Many Americans, for many different reasons, are looking over the pond for a planned move. But beyond the cultural differences, there’s a lot to consider, from finding a place, moving your stuff, and finally booking the flight.
Applications from US citizens for British citizenship hit a record 8,790 in 2025 – a 42% increase as per Home Office figures. But it’s not just passports – an estimated 180,000 Americans left the country last year, the largest wave in a long time. Some are chasing lower costs in this inflationary, ever-expensive US environment, but some just want to escape the political divides.
Britain or Mainland Europe: What Shapes the Decision
The UK tends to be the first stop people consider, partly because of the language, but also because it’s common to have Scottish or English ancestry. But mainland Europe pull lots of Americans too, with the very cheap properties, great weather, and more routes built around income or investment than just job transfers like the UK. That matters most to those retired or self-employed. The job route is the easies, but not always an option.
Visas, Healthcare and the Cost Side of the Move
This is where plans stall. Every route in, from the UK Skilled Worker visa, a Portuguese D7, or a Spanish non-lucrative visa, has its own income thresholds and waiting periods. But these are highly dependent on the specific visa. Being married to a citizen, of course, is usually an easy option, but in Britain, and some others, income threshold (from the sponsoring Brit) can be moderately high (e.g., £29,000/year). For Denmark, it can be tricky.
Healthcare access varies too. The NHS covers you once the initial Immigration Health Surcharge is paid (anyone on a visa for 6 months or longer). And don’t forget the US side of things. American citizens still have to file US taxes no matter where they live, so budget for an accountant who understands both systems. None of this is a reason to give up on the idea, it’s just the part that needs sorting before the fun part.It’s worth getting an immigration lawyer to speak to.
Finding a Home
If we take the example of England, specifically London, as where you land. While housing is expensive, the crisis is not on the same level as, say, Australia, or even the Netherlands. You may want to buy a home as soon as possible, but unless you’re a cash buyer, it may take a while. Instead, get a 6 month rental agreement to take the pressure off, or use Airbnb’s 1-month discounts. Use this time to learn the neighbourhoods and scour ONS data.
Fortunately, house prices haven’t been meaningfully rising for a while now. Use a range of sites to search for London flats for sale, and always get friendly with the agents – they can recommend local solicitors and such if you need them.
Settling in With Some Practical First Steps
Once the paperwork and housing are sorted, it’s all about logistics like opening a local bank account (they will very much be asking if you’re a US citizen), and UK banks will want proof of address, so use a global EMI like Revolut until you’re there and renting. Register with a GP right away, and if you’re bringing kids, the UK has some of the best private schools in the world. Otherwise, sort out state school placement well in advance. Figure out the cost of shipping because it may just be cheaper to buy new when you land.
The good news is that it might be easier to move to Europe from the US than the other way around. Everything is nearby, you probably won’t need a car, many countries like Estonia have incredibly digitized bureaucracy (world leading), and, for the most part, safety is less of a worry.
