British citizens moving to United States of America
UK nationals are eligible for the E-2 Investor Treaty visa (unlimited renewals, typically $100k+ active business investment). H-1B, L-1 intra-company, and O-1 routes are widely used. ESTA visa-waiver covers short-term tourism/business.
We cover 14 United States routes — 5 can be started without a job offer, and 6 lead to permanent residence.
Notable: The UK has both E-1 Treaty Trader and E-2 Treaty Investor eligibility with the US.
Tourist entry
Yes. British nationals can enter United States of America without a visa for tourism, typically up to 90 days. This does not confer the right to work, study long-term, or establish residence.
Treaty & bilateral memberships
- US E-1/E-2 Treaty
Consular processing: London (US Embassy) / Belfast
What this means for British citizens
Of the 14 United States of America routes we cover, 5 can be started without an employer sponsor and 6 can lead to permanent residence. As British citizens, you may also have access to 1 treaty route (E-2 Treaty Investor) that most nationalities cannot use. Relevant memberships: US E-1/E-2 Treaty. Language is rarely a barrier here, since the main local language aligns with your own.
Headline figures — H-1B Specialty Occupation
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Salary you must earn
US$62,000/yr
H-1B — Level 1 prevailing wage (median across SOC codes)
Verified 1 July 2024 · DOL — Foreign Labor Certification wage search →
Government cost
US$3,595
Initial H-1B, standard employer (>25 FTE, not H-1B-dependent), no premium
H-4 dependants pay a $470 I-539 filing fee (each) plus $85 biometrics. Consular DS-160 fee is $205 each where applicable.
Verified 1 June 2026 · USCIS — Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) →
How long it takes
2 months – 8 months
H-1B I-129 petitions commonly take 2–8 months at USCIS service centers; Premium Processing ($2,965) resolves within 15 business days.
Verified 1 June 2026 · USCIS — Case Processing Times →
Treaty and bilateral routes
These routes are available to British applicants under specific bilateral agreements.
Routes with nationality-specific notes
Each link opens the British-specific guide for that route.
L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager)
Intracompany transfer for executives or managers moving to a US office of a related multinational employer.
UK-based executives at US-affiliated companies commonly use L-1A for 1-year new-office or 3-year established-office transfers. Blanket L petitions (for qualifying multinational groups) eliminate the USCIS adjudication bottleneck at the consular stage.
O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
Visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, education, business, athletics (O-1A) or the arts/film/television (O-1B).
UK applicants in the arts (O-1B), academia, and entertainment industries are a substantial O-1 cohort. Consulate processing at London is generally efficient; consular officers focus on the petitioning employer/agent's credibility and the specific engagements listed.
All United States of America routes open to British applicants
General routes available to all nationalities. Click any to read the full guide.
H-1B Specialty Occupation
Employer-sponsored non-immigrant visa for specialty occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Job offer required · Temporary
L-1B Intracompany Transferee (Specialised Knowledge)
Intracompany transfer for employees with specialised knowledge of the employer’s products, services, or processes.
Job offer required · Temporary
EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant)
Employment-based first-preference green card for individuals with extraordinary ability — self-petitionable.
No job offer needed · Leads to permanent residence
EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW)
Second-preference green card with a waiver of the job offer and PERM labor certification, where the beneficiary’s work is in the US national interest.
No job offer needed · Leads to permanent residence
EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers
Third-preference employment-based green card requiring employer sponsorship and PERM labor certification.
Job offer required · Leads to permanent residence
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
Permanent residence through investment in a new US commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 full-time jobs.
No job offer needed · Leads to permanent residence
F-1 Student Visa (with OPT and STEM OPT)
Non-immigrant student visa for academic study at a SEVP-certified institution, with post-study OPT employment authorisation.
No job offer needed · Temporary
J-1 Exchange Visitor
Exchange visitor visa covering academic scholars, students, trainees, interns, researchers, au pairs, and other exchange programs.
Job offer required · Temporary
TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico)
Non-immigrant work visa under USMCA for Canadian and Mexican citizens in listed professions.
Job offer required · Temporary
K-1 Fiancé(e) of US Citizen
Non-immigrant visa allowing the fiancé(e) of a US citizen to enter the US to marry within 90 days and then apply for a green card.
Job offer required · Leads to permanent residence
Spouse of US Citizen or Green Card Holder (IR1/CR1 & F2A)
Permanent residence for the spouse of a US citizen (IR1/CR1) or lawful permanent resident (F2A preference).
Job offer required · Leads to permanent residence
Recent policy changes affecting this route
What changed most recently on this route — each linked to its primary government source.
- 12 January 2026In force 1 March 2026
US: premium processing rises to $2,965 and H-1B moves to wage-weighted selection
Two USCIS changes land for the FY2027 H-1B season: the Form I-907 premium-processing fee rises with inflation, and cap-subject H-1B selection switches from a random lottery to a wage-weighted process.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services → - 1 April 2024In force 1 April 2024
USCIS final fee rule takes effect
USCIS implemented its first major fee schedule adjustment in nearly a decade, including differentiated H-1B filing fees by employer type.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services →
Frequently asked questions
Can British citizens enter United States of America without a visa?+
Yes. British nationals can enter United States of America without a visa for tourism, typically up to 90 days. This does not confer the right to work, study long-term, or establish residence.
Which United States of America visa routes are best suited to British applicants?+
Treaty routes (E-2 Treaty Investor) apply specifically to British nationals. Common general routes used by British applicants include L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager), O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement. UK nationals are eligible for the E-2 Investor Treaty visa (unlimited renewals, typically $100k+ active business investment). H-1B, L-1 intra-company, and O-1 routes are widely used. ESTA visa-waiver covers short-term tourism/business.
Where do British applicants typically apply for a United States of America visa?+
Applications are typically processed at London (US Embassy) / Belfast. Some digital and in-country applications can be filed directly with United States of America's immigration authority without a consular visit.
Do British citizens need a job offer to move to United States of America?+
Not necessarily. 5 of the 14 United States of America routes we cover can be started without an employer sponsor, while the rest need a sponsoring employer or job offer. If you do not have an offer yet, the no-sponsor routes are the place to start.
Can British citizens get permanent residence in United States of America?+
Yes. 6 of the 14 United States of America routes we cover lead toward settlement or permanent residence; the others are temporary. Timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
How much does the H-1B Specialty Occupation cost for a British applicant?+
Government fees for the worked example (Initial H-1B, standard employer (>25 FTE, not H-1B-dependent), no premium) total about US$3,595. H-4 dependants pay a $470 I-539 filing fee (each) plus $85 biometrics. Consular DS-160 fee is $205 each where applicable. Figures from USCIS — Fee Schedule (Form G-1055), verified 1 June 2026. Treat these as indicative — confirm the current schedule on the official source before budgeting.
What salary do British applicants need for the H-1B Specialty Occupation?+
The H-1B — Level 1 prevailing wage (median across SOC codes) floor is US$62,000/yr, effective 1 July 2024 (DOL — Foreign Labor Certification wage search). Your occupation's published going rate may bind higher — whichever is greater applies.
How long does the H-1B Specialty Occupation take to process from United Kingdom?+
The typical published decision window is 2 months – 8 months. British applicants usually file via London (US Embassy) / Belfast, and consular-post backlogs can add to the wait. Source: USCIS — Case Processing Times, verified 1 June 2026.