta luck.

Mourne Kransky

18:26 / 10.07.05

You could make a living over here as a Ruth Madoc lookalike. Just need to practise the annoying phrase Hi de Hi and wear a smart skirt and jacket.

Or perhaps you could do what Cherielabombe does. She was headhunted by UK plc to become a National Treasure™ and add to the Gaiety of the Nation. She's an official Gaiety Girl.

Jack Denfeld

19:10 / 10.07.05

I could marry Ruth Madoc, and then we could have superbabies.

Mourne Kransky

21:49 / 10.07.05

Sadly, the lovely Ruth is chronologically beyond the point of making babies with you, Jack, I suspect, even tho you are the sex machine you undoubtedly are.

Surely there's some pay off for shining bright Merkins wanting to come to this sceptred isle, thanks to Blair's tongue tickling George's prostate all these years?

Have to say that only the Israelis were less welcoming than the Americans when I've passed through immigration control on the way into the country. The Russians (even though it was still the USSR then) were the friendliest.

Come anyway. You might hate the place and be very happy to head back. I always want to live in other countries when I'm visiting them (well, most of them) but I'm back here five minutes and I'm kissing the ground.

paranoidwriter waves hello

21:55 / 10.07.05

RE: student visas, etc.

As far as I'm aware: if you've got the dough, they'll take you at virtually any UK university, providing you already have a basic standard of education (mature students get a bit of leeway, depending on "life-experience"). The better qualifications you already have and the more money you can throw at them, the better the University. Money-grabbing whores...

"And all for a little bit of money...."

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

21:57 / 10.07.05

Funny you should say that (about immigration control types) Xoc... the only time I went to the States they were... well, they were really nice, but took the piss a little too much, I fear.

Kept asking if I was over with my band... then (to mono, as if I were deaf) "whydja let him do that to his hair?"

As I say, all very good-natured, and actually no hassle at all. A bit cheeky, but I wasn't gonna complain.

Russia I found scarier. I think it may have been because I was much younger (it was 1989, so I was about 17 or so) and I'd never actually seen these big-coated, armed scary guys before, except as bad guys on TV. They were gruff, but, on reflection, not particularly unpleasant. But boy, was I scared.

Mourne Kransky

22:10 / 10.07.05

I got the impression that speaking a bit of Russian to them helped and a little was all I could muster. They were probably saying Wish you fuck off back to Scotland, ya wee capitalist turd but they smiled when they said it, so I was happy.

I entered the States in DFW, Texas, both times, so maybe the East or West Coast people are less alarming. I was finding myself quite intimidated by the American Airlines cabin crew on the way over, so possibly already in grumpy mode when I got there.

I wonder how our immigration people behave towards foreigners reaching our shores? Probably c**ts. I knew one guy who did that job, not closely, and he was a real piece of work. Fascist lite.

Baz Auckland

23:53 / 10.07.05

Once you get to the UK, just start a band. Get paid cash, put your looks to good use, etc. etc. It's a good job for professional couch-surfers too...

Goodness Gracious Meme

00:02 / 11.07.05

I wonder how our immigration people behave towards foreigners reaching our shores?

Well, purely anecdotally, I would imagine the behaviour differs vastly dependent on colour of skin. Pretty much every relative-type/bengali friend I've had visit has had horrendous times/waits/searches etc on the majority of their visits.

Heard very similar things from West Indian neighhours, on not being surprised when going to pick up a friend/relative became yet again a five hour wait a airport arrivals.

paranoidwriter waves hello

00:15 / 11.07.05

Doesn't help if you've got an Isamic or Arabic name, either.

Loomis

08:56 / 11.07.05

I read a great anecdote from a comedian of middle eastern appearance who was playing the Edinburgh festival last year. Apparently he was being hassled at immigration. They asked him his profession and he told them he was a comedian. Security guy goes "oh yeah? Say something funny." Comedian answers: "I've been taking flying lessons."

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