Your Essential 2020 Guide To Moving From The UK To The US
Moving to another country is daunting, that’s why we’ve put together a checklist of the things you need to consider when moving from the UK to the US. Once you have found somewhere to live, moving to America is fairly straightforward once you have an international removal company booked. From here, you can then move your focus to the next stages of your move and follow the checklist provided here.
At Hackworthy & Sons, we have carried out many international removals for our clients moving to America, and like any international house move, there are many things to consider beyond the usual checklist for moving house within the UK. The USA may be known as the ‘land of the free’ but that doesn't mean that there is nothing to prepare for when moving to America, which you’ll see from our checklist.
Moving To The USA From The UK Checklist
- Obtain The Relevant Visa
The application process for a green card can take several months to complete when moving from the UK to the US, therefore you must make sure to leave plenty of time to obtain this. It’s a good idea to think about doing this once you have booked your international removal company, that way you know that the two most vital parts of your move have been sorted. You can find more information on applying for a US visa on our Moving To The USA page.
- Cancel Any Contracts In The UK
In order to ensure that you aren’t continually charged for contracts that are no longer needed when moving to America, you should go through all of your financial commitments and make a list of the companies that you need to contact to cancel your payments. This may include any insurance policies, subscriptions you may have, utility companies, internet providers, and so on.
- Take Out Health Insurance
When moving to America from the UK, it is vital that you take out health insurance, as there is not an NHS equivalent healthcare system in the USA. To avoid hefty medical fees, you need to finding a health insurance provider before moving from the UK to the US.
- Apply For Social Security Number
For those moving to America or working in the USA, you must apply for a social security number. This is a nine-digit number and is your first and continuous connection with social security, and identify and accurately record your covered wages or self-employment earnings. You will need it to get a job, collect social security benefits and some other government services.
For more information on Social Security numbers and how to obtain a card, take a look at the SSA website.
- Set Up An American Bank Account
Those emigrating to the US should be aware that whilst most high street banks may be marketed as international, they often have strict requirements. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that anyone moving to America opens a US bank account. This will provide employers with an account to pay your salary into, allow you to easily pay bills and buy things without having to carry cash around.
In order to open an American bank account, you will need to proof of your address, your passport, immigration documents and your social security number.
- Arrange Travel From The Airport To Your New Home
If you’ve decided to purchase a car after you have arrived in America, you will need to make travel arrangements to get from the airport to your new home. This could be a taxi, an airport transfer or perhaps you are joining family members in America who could collect you. Either way, it’s important to not forget about this when moving from the UK to the USA to avoid any unwanted stress. Alternatively, if you’d like to take your car with you to America, we’d recommend checking if this is offered by your international removal company so that you can make additional arrangements if not.
- Arrange To Have Wi-Fi Installed In Your New Home
You will be so used to using the Wi-Fi in your home, so it’s easy to forget contacting internet providers before moving from the UK to the US. To ensure you don’t have to go without for too long, get a date in the diary with an internet provider within the first few days of moving to America. This way you will be able to keep in contact with your loved ones in the UK on WhatsApp or Skype, without having to pay the hefty fees of making international phone calls.
- Familiarise Yourself With The Laws In America
There are obviously many differences between the laws across all countries so as boring as it may be, we’d recommend you familiarise yourself with the laws of your home state to avoid getting yourself in trouble. Surprisingly, there are many differences between laws in the US and the UK and even more so in between each of the American states. It’s really important to look through these thoroughly, as what might be legal in one state may not be in another.
Other things to consider in preparation for moving from the UK to the US, are to:
- Set Up A Mail Redirect
- Arrange Schools For Children
- Gather All Important Documents (marriage certificate, birth certificate)
- Make Sure Your Passport Is Valid
- Book Plane Tickets
- Pay Any Outstanding Bills And Debts In The UK
We hope that this checklist will help you prepare you for moving to America from the UK. If you’ve found this guide helpful, be sure to share this on social media to help others that are planning a move to the USA.
