View Full Version : just thought i'd ask
glasgowmary
31-03-2006, 02:00
well you never know maybe one day when we are child free we might sell up here and go to sunny florida to stay , does any one know if its very difficult to live there if you are not empoyed or don' t have a green card? just wondered if i 'm wasting my time dreaming![:X]
Impossible! Sorry to burst the bubble of your dream. Although if you are a multi millionnaire it might be possible[msnwink]
Karen
steph_goodrum
31-03-2006, 02:52
Or a Robbie Williams wannabe, with outstanding talent. Even money doesn't grant you the right to live in the US permanently unless you have enough money to ba able to buy a business and employ enough staff that you don't need to be hands on all the time. Even then you will be subject to Visa renewals etc.
There is no such thing as a retirees visa.
Best option seems to be winter in FLorida and summer in UK if you have the funds to run 2 places or sell the Florida one and rent for the winter.
glasgowmary
31-03-2006, 03:26
is this because you have to lodge so much in the bank ? or is it just not possible to retire there ? ( sorry to sound niave ! )
glasgowmary
31-03-2006, 03:29
thanks for that ,ah well i know you can go for 90 days suppose we could go for that length of time and keep a house here only thing is i don' t know how regular you could go for 90 days !! ah well nice dream while it lasted thanks anyway mary[msnsad]
Mary, read this thread and see if your questions are answered.
http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/topic_10925.asp
Karen
Florida is full of older people running businesses who would just have retired there had they been given the choice, as it is they end up working harder in their "retirement" than they ever did at work and because of the restrictions of their visa can never actually retire. Yes you can buy your way in, both involve investment in businesses, search on E2 if you have $100,000 plus to invest, this never leads to green card, and on EB5 if you have $500.000 - 1 million which may do.
As to coming and going on visa waiver, yes I know people doing this and it works for so long but you always run the risk of the port of entry officer saying no, not this time, and it doesnt give you things you really need to live here permanently like a social security number.
chrisflowers
31-03-2006, 11:58
You could always try to get a B2 visa, which will allow you to stay 180 days per year
steph_goodrum
31-03-2006, 13:53
As Chris said the B2 Visa is for extended stays for business or pleasure for trips of up to 180 days and at the moment costs around £60 (not sure of exact figure) but lasts for 10 years so you can have longer trips Glasgow Mary than the 90 days on the Visa waiver.
The mian criteria is to show you have sufficient ties to your homeland to ensure you will be coming back and that you have the resources to fund your trip so won't be seeking employment, but if you apply and the reason given for needing the Visa is that you want to make trips of longer then 90 days then there is no reason why you shoulnd't have your apllication for B Visa accepted.
As a holder of a B2 Visa do be aware of the logistics of getting one of these. It involves spending a day in London, queuing on the pavement outside the American Embassy for what could be sometime in all weathers for an appointment time that could in practice be whenever the Embassy staff feel like it.
Our appointment time was 11.15 am, got there at 10.30 am and were one of the last five still there at 4.55 p.m where we had a 45 second 'interview' standing at what resembled a Post Office counter where I held my breath whilst young lady gave us the OK.
Once inside the Embassy there is inadequate seating, inadequate number of toilets and only snack/drinks slot machines which may or may not work. It was apparent when we went to London (May 2004) that 99.9% of applicants were students looking for Visas to study in America.
We are often asked on arrival in US by the cheery (!!) Immigration Staff why we have Visas and they seem happy enough to accept that we have property there.
Clare
http://www.orlandovillas.com/villas/1367.aspx
steph_goodrum
31-03-2006, 17:25
"Once inside the Embassy there is inadequate seating, inadequate number of toilets and only snack/drinks slot machines which may or may not work. It was apparent when we went to London (May 2004) that 99.9% of applicants were students looking for Visas to study in America.
Clare
The timing for you was probably bad, my daughter was one of the students last summer (2005), not for studying (it is actually called a cultural exchange/study visa) to work in the US for the summer. Her appointment was around 11 and was all finished within a couple of hours, she was prepared and took food , drink and books with her, and it helped in that she is studying in London so the logistics were not quite so bad, it was only a short bus ride from her. For most in the same position as her they were unable to apply earlier as until they had their exam timetables didnt know when they would be able to fly over and start work.
If you don't have a particular time in travel in mind and can plan your application when it suite then you can probably get a quieter time.
Robert5988
31-03-2006, 19:38
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:thanks for that ,ah well i know you can go for 90 days suppose we could go for that length of time and keep a house here only thing is i don' t know how regular you could go for 90 days !! ah well nice dream while it lasted thanks anyway mary[/quote]
There are a couple of minor changes since that 2004 thread.
Firstly you do not need to have 6 months left on your passport to enter the USA. As long as it covers the length of your stay you are OK.
Secondly you now cannot cross a border to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean Islands and re-enter to obtain a new Visa Waiver.
There is no limit to the number of times you can enter on a Visa waiver. Obviously you must satisfy the Immigration officer that you have ties to the UK and it is your intention to return there. However that still applies even if you have a Visa.
IMO a retired person could spend as much time as they wanted in the USA as long as they met the criteria above and could demonstrate(if required) they had sufficient funds.
The cost of medical insurance is a big deterrent for older people when it comes to spending long periods on one trip in the USA. It is fairly easy to get cover for a 30 day stay but difficult(or expensive) for longer periods. For full time medical insurance someone was talking of a $20,000 pa premium. It is much easier to spend £300 or so on a trip back to UK and your 30 days starts again next time you enter.
steph_goodrum
31-03-2006, 20:11
"IMO a retired person could spend as much time as they wanted in the USA as long as they met the criteria above and could demonstrate(if required) they had sufficient funds."
The other thing you have to watch for is that if you spend more than 181 days in 3 years (there is a formula which is something along the lines of 100% of time spent in current year +20% of time the preceding year + 10% of the year prior to that, then the US decides you are classed as residing there for tax purposes and rules you have to declare all your Worldwide income for tax purposes and pay tax on it if applicable.
Robert5988
31-03-2006, 22:05
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:The other thing you have to watch for is that if you spend more than 181 days in 3 years (there is a formula which is something along the lines of 100% of time spent in current year +20% of time the preceding year + 10% of the year prior to that, then the US decides you are classed as residing there for tax purposes and rules you have to declare all your Worldwide income for tax purposes and pay tax on it if applicable.
[/quote]
Steph,
I checked up on this and whilst you are absoutely correct in what you say, it is at the discretion of the US Tax authorities.
I suspect they might exercise that right if you were a high earning individual like Robbie williams etc.
However for the vast majority of us it is not a problem because of the reciprocal Tax agreement between UK and USA. Any Income Tax you pay to the USA is deducted from your UK liability. Given that, for the vast majority, UK liability will be higher than the USA you will not be any worse off.
The position is similar with Capital Gains Tax.
steph_goodrum
31-03-2006, 22:15
It's still another hassle to add to the others of insurance to consider though so it's best to be aware of all considerations.
Robert5988
31-03-2006, 23:47
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote: It's still another hassle to add to the others of insurance to consider though so it's best to be aware of all considerations.[/quote]
Agreed!
IMO Florida is a place for a holiday; to spend the majority of your time there would be one long hassle.
Cruella DeVilla
01-04-2006, 00:28
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote: It's still another hassle to add to the others of insurance to consider though so it's best to be aware of all considerations.[/quote]
Agreed!
IMO Florida is a place for a holiday; to spend the majority of your time there would be one long hassle.
[/quote]
Ah hassle I cant wait for[8D]
glasgowmary
01-04-2006, 01:16
sorry to sound daft but what is imo ?? [msncool]
glasgowmary
01-04-2006, 01:18
sorry to sound daft but what is imo ?? [msncool]
For those of you who have not been to the US Embassy recently, you no longer queue on the pavement outside, not allowed. There are plenty of seats inside. There is a counter that you can buy food, drinks, etc. It is much improved, we were there in November. The wait is not much different, we had a 1300 appointment and got seen at 1600. Still, not complaining, we got our B2 renewed for another 10 years. Yippee!!!!
Sandra
Robert5988
01-04-2006, 02:25
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote: sorry to sound daft but what is imo ?? [/quote]
[u]I</u>n [u]M</u>y [u]O</u>pinion
glasgowmary
01-04-2006, 03:56
thanks robert!!![sporty]
CDV, running a business here isnt anything like coming here on holiday even for extended periods. I would guess someone here on a two week holiday would see more sun than I do in months. When you live here, it is a place like any other. I would agree on the health care cover, it is horrendous as you get older, we have already seen a change in the three years we have lived here.
Cruella DeVilla
01-04-2006, 06:51
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by esprit
CDV, running a business here isnt anything like coming here on holiday even for extended periods. I would guess someone here on a two week holiday would see more sun than I do in months. When you live here, it is a place like any other. I would agree on the health care cover, it is horrendous as you get older, we have already seen a change in the three years we have lived here.
[/quote]
Appreciate that Julie, I have lived abroad all my life and in the tropics like Hong Kong and Malaysia and other hot climates like Cyprus and other countires in the Med so I know the score wth working in a hot climate, it's definately not all fun! I plan to have the best of both worlds when we come over, work hard play hard;)
chrizzy100
03-04-2006, 23:55
Are your buying a company...or moving with work CV....?
Cruella DeVilla
04-04-2006, 05:13
Nothing set in stone yet Chrizzy, we have 2 or 3 options and trying to decide which one is best, a lot of thigs are in place and just waiting for the right time. Work may bring me to Tampa later in the year so I wil get a dry run!
chrizzy100
04-04-2006, 05:56
Well good luck CV...if you need any info...or help or anything just shout..
Hubby is looking into a few jobs when we go to Orlando the end of April...he is in two minds about moving to FL full time....now we have a grandson here and our son would like to stay on the Cape for a few more years..do a post grad course...work here for a while....we have no idea what to do for the best....I take care of my grandson so his mother can work...so no hope of moving yet...deep down I love where I live now...I would like to find a way to stay in both places...
Cruella DeVilla
04-04-2006, 17:47
Thanks Chrizzy that is kind.
Maybe you should stay up in the Cod until the family are a bit older and then have a "proper" retirement in the sunshine state when the bones are old and need the sun:D
Looks like a lot of peopole are intown end of April into May, us too!