Retiring to United States: the visa routes
The US has no dedicated retirement visa; long stays usually rely on the B-2 visitor route (typically up to six months), with residency generally requiring family, employment or investment routes such as EB-5.
A few things to line up early:
- Proof of stable income or savings to the level the route requires.
- Private health cover valid in United States.
- A clean criminal-record check and a valid passport with comfortable time left.
Visa rules change often — treat this as a starting point and confirm the latest official requirements before you plan.
Remember: buying a home and gaining the right to live there are usually separate steps. See how ownership works in United States, and what it costs to live there in our cost-of-retiring guide.
Tax as a resident of United States
Green-card holders and anyone meeting the substantial-presence test are taxed on worldwide income, so a UK private pension is generally taxable in the US, with foreign-tax-credit relief under the UK-US treaty (UK government-service pensions stay UK-taxed). State income tax varies widely — Florida and Texas levy none — so where you settle matters.
Healthcare and everyday life in United States
US healthcare is world-class but expensive, and Medicare is not automatic for newcomers — you generally need five years' residency plus a work history or to buy in — so most British retirees rely on costly private or ACA-marketplace insurance. Budgeting for premiums is one of the biggest considerations of a US move. Safety varies greatly by city and neighbourhood, so research locally; English is native and driving is on the right, making daily life easy for Britons, though owning a home grants no visa or right to stay.
Where retirees settle
Florida for sunshine and no state income tax, Arizona for warm dry desert living, the Carolinas for a gentler coast-and-mountains mix, and Texas for space and value; Sunbelt retiree communities are especially popular.
Thinking seriously about United States?
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