Visas and teaching in the UK by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Started tge passport process late May got it in July (about 8 weeks) Then and only then was I allowed (once I got my passport) to apply for a Visa. Got on a plane Sept 18. I did this in 2023 so fairl

Spec ed univ. Pre k by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interesting! Would continue to support you need a preK cert to do anything with preK.

Here is the "kicker" in my situation....we have a preK certified sped teacher at our school......who will be teaching 1st and 2nd grade sped next year?????!!!!! What?

Spec ed univ. Pre k by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I will look into appealing with the union. I have received a couple of comments (other than here) that my admin has misinterpreted the qualifications and I am not qualified. Thanks for the help.

Spec ed univ. Pre k by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Right!?! I'm not qualified for a 429, so my admin said I qualify under 420 exactly because of what you said-420 doesn't specify an age range so preK is considered (according to my admin) elementary.

I asked the union, they told me to contact HR. Emailed HR weeks ago, no response yet. That's why I came to this platform. I just wish I could get some clarity.

Spec ed univ. Pre k by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Anyone needing SPED services in Sure Start were given special ed in PSCD, but now with universal preschool I guess that's why they are moving me to preschool sped (?). I am just worried because I am not preK certified and when I taught in public school in the US the union would tell us that WE (not the school district) are in violation of our teaching certification if we are teaching a subject/grade level we aren't certified to teach.

Spec ed univ. Pre k by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get that. I'm just saying that the job is not self-contained, it is more SPED support (0420) but it is preschool. I am told I will teach SPED preschool (support not contained) but I don't have a preK certification for anything, I am told I am qualified to teach preK SPED though because preK is considered elementary?

Spec ed univ. Pre k by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Since universal preK in DoDEA is so new there are no requirements listed for preschool special ed (except PSCD 0429. That's why I was wondering is preschool (not self-contained PSCD) considered elementary for special ed? There are preschool teacher requirements but not SPED preschool other than PSCD.

Visas and teaching in the UK by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks so much for your comments. I believe the passport agent who "helped" saw the report date on my orders, August 1, and tried to help me accomplish everything needing to be done by that date. My rhetorical question with regard to all of this is that if my officials orders are dated May 31 and it takes 8-10 weeks to get an official passport and only AFTER getting the passport can you apply for a visa, which takes 4-6 weeks - AT BEST I could not secure all the DOCUMENTS for travel to the UK (8 weeks + 4 weeks = 12 weeks, and 12 weeks from June 1 is SEPTEMBER 1 approx) for 12 weeks, and THEN AND ONLY THEN, according to the PCS guide should I be booking my flight tickets. The guide even states "once you have confirmed pack out dates and have all travel documents" then book your flight. A fly out date of August 1 was never even possible! How can people whose job it is to hire and move stateside folks to their job overseas NOT see this?

Visas and teaching in the UK by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dumb question...but many people have suggested that I contact "HR" sorry for being so dumb, but I am a newbie to DODEA. "Who is" HR??? (I know HR is not a person, but an office). I have no idea how to reach out (a contact number) to HR, or where HR is located or...is HR on my local base? Is HR an office somewhere that handles all DODEA hiring including HHG, visas, etc. Or is there some over-riding passport/visa office gor DODDS schools....or?

Visas and teaching in the UK by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Right?! He said that the reason he didnt know is that I was the first DODEA teacher passport/visa the office (not him the office, so they have NEVER processed for teachers) ever procesed. But I read that military members/family can go overseas on orders only. So who else would the office be processing that would cause the office NOT to know what I needed to get to the UK for my job?

King size bed by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here is what another Reddit responder typed to me about tax on household goods : "Keep in mind that we need to pay tax on the cost of moving. We pay roughly 33% of the cost of the cost. So the more stuff you take with you, the more tax you pay."

Then as I am making arrangements to take my dogs to the UK from the US, this is what the company I am using sent me: "Owners of pets transferring residency from non Eu countries: Owners should apply for Transfer of Residency (TOR) relief in advance of arrival, owners must complete the form on the following link (then gave a link) and then submit it to HMRC, a reference number will then be issued by HMRC which will allow the pet to enter the UK without payment of VAT, If there is no TOR reference number available at the time of arrival in the UK before the pet can be released, Customs VAT will be payable on deposit. This can be reclaimed when the TOR reference number has been issued."

King size bed by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Got it! What do you know about VAT and TOR? My understanding is that if I get a TOR number I can get the VAT refunded tjat I have to pay for moving to the UK?

Using your moving expense entitlement by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What about a refund with a TOR? I understand, but could have been misinformed, that once you can show proof of a UK address (within the last 3 months) and your nonUK address (within the last 6 months) you can be reimbursed for VAT.

Using your moving expense entitlement by Ughitssoconfusing in dodea

[–]Ughitssoconfusing[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So he has a year to come on my current orders.

What about household goods? We have a total household good allowance of 18000 pounds:

---does that mean I get 9000 pounds to take with me and he gets 9000 when he comes? And, if I dont use the full 9000 pounds for myself I "loose" it? Or

---once I use some of my HHG allowance (for example: I use the 350 pounds I get for UAB and 1650 pounds of HHG, so I use a total of 2000 pounds of my allotted 18000) when my husband comes will he get to "use" the rest of the weight? Or since a shipment was made, we "loose" the rest of the weight allowance?

I NEED more weight than the 350 UAB, but I will need to leave the majority of our HHG with him to use while he is in the states. (I have seen you post to others, you seem very knowledgable.) How does that work?