How feasible is it to retire to the USA specifically Orlando when you have no ties to the USA . The property values are good compared to similar size homes in the UK
I am looking to downsize my UK home but smaller homes in my area equate to a 4 bed with pool in Orlando
I would not be looking for employment but understand there are expenses that UK residents would not have eg medical cover

I also know that with an Esta you can only stay 90 days and wonder what type of visa would be needed for permanent living

thanks

Hi and Welcome to BE.

In order to live permanently in the USA, you must have a visa that allows you to do that. If you are not planning to work, that leaves a work visa out. If you don't have immediate relatives in the USA, that leaves out a family based visa.

You might be able to buy your way to getting a green card by investing a chunk of money in a US business. Not sure how mych that is these days, but guessing at least a million.

Otherwise, you'll just be coming a a visitor on ESTA for 90 days here and there. There is no "retirement visa".

Rene

There is no option of a permanent resident visa unless you can invest a couple of million dollars in certain schemes (usually in areas lack employment or poor) to get EB5 resident status.

Have you been reading the news? There has not been a single worse time, in recent history, to immigrate to the U.S. Not to be overtly harsh, just my sincerely frank two cents.

Retiring is very feasible, as long as you have a million in the bank to fund the green card you'd need, plus lots more for the monthly healthcare costs.

Otherwise, you'd just be visiting.

Here is an overview of all the visa routes available for the US (an archived Wiki article from BE, but it's still accurate info) - https://web.archive.org/web/20230207...ork_in_the_USA

Good luck.

A decade ago it was recommend that US citizens (couples), who have full access to Medicare federal health insurance for retirees, have $250k available to fund insurance and out of pocket healthcare expenses. I imagine the number today would be $350k, or maybe more.

Given that you won't have access to Medicare, and private insurance for retires is expensive for the obvious reason, plus there isn't much competition because almost all US residents qualify for Medicare, so there aren't many insurers who even provide insurance for retirees. So, all things considered, you should be thinking in terms of maybe $700k to fund lifetime health insurance and out of pocket expenses.

If you think that's high, bear in mind that if you're admitted to hospital for a heart attack or stroke the bill will start at north of $100k, and even with insurance you might have to pay 20% of that yourself. If you are taken to hospital in a helicopter (you will obviously have no choice in the matter), the bill will start at $25,000, which again isn't going to be fully covered by insurance.

kinda rude and doesnt address the OP's question. btw have you seen the UK news lately? plenty wanting to leave UK!!

I don't disagree with any previous posts, but I do know of a UK couple that owned a "villa" near Orlando, which we rented for a couple of weeks ago few years ago.
so maybe buy a house, rent it out and visit off season, for 90 days!
Buy, not bury!

I do not see that as rude, but a simplistic comment as there could be many valid reasons to emigrate to USA depending on one's situations or objectives m just as there would be for any country.

I would not consider buying any real estate until you have traveled around the country. In your situation I would consider buying a small motor home and storing when not being used. Many of these vehicles are purchased by older couples and barely used even after several years. They can be purchased used at a great savings. As you travel around you will make many contacts for future parking/ camping sites and storage. A battery tender can keep the battery charged and ready to go when needed. Overall it would be a lot cheaper than trying to maintain a property and easy to extract yourself at a later date. Three months in more scenic northern states and three winter months southern states.

You can find several similar vehicles under $5000.

no thanks I want space and comfort ‘

I'm with you on the space and comfort. A travel van, and that is all that thing is, is for perhaps a weekly or two week vacation but not for 90 days of living. My Canadian in-laws use to rent a trailer home in a trailer park in Florida annually for their snowbird visits south of the Canadian border. Worked out great for them.

Since you can only visit for 89 days (must be out of the US before the close of the 90th day) if you use the VWP or 6 months if you are able to get a B2 visa, renting accommodations would work for you. Or buy a house which can be subdivided into a two family home and let out the one half and you live in the other half while you can visit the US. Give the tenants a break on the rent for looking after the property in your absence.

I wouldn’t want the smallest camper either. You can easily spend 500k for for more space and luxury.

My green card renewal comes up in 2028 and i'm stressed out as hell!

Assuming you have a) the million dollar amount for the investment visa and b) very substantial available cash for healthcare as per Pulaski's post, I would still wait until the end of the Trump administration before doing anything. He changes rules and requirements at the drop of a hat and irrationally so impossible to predict. Immigrants are a hot button issue for him. If I had such money I would be seriously concerned about the rug being pulled out from underneath by this administration.