Oh, dear, where to start? First, you've got some fundamental misconceptions about how the UK visas and immigration process works. You can't just "hop the pond" as you say. If you want to move here, first you must secure a job offer, after that a visa, and finally a flat. Were you to show up at the airport and inform the immigration officer that you intended to go flat and job hunting, you'd find yourself on the next available plane back to the US. This may sound harsh, but you have got to get your head out of the clouds if you are serious about moving to the UK. It is not an easy process and it will only get harder in the coming years. Also, I expect you'll find that your timeline is not very realistic. While it may be true that the minimum requirement for foreign-trained RNs to get a job in the UK is a degree and 2 years experience, there are other factors to consider as well. In order for you to qualify for a Tier 2 (work-based) visa, your potential employer must pass the resident labour market test. This means that they must show that they cannot find a UK or EU citizen who can do the job before they are able to offer it to a non-EU citizen. How likely do you think it is that a hospital in Newcastle will not be able to find a UK citizen to fill what is basically an entry-level nursing position? To get a Tier 2 visa as a nurse, you will need a lot more than two years of experience. Really, you would need to be very skilled and specialised in a highly-needed field. There are some nursing positions on the
Skills Shortage List (jobs for which non-EU citizens can be hired without the Resident Labour Market test) but they are highly skilled and specialised.
What I'd recommend is that you see about spending a year abroad at Newcastle Uni and seeing how you like the place before making a firm decision to live there. It's easy to get swept away by romantic ideas about the UK, but the reality is something different. You may find that you love it here but there's also a chance that you may not. Moving to another country is a big deal and you need more than hearsay and Google Maps to decide whether a place is right for you.
The other thing that you really, seriously need to think about is that immigration rules and requirements change very quickly. What is true today will unquestionably not be true in five years. It is simply impossible to make any plans that far in advance. Five years ago, Tier 2 didn't exist, and in five years it will likely have been replaced by something else. Also, you have no way of knowing what twists and turns your life will take in that time. By all means take some holidays in the UK, study here, explore the country and see if it suits you. But you should also make a life for yourself in the US, in case the move doesn't end up happening. With some dreams, you have to play the long game.
