To move to the USA from the UK legally, you’ll need an immigrant visa through one of four routes: a qualifying family relationship with a U.S. citizen or green card holder, sponsorship by a U.S. employer, a substantial investment in a U.S. business, or selection in the annual Diversity Visa Lottery. Each pathway runs through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or the Department of State, and every applicant faces the same medical exam, background checks, and interview at the U.S. Embassy in London. Start early. From petition to arrival can take anywhere from several months to several years depending on which category fits your situation.
The Four Visa Pathways
There is no general “move to America” visa. The route you take depends on whether you have a close family tie, an employer willing to sponsor you, capital to invest, or luck.
Family Sponsorship
If a U.S. citizen spouse, parent, or child is willing to sponsor you, this is usually the fastest route. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens — spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of a citizen aged 21 or over — face no annual cap, so a visa is available as soon as the paperwork clears.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Green Card for Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizen The U.S. citizen files Form I-130 to establish the relationship.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
More distant relatives — adult children of citizens, siblings of citizens, and spouses or children of green card holders — fall into preference categories with yearly numerical limits. Waits in these categories can run years or, for some, decades.
Employer Sponsorship
If a U.S. employer wants to hire you permanently, employment-based green cards break into preference tiers. EB-1 covers people with extraordinary ability in their field, outstanding professors and researchers, and multinational managers. EB-2 is for professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability. EB-3 covers skilled workers and professionals with bachelor’s degrees.3Department of State. Employment-Based Immigrant Visas Most EB-2 and EB-3 cases require the employer to first complete labor certification through PERM, where the Department of Labor confirms no qualified U.S. worker is available. PERM alone averaged about 503 calendar days as of early 2026, before the USCIS petition and consular stages begin.4Flag.dol.gov. Processing Times
EB-5 Investor Visa
The EB-5 program offers a green card to investors who put capital into a U.S. commercial enterprise that creates at least ten full-time jobs for American workers.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program The minimum investment is $1,050,000 for standard projects, or $800,000 if the project sits in a Targeted Employment Area, meaning a rural area or one with high unemployment.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1153 – Allocation of Immigrant Visas The money must stay at risk for at least two years from when the full amount enters the enterprise. You initially receive conditional permanent residence, which converts to a full green card once the investment and jobs are verified.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. EB-5 Questions and Answers
Diversity Visa Lottery
The Diversity Visa program makes up to 50,000 immigrant visas available each year through a random drawing.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Green Card Through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program UK citizens born in Great Britain or Northern Ireland were eligible for DV-2026.9Department of State. Instructions for the 2026 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program Eligibility shifts year to year based on immigration patterns, so check the Department of State’s instructions before each registration period. Entry is free and done online, typically during October and November, with results the following spring.
Requirements That Apply to Every Applicant
Whichever route you take, three checks decide whether the visa is issued: a medical exam, criminal background screening, and proof you won’t rely on government benefits.
Medical Exam
Every applicant, adults and children alike, must complete a medical exam with a physician approved by the U.S. Embassy in London.10U.S. Embassy and Consulates in the United Kingdom. Immigration – Medical Examination Schedule it at least two weeks before your visa interview; missing that window pushes the interview back.11Travel.State.Gov. U.S. Embassy London, United Kingdom – LND The exam costs £395 for adults 18 and over, £365 for ages 15–17, and £170 for children 14 and under.
The doctor checks for certain health conditions and confirms you have the vaccinations required by the CDC, which include measles, mumps, rubella, polio, tetanus, hepatitis A and B, varicella, and influenza, among others, depending on your age.12Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccination – Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons Bring your NHS vaccination records. Any missing doses can be given at the appointment.
Criminal Record
U.S. immigration law bars certain applicants outright. The main grounds include offenses involving moral turpitude, meaning crimes of dishonesty or serious harm, any controlled substance violation, and multiple convictions where sentences total five years or more.13Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1182 – Inadmissible Aliens Drug trafficking triggers a permanent bar. Past immigration violations, including overstaying a previous U.S. visa, can block re-entry for three or ten years depending on how long you were unlawfully present.
Everyone aged 16 and over needs an ACRO police certificate from the UK. Request it well in advance; processing can take several weeks.
Financial Sponsorship
For most family-based cases and some employment categories, a U.S. sponsor files Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, pledging to support you financially.14Department of State. I-864 Affidavit of Support FAQs The sponsor must show household income of at least 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. For 2026, that is at least $27,050 for a household of two in the 48 contiguous states, rising with each additional household member.15U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864P – HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support
Consular officers also weigh your age, health, education, skills, and personal assets when deciding whether you’re likely to become a public charge. A solid work history and transferable skills help even if your sponsor’s income is modest.
What It Costs
Fees add up, and most are non-refundable regardless of outcome. Plan for:
- Immigrant visa processing fee: $325 per person for family-based cases, $345 for employment-based cases, paid to the Department of State.16Department of State. Fees for Visa Services
- USCIS Immigrant Fee: $220 per person, paid after visa approval but before your green card is produced.17U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Immigrant Fee Payment Guide
- Medical exam: £170–£395 per person by age, plus any required vaccinations.
- ACRO police certificate: fees vary; check ACRO’s current schedule.
- Petition filing fees: the I-130 or I-140 petition carries its own USCIS fee. Fees update periodically, so check the current schedule when you file.
Immigration solicitors or attorneys are worth considering for complex cases. Legal fees range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of pounds depending on category and complications.
How the Application Moves
For an immigrant visa processed through London, the sequence begins with a petition filed with USCIS, such as I-130 for a family case. Once USCIS approves it, the case moves to the National Visa Center (NVC), which collects fees, the Affidavit of Support, and civil documents. You then complete Form DS-260 online, the main immigrant visa application.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
When the NVC considers your case documentarily complete, it schedules your interview at the Embassy. Before that date, complete your medical exam and gather originals: a passport valid at least six months beyond your planned entry, birth certificates, marriage certificates, police certificates, financial records, and the DS-260 confirmation page.
At the interview, a consular officer reviews everything and asks about your relationship, employment background, or investment plans. Most interviews last 15 to 30 minutes. If approved, the Embassy holds your passport briefly to stamp the visa and returns it by courier, typically within days to a couple of weeks. You’ll receive a sealed packet with your visa. Do not open it. Hand it to the Customs and Border Protection officer when you enter the United States.
Your First Weeks in the United States
Arriving with an immigrant visa starts several tasks that need attention quickly.
Social Security Number
If you selected the SSN option on your DS-260, your card should arrive by post within about three weeks of entry. If it doesn’t, visit your nearest Social Security office with proof of age, identity, and work authorization.18Social Security Administration. What You Need to Do You’ll need the number before you can legally work, open a bank account, or file taxes.
Selective Service
Male immigrants aged 18 to 25 must register with the Selective Service System within 30 days of entering the U.S.19Selective Service System. Who Needs to Register Not registering can disqualify you from future citizenship, federal student aid, and government employment. Registration is free and takes a few minutes online.
Address Reporting
Whenever you move, notify USCIS of your new address within 10 days.20U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How to Change Your Address You can do this online. Forgetting is a common mistake that causes problems in later applications.
Health Insurance
There is no NHS in America. As a new green card holder, you can buy a plan through the ACA Marketplace at healthcare.gov and may qualify for premium subsidies based on income.21HealthCare.gov. Health Coverage for Lawfully Present Immigrants If you’re employed, your employer may offer coverage. Medicaid, the government program for low-income residents, generally imposes a five-year waiting period on new permanent residents, though exceptions exist for refugees and in states that have waived the wait for pregnant women and children. Going without cover in the U.S. can make even routine care staggeringly expensive, so arrange insurance before or immediately after you arrive.
Driver’s Licence
Your UK licence won’t cover you indefinitely. Most states require new residents to obtain a state driver’s licence within 30 to 90 days of establishing residency. You’ll typically need your passport, green card, proof of U.S. address, and your Social Security Number. Some states require a written test and road test even for experienced drivers. Fees vary by state.
Tax Obligations That Follow You
The United States taxes its residents on worldwide income, not just money earned in America. As a green card holder, you must report all income to the IRS each year, including UK rental profits, pension payments, savings interest, and investment gains.22Internal Revenue Service. U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad
FBAR
If the combined value of your foreign financial accounts, including UK bank accounts, ISAs, and building society accounts, exceeds $10,000 at any point during the year, you must file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts electronically by April 15, with an automatic extension to October 15.23Internal Revenue Service. Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) Penalties for non-compliance are severe, and the threshold is low enough that most UK immigrants with any savings back home will need to file.
FATCA and Form 8938
Separately from the FBAR, FATCA requires you to report specified foreign financial assets on Form 8938 with your tax return if those assets exceed $50,000, though the threshold can be higher depending on filing status and whether you live in the U.S. or abroad.24Internal Revenue Service. FATCA Information for Individuals The FBAR and FATCA rules overlap, so you may report the same accounts on both. A tax professional experienced with U.S.-UK cross-border issues is worth the cost in your first year.
US-UK Totalization Agreement
A bilateral agreement prevents you from paying Social Security taxes to both governments at once. If you’re employed in the U.S., you pay into the U.S. system; if you’re self-employed in the UK, you pay into the UK system.25Social Security Administration. Totalization Agreement with United Kingdom The agreement also lets you combine work credits from both countries toward retirement benefits. To count UK credits toward a U.S. Social Security benefit, you need at least six U.S. credits, roughly eighteen months of U.S. work. For the UK State Pension, you need at least one qualifying year of UK National Insurance contributions to combine credits the other way.
Bringing Your Belongings, Car, and Pets
Household Goods
Used personal belongings and household items can enter duty-free, provided you owned and used them abroad for at least a year and they aren’t intended for sale. File CBP Form 3299 for any shipments that don’t arrive with you.26U.S. Customs and Border Protection. CBP Form 3299 – Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles New items or gifts may attract customs duty.
Vehicles
Bringing a UK car to America is far more complicated than shipping furniture. Any vehicle under 25 years old must comply with federal safety standards enforced by NHTSA and emissions standards enforced by the EPA.27National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Importing a Vehicle – Importation and Certification FAQs28U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Learn About Importing Vehicles and Engines UK-spec cars are right-hand drive and usually lack the required U.S. safety certification label, so they need modifications and testing through a Registered Importer for safety and an Independent Commercial Importer for emissions. It’s expensive and slow. Selling in the UK and buying in the U.S. is usually more practical.
Pets
Dogs must meet CDC import requirements, which depend on where the dog has been in the six months before entry and where it was vaccinated against rabies. The UK is classified as a low-risk country for dog rabies, which simplifies things, but you still need to follow the specific documentation. The CDC’s online “Dog Importation Navigator” walks you through the details.29Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bringing a Dog into the U.S. Cats must appear healthy on arrival; the CDC does not require rabies vaccination proof, though individual states and airlines may have their own rules.30Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bringing an Animal into the U.S. Research your destination state’s rules and your airline’s pet policies early; they vary widely.
From Green Card to Citizenship
A green card gives you the right to live and work in the U.S. permanently, but it is not citizenship. After five years as a permanent resident, or three years if you obtained the green card through marriage to a U.S. citizen, you can apply for naturalization. You’ll need to show continuous residence, physical presence for at least 30 months of the five-year period, basic English, knowledge of U.S. civics and history, and good moral character.31U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I Am a Lawful Permanent Resident of 5 Years The process ends with a naturalization interview, an English and civics test, and an oath of allegiance ceremony. Dual UK-U.S. citizenship is permitted. The U.S. does not require you to renounce British nationality, and the UK allows dual citizenship.