California looking into UK living

Hey Y'all, new to this forum, from California (born and raised), retired Correctional Officer with a annual retirement salary of $75,000 USD (minus taxes).  Been checking out London for the past three months and have a flight back to the states late January.  I'm in love!! (with London that is) and would love to see about making it my home.  I'm 56 years old ... not looking to attend school, not looking to find a job, not looking to get married (I'm single), etc, etc, etc...  I just want a change in my life.  I own a house in California (which I intend to keep), I have a 401(k) valued at $230,000 USD (which I wish to keep in place), and a savings account of $10,000 cash.  I'm just curious .. from the experienced people here ... what are the chances of receiving a settlement visa from the UK based on the information I've provided an what would be the best forum here to visit and learn from?  Thanks .. friends call me Mac

You won't like the answer, but unfortunately this is probably a dream that will unlikely become reality.

The ways to relocate to the UK are:

Work visa - sponsorship from a UK employer as you have a special set of skills that cannot be met by the current workforce in all of the UK or EU

Entreprenuer visa - I believe £1M investment into a UK business (this number changes frequently and could be out of date)

Spouse visa - marriage to a UK citizen

Student visa - short term (i.e., a few years) to obtain a degree from a university

Also, London is expensive. Depending on where you would want to live, your $75,000 might not make it very far.  This currently equates to £47,000, but with the ever changing exchange rate could go up or down, depending.

My other half and I live in Zone 2, with a combined income of £61,000.  Fortunately, we can afford the odd night out and a trip to mainland Europe every couple of months, but we definitely do have to make sacrifices, and it feels like we'll never be able to actually buy our own home here.

To get an idea of cost of living comparisons to where you are now, try www.numbeo.com.

As KFDancer said, there are only a limited number of ways to qualify for a visa to move to the UK:

- Get a work visa to work in the UK

- Get an investor or entrepreneur visa to set up a business in the UK

- Get a student visa to study in the UK

- Marriage visa, if you are in a relationship with a UK or EU citizen and wish to marry and settle in the UK.

If none of these applies to you, then I think you will find it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to qualify for a visa to move to the UK.

There used to be a visa for 'Retired persons of independent means' but it no longer exists unfortunately.

Do you have any claim to UK or EU citizenship at all, i.e. through a parent, or in some cases, possibly a grandparent (you can't gain UK citizenship through a grandparent though)? If you did have claim to citizenship of an EU country, you might be able to move to the UK that way, but otherwise, your only option would be to qualify for one of the visas above.

Well, thank you (ALL) for responding ... even though it wasn't really what I wanted to hear.

This time my stay in the UK (London) is going to end up being a little under 6 months.  I arrived in the UK in late July, stayed for about a week, drove across Europe to Romania ... then on to Croatia before returning to the UK via a flight from Budapest Hungary.  Each time at the boarder crossing the IO questioned me extensively with concerns regarding the amount of time I was staying.  I happen to have really good friends in London I've known for almost eight years now.

If a settlement visa is out of the question and I have to return to sunny California (forever), I can accept that.  I guess my next question would be ... What are the imagration laws with respect to how many LONG visits can be made to the UK (?)and how much time must there be in-between each visit?  If I can't live here, I would at least like to visit my friends often ... or is this a NO NO as well?

As a retired Correctional Officer, I don't want to violate any laws or draw undue suspicion ... I just want to do things completely legal nd honestly.

The general rule is 6 months in 12.  Ideally, you should try to be out of the UK as much as you're in with an absolute max stay of 6 months.    Each time you re-enter the UK, you need to pass through immigration and the IO will re-determine you're ok for another visitor visa/passport stamp. 

In addition to what TravelingFrog said, you'll want to be prepared with:

A return fight home
Proof of strong ties to the US (proof of mortgage or lease that you will maintain your residence in the US)
Ideally ties to a job in the US, but unless you come out of retirement this won't be possible
Proof of travel health insurance that will cover your medical expenses in case you need treatment while here
Proof of suffcient funds to cover all expenses
An itenerary of what you will be doing/seeing while here (they want to ensure you are genuinely a tourist and not attempting to live in the UK without a visa that allows you too)

The longer the visit, the more scrutiny you will receive when entering the UK.  A strong understanding of the immigration rules is key, as is proving ties to your home country.

Of course it will always be up to the discretion of the IO you have at the border if you choose not to apply for a visitors visa in advance.

Thanks TravelingFrog & KFdancer

These were the aswers I thought I would hear to the second question.  You've been very helpful.  I think on my second visit a preauthorized visa might be the way to go.

Thank again  ;-)

A return fight home
Proof of strong ties to the US (proof of mortgage or lease that you will maintain your residence in the US)
Ideally ties to a job in the US, but unless you come out of retirement this won't be possible
Proof of travel health insurance that will cover your medical expenses in case you need treatment while here
Proof of suffcient funds to cover all expenses
An itenerary of what you will be doing/seeing while here (they want to ensure you are genuinely a tourist and not attempting to live in the UK without a visa that allows you too)

The longer the visit, the more scrutiny you will receive when entering the UK.  A strong understanding of the immigration rules is key, as is proving ties to your home country.

Of course it will always be up to the discretion of the IO you have at the border if you choose not to apply for a visitors visa in advance.

I second the travel health insurance and funds to cover your stay. When I came in for 3 months, I had A LOT of scrutiny, more than I was expecting initially.

Being honest with the border agents are key. Informing them that you know the rules is also a good idea. The return flight home is also key, that makes them feel much better knowing you have the means to leave. They asked me how much money I had with me and how I was going to afford being there. Thankfully my fiance is able to take care of that, but it was still about 10 minutes of questions. A little stressful to say the least!

I've also found that the more you come and go, the better record you build with them indicating you will leave and not just stay illegally and that you have the means to do so.

Interestingly, we asked a friend of ours who is a border agent for the UK about the 6 month rule, per his response, every time you come and go your 6 months starts over versus there being a limit on a calendar year. The same is the case with US driving licenses here.

Sacmac - the UK is a lovely place to be in, however the cost of living..CRIKEY! Money  goes so much further in the US than here when it comes to so many things...food, houses...food..umm...food?? (2 chicken breasts cost me an average of $15.00USD) good lord! Not to mention...I would recommend looking to stay elsewhere besides London. The countryside is really exciting to live in and experience! Highly recommend the SouthWest. Good luck on your next visit!

Sacmac - the UK is a lovely place to be in, however the cost of living..CRIKEY! Money  goes so much further in the US than here when it comes to so many things...food, houses...food..umm...food?? (2 chicken breasts cost me an average of $15.00USD) good lord! Not to mention...I would recommend looking to stay elsewhere besides London. The countryside is really exciting to live in and experience! Highly recommend the SouthWest. Good luck on your next visit!

Yes Chicken and pork and beef are rather expensive in the supermarkets, I tend to get my meats from our local market...34 sirloin steaks for £20.  Similar prices for pork chops and chicken breasts.  I also check out the reduced to clear section at tescos.  I can get a pack of 4 chicken breasts for about £2, mince meat for under £2.  Got a lovely lovely gammon steak joint about 4 inches thick for £1.56.  Just stock it all up in the freezer.  Also got 2 containers of chocolate philadelphia cream cheese for £0.10 each.  I keep a list of where things are cheapest.  Also I love the fact that if I shop at Tesco and it would have been cheaper elsewhere, they give me a coupon for the difference to use in the future.

All other food I find super cheap...especially fresh fruit and veg.  The only thing I struggle with the cost of is clothing.  Refuse to pay £25 for a tshirt.

Interestingly, we asked a friend of ours who is a border agent for the UK about the 6 month rule, per his response, every time you come and go your 6 months starts over versus there being a limit on a calendar year. The same is the case with US driving licenses here.

It's true that each visa is generally issuedfor six months, although they can make it for less, but they don't tend to allow you to come for more than six months in a year, so multiple visas that would take you over a total of six months won't generally happen.

As to your comment on driving licence times. If I understood you correctly, someone has misinformed you. Your year does not reset if you leave the country and return. This has gone to court, and the Americans lost. Your year of being able to drive is just from initial entry. Anything past that is totally illegal.

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Interestingly, we asked a friend of ours who is a border agent for the UK about the 6 month rule, per his response, every time you come and go your 6 months starts over versus there being a limit on a calendar year.

No one ever said there was a limit per CALENDAR year because there isn't (it was a rolling year, not a calendar year). It is also true that visitor visas are usually (but not always) issued for 6 months on each entry.

However, UKBA state (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/modernised/visiting/general-visitor.pdf?view=Binary):

Frequency and duration of visits

Visitors cannot live in the UK on a continuous basis even if this is punctuated by short
absences from the UK to avoid overstaying.

There is no specific limit on the number of visits an individual can make to the UK, such as a definitive rule which states that a visitor can only remain in the UK for ‘6 months in 12 month period’ rule.

But visitors must not be living in the UK for extended periods because of frequent, successive visits.
For example:
- where an individual spends five or six months in the UK during a visit and returns after a short break in their home country for a further five or six months, or
- if they are living in the UK for successive short periods and breaking this by leaving for a couple of days, for example, someone living in the UK during the week and breaking this by leaving the UK at the weekends.

This could amount to genuine residence. However this is not a hard and fast rule and the circumstances of each case needs to be considered on an individual basis.

The same is the case with US driving licenses here.

This is not true. The 12 months starts from the date you first become resident in the UK on your visa.

The official government website says (https://www.gov.uk/non-gb-driving-licence/y/resident_of_gb/car_motorcycle/other):

You can drive in Great Britain on your full, valid driving licence for 12 months from when you became resident.

After 12 months you’ll need to apply for a provisional licence and pass the theory and practical driving tests to drive in Great Britain.

Sacmac - the UK is a lovely place to be in, however the cost of living..CRIKEY! Money  goes so much further in the US than here when it comes to so many things...food, houses...food..umm...food?? (2 chicken breasts cost me an average of $15.00USD)

Where are you shopping? I've never paid more than £3 for 2 chicken breasts.

Actually, groceries in general are cheaper in the UK than in the US - that's one thing that several people here on the forum have commented on as a positive of living in the UK. Although chicken is more expensive here, other items like bread, fruit, vegetables, water, wine and imported beer are cheaper in the UK (http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=United+Kingdom&country2=United+States).