tonythekitty:
I agree with V3N0M. It's really easy to get lost in the fantasy of foreign lands, but when it comes right down to it, people are really pretty much the same everywhere. Finding and associating with people who live their lives like you would like to is going to be just as hard (or just as easy) in the US as it is in the UK. After you get settled into a foreign land the only real changes are going to be purely asthetic. I've personally found that the innate hassles involved with living as a foreigner in a foreign land quickly outweigh whatever asthetic differences may have attracted you in the first place. I've got lots of friends who have had the same experience in several different countries. It's pretty rare to find someone who TRULY falls so in love with a foreign country that they end up emmigrating there for the rest of their lives (with the notable exception of people who are clearly upgrading their quality of life by moving to, say a first world country from a third world country).
However, I totally think that you should try it out if you're interested. Especially since you're in your 20's as it's an excellent time for you to give it a go. However, there are A LOT of ways to "try before you buy" that you should consider pursuing before you decide to "take the plunge".
First, no, it's not illegal to apply for jobs in a country without being a resident (applying for jobs while on holiday is actually a common way to write off vacation expenses). Many companies will require proof of legal residency before they will hire you, but that's trivial to acquire if you're serious about residing in a foreign country, and I don't know of many companies who will refuse to consider your application when you can proove that you are seriously commited to acquiring the required documentation.
Second, "foreign exchange" programs are excellent ways to become acquainted with a country without actually commiting to a move there. There are lots of cultural exchange programs available, and not all are associated with educational institutions. One of my teachers in Japan had a relative who participated in a foreign exchange program to the UK when he was in his 70's.
Third, there are many educational institutions (not nessecarily just colleges, but vocational schools as well) that you can apply to and, if accepted, will make you eligible for a student visa. Even if the UK doesn't explicitly allow the holder of a student visa to work (and often times countries do allow you to work just enough to cover basic living expenses), they probably will allow your spouse to work with few restrictions.
Fourth, many coutries offer reciprocrating agreements with other foreign countries for "working holiday" programs, and if I remember right, the UK and the US have such an agreement in place. Working holiday programs give you a specified amount of time (usually from six months to a year) where you are free to live and work in the foreign country as you wish.
I obviously don't know the exact details about the availability of any of these options as they might apply to your situation, I just wanted to give you a few things to think about. Even if you do decide to pull up roots and move to the UK any of these options (if available and applicable) would make excellent backroads into establishing a permanent residency. Poke around and do a little research on the internet. The Britsh consulate in the US would be a good place to start. Another good site to check for would be any message board(s) devoted to US expat communities in the UK. Chances are they could give you A TON of advice about not only the realities of living in the UK from the eyes of a US native, but also about the best ways to actually go about doing it.
