A Blockbuster Guide to Moving from the UK to the USA

The USA. So vast, so diverse, a hundred cultures across every weather pattern, and terrain you can imagine.

Over a million people a year choose to make the US their new home, and over 700,000 Brits currently reside the other side of the pond.

But moving to the States in no small undertaking, the country is immense, and just choosing somewhere to live is a mind-boggling prospect, although most Brits tend to head for New York City or Florida.

Of course, for many home movers considering a move to the States, the first question is going to be: how much does it cost to move to America?

We were quoted the following home moving prices, but the only accurate way to find out your estimated relocation costs is to get a quote from a reputable International Removal Company.

1 Bedroom home: £6000 – £6600

3 Bedroom home: £7000 – £7700

5 Bedroom home: £8500 – £9250

And that is just the average combined packing and shipping costs for your household goods.

However, moving to America is not as simple as paying your money and getting on a plane.

Unlike a relatively simple move to anywhere in Europe, you will need a visa to live in the USA, which can take up to a year to process. And they are not cheap.

Moving to the USA Visa Information

Here are some links to information you may find useful about getting a visa when moving home to the USA.

• Information about the different types of US Visa
• Costs of a US Visa
• Link to US Embassy guide on Visa requirements.
• US Embassy contact telephone number: 020 4799 9000
• UK.gov advice about moving to America.

Important: There are no visa’s available that allow you to retire to the USA. If you are set on retiring across the pond you will need to invest $500 000 in a commercial enterprise, and then you will be eligible to apply for an EB5 visa.

So in this guide to moving to the USA we will focus on the process of actually moving your household goods to the states:

• Common International Home Move Mistakes to Avoid
• How to choose a reputable International Removal Company
• Things you can’t take to the States with you
• What are my home moving options?
• Useful tips on emigrating to the United States
• Packing tips for moving to America

Any home move is fraught, with things that need organizing, planning, and with things that can go wrong on moving day.

An international home move is considerably more complicated with customs declarations, Visa’s, and pet passports to name but a few additional headaches.

But, without a doubt, excellent organizational skills will help make the transition to your new life as painless as possible.

And that is where a reputable international removal company will be worth their weight in gold.

Having said that, there are things that are outside the control of any removal company.

3 Common International Home Move Mistakes to Avoid

#1 Not Having Enough Money.

Moving to the USA is never going to be cheap, whether you decide to ship all your household goods, or just take what you can carry in a suitcase.

Creating a home moving budget planner will certainly help, but plan on an additional emergency fund of at least 30%.

There are plenty of things that could blow your home moving budget, but the exchange rate can make a huge dent in your wallet.

For example, if you moved to the US with £250,000 in November 2017, it was worth $327,500.

In February 2018 it would have been worth $302,500. That’s a $25,000 dollar difference!

And you should also budget for private health insurance as healthcare can be extremely expensive.

The cupboards will be bare. Plan on spending about three months household budget in the first month, as things like food stores and non-grocery items will all have to be restocked.

#2 Lack of Preparation.

Prepare for not only a new country and culture, but for an International home move.

Both events will require lots of preplanning and you will need professional advice and assistance all through the process.

Make use of a home moving timeline and calendar to help you get organised. There will be plenty of things to remember to do and this will help you list, and therefore not forget, to do everything.

Things like changing your address is vitally important when moving overseas, especially for organisations such as pension companies and HMRC (you don’t want to miss a possible tax refund!)

Your international moving company will be able to offer you plenty of advice about the moving process and will likely do the majority of the relocation paperwork for you.

Preparing for a life in a new country is exciting yet nerve-wracking.

The language may be the same, but cultures and laws can vary wildly, not just from the UK, but from state to state.

Learn as much as you can about your new home state as it will make life a lot easier once you get there.

This guide to living in America from justlanded.com may help.

You may like this interactive quiz from Time which matches your personality to a State in America.

#3 Having Unrealistic expectations.

Your location is changing but you are likely to still have some of the problems you experience in the UK. There may be 50 states, but it is the state of your mind that is important.

Be realistic that life will be tough for the first 12 months. At first, it will seem like a long holiday with lots of exciting things to keep you occupied. But then the realization that friends and family, and all those things that were familiar to you are, far, far away.

Expats all over the world call this ‘hitting the wall’. It can happen after just a few weeks, or even a year or two. This is when you finally realise this is not a vacation, but your new life.

When things like just popping out to get fish and chips wrapped in newspaper, or gravy granules, or your favourite soap, is no longer possible.

The best way to overcome this is not to crave what you miss, but embrace all the new and exciting foods to try, and places to visit.

Join local groups, and get out and interact with the local community, it will help you fit in so much quicker and help stave off relocation depression.

No matter where you are in the world, people still work, have bills to pay, and have problems. But at least the weather is better (in some States, anyway!)

You might like to know the happiest and healthiest States to live in, as listed by CNBC in 2018.

How to Choose the Best International Removal Company

Finding the right International Removal Company is absolutely vital when moving to the USA.

It will take a lot of research on your part, but here are our recommendations on how to find the perfect International Removal Company for your home move.

#1. Arrange to get at least 4 quotes from reputable international removal companies so that you can compare prices.

Essential reading: International Home Moves: The ultimate home moving challenge?

#2. Invite those removal companies to give you an in-home removal survey. This is the only way that you will get an accurate home moving cost, and so that the removal company can make a home moving plan for you.

#3. Ask lots of questions. It is vital that you discover just how knowledgeable the removal company is about shipping your things to the States.

Often international removal companies will assign you a home moving manager, someone with in-depth knowledge of the complete home moving process not only out of the UK, but into the US, where the home moving industry is very different to the UK one.

Be sure that the quotes you receive take into account all shipping fees, customs clearance fees, and all administration costs. And that you understand exactly what you are being quoted for.

Must read: Questions to ask your removal company.

#4. Compare the International Removal Companies. Armed with your list of answers to the questions in your list above, you are now in a position to compare those companies.

Check out their reviews online. Join some expat forums and ask for their experiences of using your preferred removal firm.

Find out as much as you can about the removal company, and especially how they respond to any out of the ordinary occurrences.

It is particularly important that your removal company is a member of an international home removers association.

Not only does this mean that they adhere to certain operating standards, but in the event of any disputes, there is an arbitration service to help you.

Useful Information: Removal Company Associations and Trade Bodies.

#5. Book the Removal Firm

Getting your home organised and prepared for moving is no easy task, so as soon as your moving date is confirmed, book your removal company.

The more notice you give them, the more likely you are to get your first choice of removal company.

Things that you Cannot Move to the USA

Narcotics, fireworks, adult films or literature, firearms, poison and certain knives are items that you would expect not to be allowed to take with you into America.

But here is a list of things that you may be surprised to learn you also cannot take:

• Any foodstuffs containing meat, including soup mixes, bouillon, and tinned meat.
• Lottery tickets
• Cuban cigars
• Flavoured cigarettes
• Gold coins, medals and bullions which originate from Cuba, Burma, Iran, and parts of Sudan are strictly prohibited.
• Ceramic tableware: The ban applies mainly to ceramics from Mexico, China, Hong Kong or India
• Persian Rugs
• Dog and cat fur

What are the Options for Shipping Things to the USA?

Shipping by Sea

Due to the more economical rates, most people opt for shipping their things via sea.

The prices we were quoted for air transit versus sea shipping rates was 8 x more expensive. But insurance was considerably cheaper, as air freight is better tracked, and is less likely to get damaged or lost.

Your sea shipping options are:

• Lift van for small loads. If you only have a few things to ship, this is the cheapest option.
• Exclusive containers for larger home moves. If you are shipping the average contents from a 3 bedroom house, you will likely need a 40ft shipping container. Having a shipping container for your sole use is the most expensive option.
• Shared containers for when your load does not fill a container. Your things will be loaded with other items to fill the container, so is a more cost-effective home moving option.

Door to door shipping times will vary depending upon your shipping port and the destination in the US, but as a guide:

UK to NY may take between 4-6 weeks

UK to LA usually takes around 7-9 weeks

UK to CO takes the longest at about 8-10 weeks

These shipping times include customs clearance which can take 4-8 days

If you plan on taking all your furniture with you, an average 1-2 bedroom home will fit in a 20ft container, and a 3 bedroom home in a 40ft container.

Air

This is the most expensive way of shipping things to the USA, and although a faster service, does not usually justify the huge costs involved.

Bonus moving information: A link to information about moving a pet to the USA

4 Useful tips on Emigrating to the United States

• Create a documentation checklist and folder. You will have a mountain of paperwork to complete and keep safe. Be sure to keep copies of everything in a second binder in case the first one goes missing.
• Get copies of all your medical, dental, and school records to take with you.
• Set up a US bank account. This is a vital task to do and will be so much easier if you are with a UK bank such as HSBC or Barclays, who have branches in the States. You will be unlikely to open any new US bank account online as you will have no US credit history.
• Download copies of State driving laws. Every state has different driving laws which can be downloaded from this link.

Packing tips for Moving to America

It is highly unlikely, and definitely not recommended, that you pack your household goods yourself when moving to America.

It is worth noting that most insurance companies will not insure items for international transportation that are not professionally packed.

Additionally, the removal company will need to complete various customs clearance forms, and inventories, and therefore must know exactly what is in each box.

It is almost essential therefore that a professional packing company prepares your household goods for shipping to America.

However, there are some precious items, such as jewels, that you may want to take with you in your hand luggage.

All of your documents should also travel with you and not with the removal company. Remember that you must carry your visa on you at all times, it is illegal not to do so, and you will incur a heavy fine if caught without it.

Be sure to check that you are not violating any baggage rules before packing your suitcases.

Here is a link to the TSA website which explains any prohibited items in detail.

And here is your opportunity to make the biggest cost savings when moving to America:

Declutter

The golden rule here is: If it is cheaper to replace it in the States than pay to have it packed and shipped, get rid of it.

Bear in mind that many electrical items will be useless in America as their appliances use 110v not 220v that the UK uses.

Remember that UK DVD’s will not play on US DVD players as they are not compatible.

It is not worth shipping a TV either, as not only are they prone to damage during transit, but the ariel and scart lead connections are different in the US.

Beds in the US are different sizes to UK beds too, so if you pay to ship your bed and linen, in the future you may find it very difficult to get new bedding to fit.

So be as ruthless as you can when deciding what to take with you, that way you will save packing and transportation costs.

There are many organisations that would benefit from your donations, and any items you sell will help pay for the moving costs, as well as give you money to replace the items once in your new home.

Useful information: Where to Donate Things

Bonus Moving Tip

Don’t forget to pack an open me first bag. It is very unlikely that you and your household things will arrive in your new home at the same time.

Even then, your journey to your new life could take a couple days to complete.

So pack a suitcase with everything that you may need on your first night in your new American home.

Sure, there may be a local Costco or Target store nearby to stock up on groceries, but after a 12-hour flight and maybe many hours of driving (America is HUGE remember), the last thing you will want to do is go shopping.

At the very least you will want night clothes and toiletries, as well as any medication, readily available.

You may want to include a torch and spare batteries as well, (not in your hand luggage though, as they are prohibited), just in case the electrics are not connected if you arrive late at night.

Don’t forget the travelers best friend too, wet wipes.

The kids will need something to keep them occupied as well on the epic journey.

Only you know what your arrival schedule will be, so you may have to plan a pit stop mid journey from the airport to your new home, just to stock up on a few things for your first night and the next morning.

You may need some UK currency too when at the departure airport, many people forget this, but it is useful to have some money just in case your flight is delayed, or for snacks and drinks.

And of course make sure you have some dollars for when you arrive, (it is the norm to tip for almost any service in the States).

You will need a credit card that will work Stateside too, (shopping in the US is virtually cashless, and even street vendors will accept credit cards).

And finally, it may seem obvious, but many people overlook the simple fact of making sure their passport will be in date when they actually move. Check the whole families now, just to make sure.

Good luck in your new life in America.