How to Move to the USA from the UK: Your Essential Guide

The culture is different, yet similar. The language has its quirks, sure, but it is English, no doubt about it. It’s an affluent country full of great prospects and it has every climate you could ever want — from mountains and lakes to golden beaches and scorching summer nights. There’s no doubt why so many people want to emigrate to the USA, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a walk in the park.

The Land of the Free beckons to thousands of Brits each year yet, with many more dreaming of making that journey across the pond. As relocation specialists, we are often asked about how to move to the USA from the UK. Here’s our advice on how to immigrate to the USA:

Sorting the Essentials

Picking your precise moving location and planning all the exciting stuff you’re going to do is probably all you’ve got on your mind, but a move to the USA from the UK also involves a lot more boring laborious processes. Still, they must be done to set you up for a positive start when emigrating to America.

To secure a stable future in your new nation, time must be invested in sorting the essentials and basics of life. Here are a few things that require attention before your removal to the USA:

Learning the language 

Throughout the US, the official language is English, meaning a move from the UK is unlikely to present any large barriers to your understanding. Anyone emigrating to America who does not speak English is likely to encounter considerable trouble when it comes to daily life and communicating with their new neighbours. Once you reach America, you can approach a public school, college or local organisation that can help you learn the language. You can also learn to speak American English before you move through any number of online courses.

Time zone

If you are emigrating to America, you will need to get to grips with the more complicated time zone. As a country that has a considerable landmass, there are actually four different time zones within the United States. Depending on where you are moving in the USA, you’ll be in one of the following time zones:

* EST (Eastern Standard Time) = GMT minus 5 hours

* CST (Central Standard Time) = GMT minus 6 hours

* MST (Mountain Standard Time = GMT minus 7 hours

* PST (Pacific Standard Time) = GMT minus 8 hours

* Alaska = GMT minus 9 hours

* Hawaii is GMT minus 10 hours

The USA observes Daylight Savings Time as well, which runs from the 2nd Sunday of March through to the 1st Sunday of November. This can slightly vary in some parts of the country but is the general rule.

Finding Accommodation 

It may seem obvious, but you’ll need somewhere to live when moving to America. The way you acquire property can also depend on your visa type (which we will discuss later) and how long you are in the country. Get on top of property and accommodation early to save yourself any headaches later on. You should also consider acquiring short-term accommodation to reside in whilst searching for the perfect property for you and your family’s longer-term needs.

Insurance

Healthcare in the USA is a controversial subject. We’re not here to discuss overseas politics, but as you’re probably aware, you need insurance to get treatment in the USA — or you face massive bills. Get your insurance early to avoid any problems. You’ll also need moving insurance to cover your trip.

Social Security (SSN)

People living and working within the United States need a Social Security Number. It is similar to a National Insurance Number (NI) in the UK and allows the government to track the wages of individuals for taxation and benefits. You’ll need to apply for an SSN by filling out an application and providing proof of your identity as well as information confirming your ability to work in the United States (visa or immigration status).

Taking a Vehicle

Moving to the USA with your vehicle can be a big undertaking. If you are moving through your employer, you’ll want to find out whether or not there are restrictions in place in terms of the size of your household shipments. If your employer’s restrictions do not impede your decision to bring a car, or you aren’t moving for work, there are some important things to know about owning a vehicle in the United States. 

Your vehicle must be officially registered with a “Certificate of Title”. You’ll also need to have proof of insurance and register the vehicle to the state in which you will be residing. For more information, you should visit the website of the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicle) for the relevant state.

Emigrating to America with Pets

For some, taking your pet with you as you emigrate to America is a no brainer. You can’t move away and just leave your pet behind, but how are you going to get them abroad? Moving a pet to the USA is complicated, sure, but there is no reason you can’t bring them if you know what you are doing. Read up on the processes and procedures and follow them to the letter. Get the required vaccinations, pet passports and arrange transport. You might find that there is a quarantine period before you can collect your pet once you have moved, so ensure this is factored into your moving plans. Do everything right, plan things early and you’ll have no trouble moving your pet to the USA.

American Banking

In order to do anything in the US, you’ll need cash. While most banks are international, your British account and card will incur fees for overseas use. Set up a US bank account as early as possible to be able to live a prosperous life in the USA. This will save you time and hassle while allowing for easier transactions when sorting other items on your moving list, like property, receiving an income, and setting up insurance.

Storage

Moving abroad for the short term means you may not want to take all your belongings with you. Even if you are moving abroad long-term, taking everything you own at once — possessions it has taken you a lifetime to acquire — might be too much hassle or you might not have enough room abroad. Sort out storage options before you move, allowing you to keep your most cherished possessions without having to relocate with everything you’ve ever bought.

At Gerson Relocation, our services cover everything, including help finding a property, sorting insurance and moving your pet. If you think you need some help getting the essentials ready, we’re the team for you.

Further reading: You may also like to read this article on the key stages of an international move process.

Acquiring the Correct Visa

When thinking about how to move to the USA from the UK, one word likely comes to mind: Visa.

This is a large part of emigrating to America and the cause of concern for many expats hoping to emigrate to the USA. To live permanently and work within the United States, you must have the correct type of visa. This can be a long process, so we suggest you get started on getting your USA immigration sorted out as early as possible. Many cases can take over a year to be fully processed and accepted.

When looking to acquire a visa to enter the US to work and live permanently, there are a few options for British nationals. Here are the most commonly gained types of visa for Brits emigrating to America:

• Sponsored Employment: If you’re looking to work in the USA, the best way to get permanent entry to the country is to acquire sponsorship from a company. If a US-based business applies for you to work for them, you are likely to be allowed to move. This means agreeing to a job before moving — and also finding work! But a Brit working in America is not uncommon, proving that there are plenty of job opportunities for skilled immigrants.
• Working Visa: You can get a visa to work in the USA without having a direct employee sponsor. In order to do this, you must fit within very specific criteria. The best way to become eligible to apply is to gain a degree — having a masters or PhD improves your chances — and work in the field for at least five years. To gain a work visa without sponsorship, you effectively have to prove your value to the US working community. You are also more likely to gain entry if your profession fits under the list of skill shortages. Many Brits working in America gained entry to the country by way of a working visa.
• Family: If a member of your family is a citizen of the United States, you may be able to apply for a visa with their support. Family visas are a pretty stable way of gaining permanent entry to the United States, although they take long periods of time to acquire. These processes are quicker if you are a child of the person in question, or are marrying them.

The process of acquiring an American immigration visa is not an easy one. The visa application should be carefully filled out, both by the US citizen petitioning for your entry to the States and by you. The process includes payment of application fees, uploading of documents, including financial and civil documents, and an interview. The US Department of State website includes a detailed overview of the Immigrant Visa process.

Retiring to the USA from the UK

For those trying to retire to the United States, you’ll encounter a number of issues. There is no type of visa that gives foreign nationals the right to live in the US if they aren’t working unless you win their Green Card lottery. Your options at that point would be a non-permanent visa or to work prior to retiring and gaining citizenship within that period.

Emigrating to America: Settling In

You’ve handled the logistics, your visas are all in order and you’ve finally set foot on American soil. You’re probably not ready to kick your feet up and enjoy the American way of life just yet. It’s likely that you’re going to need to carry out any number of tasks before you can fully settle in.

Finding a home 

In many cases, you’ll initially be living in short term accommodation of some sort when you first arrive in the USA. This allows you a bit more time to find somewhere suitable to live long term, and it is much easier to find property whilst already living in your destination location.

To Rent or Buy?

 The decision to purchase or buy a home in America will likely be dictated by how long you plan to be in the States. If you’re there for a short term contract, it would be most practical to rent. However, if you’re going to be in the USA for a longer period of time, it might be worth purchasing a home. To purchase a house in America is actually quite straightforward, though you will be required to submit certain documentation like US Tax Returns and strong credit history. This isn’t likely to be something you’ll be able to provide as soon as you begin to live and work in the country, so this might be something to aspire to.