Pulaski

If you just want to visit the US for extended periods (up to six months) you almost certainly can. Retired people will usually be granted a B-2 visa enabling visits up to six months, and IMO it is unlikely you would be denied entry though ironically if you owned a home in the US the risk might he greater as it could look like you are mostly trying to live in the US.

If you start making six month visits, be sure to spend at least six months out of the US because if you spend more than six months in the US in any one calendar year you would become liable for US taxes on your global income, which would create an unholy mess!

BTW Please click on the small "Quote" button near the bottom right corner of any post you are replying to, then we will know which post you are answering.

Wendy murphy

Hi, thanks for that, I am 53 and well, and I have had a few quotes for holiday insurance for 6 months a around £600 for the 2 of us which is a gold cover that covers a lot. We would be very unlucky to get something bad while we are there, even though it could happen I would be covered. Where taxes are concerned we would be paying them on all of our goods and bills etc, I thought tourist helped countries economy and that is what we are but just staying longer than a normal holiday. We will not lose our own health care because we will have a home here still and we have paid all of our life into it, we are even entitled to State pension when we are 66.

Jerseygirl

We mean US income tax...not sales tax. Depending on how long you stay in the US you may be classed as a US resident for tax purposes.

Owning a home in the UK and being entitled to a state pension is not proof that you are a UK resident. We have owned homes in the UK and are entitled to UK state and private pensions upon retirement age...but we are not UK residents and haven’t been for over 21 years.

Wendy murphy

Hi Sorry I am not used to this site yet, so I haven't written back to certain people just put it on the site. Pulaski thank you for your advise, I don't want to leave the UK and live in the USA full time, Even if I did buy a B&B I still would have come home for a few months a year, but we really like the States, I don't think it is any cheaper than living here the only thing is you get more for your money property wise, But I am keeping my home here anyway, and I wont rent it out so I can come home anytime, But I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a house and not be able to stay the 6 months if we wanted to. Thank you

Wendy murphy

Sorry Jerseygirl I don't know what you are saying, I have looked up all about loosing my British rights and know where does it say I would, even if I live in the USA for 6 months a year and stay home for the other 6 months I will still be an English citizen and still have the rights that I have while I live here full time, this is still my home.

Rete

To run a B&B in the US, you will require a business license from the city/state. As you will be serving food, most likely you also have to have an inspection from the health department. You will also have to charge sales taxes which in turn you will have to send to the State of Florida. I've not checked this out but I don't know if only have a tourist visa will be sufficient for you to get the necessary licenses and clearance you require to run a B&B.

Also if the house is going to be sitting empty for 6 months out of the year, have you figured in the cost of maintenance to the property while you are gone? Lawn service, electric bills to maintain an acceptable climate in the house to protect your interior property, cost of hiring someone to check the home periodically for squatters, etc.? Seems like a good deal of money for a part time business that will probably not earn you enough to cover costs.

It's a great dream and if you only wanted to purchase a small condo or home in a gated community for your annual visits, then I would think it would be achievable. However, you are thinking of starting a business and for that you need more than a B-2 visa.

Jerseygirl

Where do you mean when you say ‘live here full time’...the US? If you are living in the US full time you are no longer a UK resident and therefore are not entitled to some benefits. For example the NHS...you cannot use the NHS as you would then be a visitor to the UK.

Rete

Are you confusing rights of a British citizen with the benefits of a British resident? You can obtain citizenship in another country and still retain all of the rights of your British citizenship. However, if you are residing in another country as a resident (which is what JerseyGirl was talking about), then you lose some of your benefits as a British resident because you are no longer a UK resident.

Wendy murphy

Thank you Rete, I think it would be to much hassle to buy a business I just wanted something to do while I was there. If it works out ok and I get a B2 visa then I would buy a holiday home, because it would stay empty, for the 6 months so I would pay someone to keep an eye on it for me. Because most of the homes are not brick built like they are here do they need more maintenance.

MidAtlantic

You are confused about a number of issues.

Your ability to come and live here 6 months every year. This is possible but even with a tourist visa you run the risk of the officer at the point of entry becoming suspicious, especially if you own property here. The suspicion will be that you are trying to live here long term and that suspicion may increase the more you do it.

If you plan to run a B&B business you would need a visa to do that. You would need to establish that business to comply with any local licensing requirements and deal with the tax implications. How would you run it if you are away for (at least) six months in the year? Would you employ someone? If so, you have a whole range of other issues about employment/payroll law etc.

You run the risk of becoming tax resident and being liable for US income tax. That is nothing to do with your UK status. You would still be a UK citizen etc etc.

If you are simply talking about a second home in the US, and not running a B&B business, then you should take account of the costs of the property while it is empty.

You will get more precise advice here if you could clarify exactly what you want to do.

Jerseygirl

Where do you wish to buy a holiday home? Having property in a 2nd country can be extremely expensive. If it is located in a hot humid state...you will need to run the AC all year round and AC isn’t cheap to run. If it’s in a state that suffers from hurricanes insurance is likely to be expensive...it could also be a problem if the house is empty for months on end. If you have a pool you will need someone to maintain it...the same goes for the garden when you,are not there. US houses may seem cheap on the surface...depends where it is located...but maintenance costs are high. They are not constructed like UK houses and generally don’t stand the test of time as UK houses do...ie air conditioning and heating units, roofs etc. You will also have property taxes to pay.

If you buy a condo...there will be condo fees. These can run into 4 figures per month incl. property tax...plus you would be on the hook for major repairs if there wasn’t enough money in the reserve fund. Transport...will you be buying a car to leave it standing for 6 months?

So many things to consider.

yellowroom

You are mixing up citizenship with residency, and it is important you get to grips with the difference. For example, NHS services are free to UK residents, regardless of citizenship. And if you are a UK citizen living abroad, you are not entitled to free NHS treatment unless you return to the UK to also be a UK resident.

If you stay in the USA over a certain period of time in a year, you become "resident for tax purposes". Note this is different from "resident" as defined for Immigration, and in no way affects your UK citizenship, which is yours for life. If the IRS considers you "resident for tax purposes", then you will have to file US tax returns on your worldwide income. Thanks to tax treaties between the UK and the US, you probably won't be double-taxed, but completing the paperwork can be a burden if you are not used to it. US tax returns are far more complex than the UK.

Pulaski

What you probably don't know is that American houses require constant servicing and maintenance to keep them habitable and looking good.

I do a lot of my own DIY, and I am never short of things to do. I am currently replacing a garage door opener, and the strip lights, but there are numerous other things that need doing, painting various things, inside and out. The back door also needs to be replaced, and both the roof and one of our AC systems are going to have to be replaced in the next 1-2 years, at a cost of $8-$10,000 each. In other parts of the country, or with a large home, both those figures could easily cost twice as much!

Roofs and heating/AC systems are two examples of things that really don't last in the US. You will be lucky if your roof lasts 20 years, and in areas with harsh weather (ice, hail, wind, intense heat, etc.) needing a new roof after only 10 years isn't unusual. Heating and AC systems are about the same, not usually expect to last beyond 15 years.

Water heaters rusting out from within after 10 years is also fairly common. And the rotten wood issues can occur at any time, inside or out, and leaky toilets - the design of the flush mechanism is prone to failure - with chlorine in the water attacking the flush seal, and the inherent flexibility in the frame of US homes leading to a failure of the seal between the toilet and the floor, which if not addressed will rot the floor. Then there's the perpetual risk of leaking plumbing and valves, and the types of plastic plumbing used in the US seems particularly susceptible to leaks.

I used to joke that my home isn't only a home, it's a hobby too, but after 14 years, with no end it sight, the joke has worn a bit thin.

In most, if not all parts of the US you will need frequent, at least quarterly, treatments to inspect and spray for termites and other wood-eating insects, and pests such as crickets, millipedes, and cockroaches.

As JG said above, in warm areas you will need to run the AC during the warmest parts of the year, and during the winter you will need to leave the heat on, also to prevent damp and mold problems. Across much of the US both will be necessary during different parts of the year. A dehumidifier makes sense year round anyway.

Wendy murphy

Yes I am confused, I have read up a lot about the Visas and whether or not I can work, buy a house in the US and different sites tell you different things that is why I came on here to hear it from the horses mouth. But it seems to me that everyone thinks it is a no go, with the health costs, the property taxes the constant repairs to any property I might buy, the weather and the costs of the AC plus everything and anything else that we might have to pay for, plus the airport officers that might not let us back in, I am surprised that anyone has a holiday home in the US, I thought England was expensive, mainly because it is. But it seems that America is worse. I was thinking of a place in South Carolina because the house tax is cheaper there and the weather is not hot all year round, I do no that I will pay property tax there and still pay council Tax here, and would pay someone to look after both homes while I am away. There must be someone on here that has done what I want to do and doesn't find it that bad.

tom169

People are just trying to give you the honest answer.

Having a B&B is a no go from the sounds of it as you won't likely qualify for a related visa to work. You could always have a consultation with an immigration attorney and get their legal opinion on it.

So that leads to pros and cons of owning a holiday home in the USA. It's hard owning a house here. You've heard the reasons why.

The weather in SC isn't hot all year round, but it certainly isn't cold.