Hello
We are planning to retire in 5 years time and have a dream of living in the States. I have looked at the USA Embassy web site and it appears that we will be unable to do this
Can anybody help? WE will be self sufficient with pensions providing income. We will have funds to buy a property.
I can't believe our dream has fallen at the first hurdle:curse:

Just a brief response and direction would be great

Thanks

Your right ..you cannot retire to the US
The best you can do is with a B-2 visa which will give you 6 months
a year ..1000s do it usually they come for nov-april
and stay in Florida ...

and even if you could get a permanant visa - the health costs for the older person over here can be absolutely horrific - so many ex-pats start to head back to the UK at retirement age because of that fact alone.

Why does everyone want to retire to the US? I'm a USC and I don't want to retire in the US ;-)

If they are looking for more temp climates what is wrong with a nice southern European country where visas are a non-issue instead of the US where a visa is required and healthcare is unaffordable?

pensions are worth twice as much right now if you live in the USA but get paid a UK pension.

And no need to learn a foreign language......... (maybe )

How well off are you? If you're gonna sell your house too, and have £500,000 to invest over there (say in a chain of shops, or one large shop), you could get a visa based on being an investor...

Apart from everyone else good points. I take it you have really thought about moving a long way away in your retirement years, all friends and family are back home long journey back home etc.

I suppose you could come and buy a place and live in it for 6 months as Ray says then rent it out (if the market allows) for the other 6 then you could get to see more of your family etc.

But its a big move if you have never lived abroad, however I know nothing about you but just some points to ponder if applicable.

An EB-5 requires only $500k ..and you dont need to work
nearest thing to a retirement visa

Thanks everyone.......
We'll only be 50 and 55yrs old so not toooooo old.
Lots of great ideas and advice.

Yes Ray, we could do the $500k / EB-5 visa (i'll have to look into that in more detail)

pick the right state and we pay less tax than UK...right?

health care....? anyone give me an idea of cost?

Points taken.

There is always federal income tax
some states also have state income tax
The ones that don't... get it from you in diffeerent ways

Health is the killer....impossible to give a figure
so many variable ..but over a $1000 a month
is not that ususual...

From what I'm hearing, over $2000 per month, per person is becoming less-than-rare.

Not to mention the fact that if you get seriously ill, the cost will typically equal everything you have, to the point of bankruptcy. Aren't healthcare costs the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the US?

Yup ..I can believe that .. My 21 hour hospital stay came to $8k
A week would break most people

Its looking more and more like the USA will remain our favourite long stay holiday than our home....
Just read up on the E-B5.
I guess we could rent a really great place for 6 months each year to get our fix!