Moving from United Kingdom to United States
A classic career move across the Atlantic, drawn by scale, salaries, and opportunity. Here is the honest brief on cost, shipping to the East Coast, and the one thing that really decides this move, which is not the container but the visa that has to be in place before you go.
Costs are indicative ranges for 2026.
The honest summary of this move.
Shipping a household from the United Kingdom to the United States is a busy, well served transatlantic lane with predictable ocean logistics. For a 2 to 3 bedroom home, a shared sea container runs roughly 3,000 to 8,500 pounds in 2026, arriving in about four to seven weeks door to door into an East Coast port such as New York and Newark or Savannah.
On this corridor the shipping is the straightforward part. Containers leave through Southampton or Felixstowe, cross to the United States, and clear customs with US Customs and Border Protection at the port of entry. The hard part is the visa. Unlike many European moves, there is no easy residence registration on arrival, because the right to live and work in the United States has to be secured before you fly, and the category you qualify for shapes the entire timeline.
Common routes for Britons include the L1 intracompany transfer for people moving within an employer, the H1B specialty occupation visa which runs on an annual lottery, the E2 treaty investor visa available because of the long standing treaty between the United Kingdom and the United States, and the O1 for people with extraordinary ability. Family routes apply for spouses and relatives of US citizens and residents. Whichever fits, treat the petition and consular interview as the critical path and book your shipping around the date your visa is approved.
Once you land, the practical setup is less about registration and more about identifiers. You apply for a Social Security number from the Social Security Administration, which you need for payroll, credit, and most accounts, then build a US credit history from scratch, which surprises people, since a strong British credit record does not transfer. You will also sort a state driver's licence at the local Department of Motor Vehicles and choose private health insurance, usually through your employer, because there is no universal system.
Two practical notes shape this lane. First, the United Kingdom side: tell HM Revenue and Customs you are leaving, usually with form P85, and check whether split year treatment applies to your final tax year, which is general information and not tax advice. Second, housing and deposits: US landlords lean heavily on credit checks and proof of income, so a relocating Briton with no US credit file often needs extra deposits or an employer letter, which is worth arranging before you arrive.
What this move really costs in 2026.
Cost is driven by your volume, the season, your destination region, and the delivery distance from the arrival port to your new home. The table shows indicative ranges in pounds for the three common home sizes and shipping modes.
Indicative ranges for 2026 in pounds. East Coast delivery is cheaper than the West Coast or inland states, summer carries a premium, and your actual volume sets the final figure. Get a binding survey to firm it up.
- + Best value for a normal 2 to 3 bed home
- + You pay only for the space you use
- ~ Slower, since it waits for a full sailing
- + Faster and more direct
- + Worth it for a 4 plus bed home
- ! You pay for the whole box even if part empty
- + Fastest by far
- ! Far more expensive per cubic metre
- ~ Best kept for essentials, not a full home
A realistic timeline for this move.
On this lane the visa is the long pole, so secure it first and fit the shipping around the approval date. Here is the sequence movers on this corridor actually follow.
Lock down your visa route
Confirm your category, usually L1, H1B, E2, or O1, file the petition, and prepare for the consular interview at the US Embassy in London. Nothing else should be booked firmly until you have a clear approval path.
Get three movers to survey
Have movers run video or in home surveys for an accurate volume and a binding or not to exceed quote. Compare groupage sailings from Southampton or Felixstowe to your East Coast port and confirm your slot.
Prepare documents and housing
Gather your passport with visa, a valued customs inventory, and CBP form 3299 paperwork through your destination agent, and arrange at least temporary US housing given the credit hurdle.
Pack and load
The packing crew comes one to two days before collection. Your goods are inventoried, sealed, and trucked to the port for the transatlantic sailing to the United States.
Clear US customs
Your shipment clears US Customs and Border Protection at the port of entry against your inventory and free entry declaration, then goods are delivered, unpacked, and debris removed at your new home.
Set up your identifiers
Apply for your Social Security number, open a US bank account, start building a credit history, get your state driver's licence, and confirm your health insurance through your employer.
Bringing your household goods into United States.
Your shipment enters as a customs import handled by US Customs and Border Protection, but used personal effects can enter free of duty when you are moving your residence to the United States.
Used household and personal effects are generally admitted free of duty when you are relocating to the United States, provided you have owned and used them abroad, typically for at least a year. Clearance runs on a declaration for free entry of unaccompanied articles, the CBP form 3299, supported by a detailed valued inventory. Your destination agent files this with US Customs and Border Protection at the port of entry.
You will typically need your passport with the entry visa, a packing inventory with values, and the completed free entry declaration. New goods bought within a short window before the move, items for resale, and alcohol and tobacco beyond personal allowances fall outside the relief and can be dutiable. Certain goods draw extra scrutiny, so declare everything honestly on the inventory.
Restricted and prohibited categories include some foods, plant material and seeds, certain wood products, and products from protected species, while firearms and similar items face strict separate rules. Pets from the United Kingdom need to meet the current entry health requirements. Importing a British car is rarely worth it, since it must meet US federal safety and emissions standards, so most movers sell before leaving and buy in the United States.
Verify before you move. Free entry conditions, the ownership period, the required forms, and prohibited item lists change. Confirm the current position with US Customs and Border Protection and your mover's destination agent before your goods ship.The realistic routes for this corridor.
There is no simple register on arrival for the United States, so your right to live and work is arranged before you travel. These are the routes Britons on this lane use most.
For managers, executives, and specialists transferring from a United Kingdom office to a related US entity. It is one of the smoother routes when your company supports it.
For degree level roles with a sponsoring US employer, allocated through an annual lottery, so timing depends on selection as well as the job offer.
Available to British nationals under the treaty between the two countries, for people making a substantial investment in a US business they will direct.
For spouses, fiances, and close relatives of US citizens and lawful permanent residents, with timelines that vary widely by category.
How to choose a mover for United Kingdom to United States.
We never name, rank, or recommend a moving company. Instead, here is the neutral checklist that matters on this exact lane. Apply it to any quote, then request comparable quotes through the form below.
FIDI or IAM affiliation
Membership of the FIDI Global Alliance or the International Association of Movers signals audited financial stability and a complaints process you can lean on if something goes wrong.
Real corridor experience
Ask how many households the company has shipped on your exact route in the past year. A mover that runs the lane weekly knows the ports, the customs broker, and the paperwork by heart.
A binding pre move survey
Insist on a video or in home survey and a binding or not to exceed quote. A price built from a real volume estimate is the only quote you can compare like for like.
Clear insurance terms
Read how marine transit cover is calculated, what the deductible is, and whether valuation is by replacement value. Vague cover is the most common regret on an international move.
Verifiable reviews
Look for recent, specific reviews that name the destination, not just star ratings. Patterns in how a company handles claims tell you more than any single glowing note.
Written scope and timeline
Everything that matters belongs in writing: packing, customs clearance, delivery, unpacking, and debris removal, with who pays destination charges spelled out.
Get moving quotes for United Kingdom to United States.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from the United Kingdom to the United States?
For a 2 to 3 bedroom home, a shared container typically costs from about 3,000 to 8,500 pounds in 2026 to an East Coast port. The West Coast and inland delivery cost more, summer carries a premium, and your volume sets the final figure. Base your budget on a binding pre move survey.
How long does shipping take from the United Kingdom to the United States?
Plan on roughly four to seven weeks door to door for a shared container to an East Coast port, including consolidation, the crossing, and customs clearance. A sole use container is faster at about three to six weeks, and air freight lands in one to two weeks at a much higher cost.
Do I pay duty on my furniture moving to the United States?
If you are relocating to the United States, used household and personal effects you have owned and used abroad are generally admitted free of duty, declared on CBP form 3299 with a valued inventory. Rules change, so confirm with US Customs and Border Protection and your destination agent before shipping.
Which visa do I need to move from the United Kingdom to the United States?
It depends on your situation. Common routes are the L1 intracompany transfer, the H1B specialty occupation visa, the E2 treaty investor visa, the O1, and family based categories. The visa must be in place before you travel, so it sets the timeline. This is general information, not immigration advice.
Will my British credit history transfer to the United States?
No. United States lenders cannot see your United Kingdom credit file, so you start building a US credit history from scratch. Expect to need larger deposits or an employer letter for housing at first, and consider a secured card to begin establishing credit.
Should I ship my car from the United Kingdom?
Usually not. A British car must meet US federal safety and emissions standards to be imported and registered, which is costly and often impractical. Most movers sell before leaving and buy a car in the United States.