stappin

Right big HOLA to all on here.

My Mum and Dad are 7 years off retiring and want to move to the USA. In theory when they move out there they will not need to work, with their UK pensions and investments supporting them. They are both UK citizens and are unsure what the best option would be.

We have no direct US relations to my knowledge and are strugglin with ideas about how to go about this.

So suggestions are very welcome!

Dimsie

The best suggestion I can make is for you to convince your parents to stay in Europe.
There's no chance of them becoming permanent residents in the USA anyway, as I'm sure others will tell you in greater detail.

I am probably roughly the same generation as your parents, I came here because I married a US citizen. The biggest problem they would face even if there was a way for them to come here permanently, would be health care.
Do they realise that there would be no health insurance available to them ?

I think it's probably lucky that the immigration laws will save your parents a lot of heartache!

Sorry to be negative - but look on the bright side - Europe is wonderful - the UK is wonderful. If they don't think so now, they would after a year in the USA !

Ray

There is no US retirement visa ..they cannot retire here
The best they can get is a B-2 visa to give them a max of 180 days a year here ..thats it ...

Celsius

There's an article on BE that sums up the legal options to move to the US.

Here it is-
http://britishexpats.com/articles/000089.html

stappin

You obviously have been away a long time the UK is an expensive hole, I know I live here! (I'm hopefully moving my family to Canada)

They are pretty determined because they have been going out there every year since the late 1980's, like it and are buying a property.

Thanks for the article Celsius

Manc

180 days
B2 visa.

As Ray says that's it.

CaliforniaBride

It isn't about determination it's about immigration law. Have a look at the links posted you'll find it's a B2 and 180 days, unless of course they have a large sum of money to invest.

Lion in Winter

What on earth are they going to do do when they become old and infirm and need medical treatment?

As already stated, there is no medical insurance available to them, even if they could afford the premiums. And there is NO national health or anything approaching the equivalant thereof. They would be living on the edge of disaster. But with 180 days a year, they can spend all winter in Florida. A much better option.

Dimsie

No - I've been away just less than a year, after living in the UK all my life. I'm well aware of the drawbacks there. I'm now well aware of the drawbacks here - and they are far more serious.

Pulaski

They may be "determined", but they aren't going to get a permanent residence visa based on the information you have given us, house or no house. .... At best they can visit Florida for periods of 90 days on a visa waiver or 6 months on a tourist visa.

Bob

not just the medical insurance, be buggered when it comes to prescription medicine, which will cost a fortune, and they'll have to prove there UK residents as well when they head back to get the nhs...

stappin

Ok so what are all the plans of the Brits that have moved over there in the past regarding OLD AGE. Is the UK going to see an influx of old expats flooding back at some point?

I understand that it's about imigration law and I'm not an idiot to think it's all roses and sweetness over the 'pond'. When I talk of determination I mean in the postive sense in that yes they are willing to wait for forms, interviews put down cash as an investment, not that they want to steam roller the system into submission. I may be new to the forum but im not new to life!

franc11s

We hear you we really do, forms are the easy part - 180 days is the limit. In fact, it's so easy they can start could be here in a few months. There is no way around the 180 day limit for them though. they could live in spain for 6 months and the US for the other I suppose ?

$500,000 is the minimum for an investment visa and after 12 months it must be shown they are hiring US citizens and giving employment and generating revenue.

Someone might want to post the rates for 55 year olds for Healthcare. How old are your parents ? I am 42, wife is 42 and kids are 17 and 14. So, pretty young. However, our Insurance coverage (when I didn't have an employer) with Blue Cross BLue shield was $720 a month) with a $1000 deductable per person (i.e. you have to spend $1000 EACH in the year before they cover you). For the average family, dentists etc., It's about $10k a year minimum. They have no kids but I'm will to be it's closing to $12k per year for their age for just the 2 of them. That does NOT inlcude dental and includes a small fraction of drugs (my son was on one for Asthma and it'd cost $90 a time !!). By the time I found an employer, Blue Cross rates were going up 30% in one year for us !!!! Yes THIRTY friggin percent - it's out of control here...

In fact, if you post their ages, people might share their costs so they can see how much your parents will really need as basics. It'll be a good exercise for all of us. Pharmacy and Healthcare.

Bob

most of us have insurance, you get it when your young and it's just about affordable...it's a whole different story if your in your retirement years and head over having paid no taxes and all that fun stuff...

TouristTrap

It wouldn't surprise me, and I'm speculating here, if there weren't many old fogey Brits who return there from here due to this very reason each year.

If they came over for 180 days, they could get travelers insurance in the UK methinks, which would be less dear than paying full health here.