The Best Place to Live in the USA


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...from what I have read you can only stay for a max of 6 months a year...

I'm not certain about the immigration rules - but I think the 6-month rule only applies to non-visa "visitors". You should check with the US Embassy in London regarding more permanent residence - I find it hard to believe they would discourage anybody bringing their money over here!

However, my guess is there are health care and welfare issues - Americans don't like the idea of "foreigners" using their social services without having paid taxes. I'm not sure how that works if you want to retire here but it is worth asking a few questions.

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I've also looked into retiring to Florida and Notts Lad is right.

As a non green card holder, you may visit Florida for 90 days per year under the Visa Waiver or Visa scheme. The first time you do visit, you can request an extention for a further 90 days, making it a total of 6 months. After the 180 days, you must leave US soil.

Thereafter, you are only allowed to remain in the USA for no more than 90 days per year. If you abuse this by even 1 day, you are thereafter banned for life to re-enter the US.

Paranoid or what??

Not much fun if you are retired.

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I believe there's a visa to allow a person to live within the states permanently, doesn't allow you to work, just reside here as in retire.

Not sure how this works, but the US and UK signed a new social security agreement a few years back, you'd have to look into that Frank.

Seems the likes of myself who are married to citizens and have lived here for a fair while can claim on their spouses SS benefits, or if been employed here will be able to claim SS when they retire at 65 or 60 for women. I was surprised myself, but as the wife was eligible she went to sort it out a couple of weeks back and the SS officer told her I could claim 50% of what the wife's figure is in four years time. That will help us both!

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Important Security Notice

  1. Large bags, such as backpacks, suitcases or packages are not allowed within the Embassy grounds. Click on the following PDF file for a list of Left Luggage storage facilities. Please also do not bring mobile phones or any other electronic devices, such as Blackberries, iPods, PDAs or remote-entry automobile key "fobs" to the interview as they are not allowed within the Embassy. Failure to follow these instructions will result in the cancellation of your appointment.
  2. Applicants are required to queue outside even in inclement weather. Please, therefore, do not arrive at the Embassy more than 30 minutes before the scheduled appointment time.
  3. Only applicants with appointments will be admitted into the Embassy. Exceptions will be made only if the applicant is under 18, if the applicant requires an interpreter or if the applicant is disabled and requires assistance. The parent or guardian, interpreter or carer’s name must be on the appointment list. Local authorities will not permit anyone to wait outside the Embassy, so please do not bring anyone else with you.

Just a little message from the US Embassy web site in London.

More Paranoia.

Key fobs? Don't bring anyone with you? - Must be nice to stand in the pouring rain for 30 minutes.

So, you drive to London - what are you supposed to do with the car key?

Reminds me of a little story my son told me after he came back from honeymoon in Florida.

He had been in Orlando for over a week and they decided to visit Disney world. He and his new wife spent over 1 hour queuing for the newly opened Animal Kingdom, where visitors are loaded onto an open top truck to be driven around the safari area. The whole trip to see the animals is spent on the truck.

Anyways, when it was their turn at the front of the queue, the American lady controlling 'guests' (as Disney calls visitors) onto the truck noticed that they spoke with an English accent. Well, straight away she said ' you can't come in!'

Why? asked my son. 'Well, you've got Foot and Mouth disease rampant in the UK and you might infect our animals'

'But we've been here in Orlando for over a week!'

'Doesn't matter,' says she, 'you are not coming in.'

Paranoia abounds unchecked.

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I believe there's a visa to allow a person to live within the states permanently, doesn't allow you to work, just reside here as in retire.

Just found this John.

Visa Requirements for Holiday Home Owners

There are no restrictions on purchasing a holiday home in the United States.

What type of visa do I require?

Many foreign owners of vacation homes travel to the United States as visitors either on B-2 visas or visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Visitors under the VWP may remain for up to 90 days. This 90 day period cannot be extended, therefore, travelers who wish to remain for longer are required to apply for visitor (B-2) visas before traveling.

How long may I remain in the United States?

The period of validity of a B-2 visa relates to the period of time during which the holder may travel to the United States and apply for admission at a Port of Entry (POE); it does not determine the length of stay. This is a decision made by a U.S. immigration official at the POE. B-2 visa holders are usually granted stays of six months which may be extended for a further six months at the discretion of U.S. immigration. An application for an extension of the initial period of stay must be made at an office of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services in the United States.

Visitors who spend prolonged periods of time in the United States may have difficulty in convincing the U.S. immigration that he or she is not an intending immigrant. Therefore, it is important that when applying for admission into the United States, you carry with you for presentation to immigration evidence of a residence abroad to which you intend returning at the end of your stay.

What if I wish to take up indefinite residence?

If you wish to take up indefinite or permanent residence in the United States, you must travel there with an immigrant visa. It is currently not possible to qualify for immigration on the basis of retirement to the United States. Retirees are required to qualify for immigration in either the family or employment based categories, or a diversity immigrant.

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  • 9 months later...
  • 2 years later...

If you like spectacular scenery, Grassvalley is a great place to live. First settled by Cornish gold miners in the 1850's (yes you can still get Cornish pastries here) My eldest daughter moved here over 10 years ago so I get there quite often. Close by is the beautiful Donner Pass and Lake Tahoe, just down the hill, is Sacramento. If you love driving convertibles or harley's, Highway 49 is one great road to drive south to Yosemite which has more spectacular scenery. The downtown Grassvalley, Nevada City still has many of the old houses and buildings renovated with beautiful restored homes. Used to drive down to Florida years back, but could never count on the weather there. Actually froze a few times with the cold (1989). But Northern California is one beautiful place if you like driving and scenery.

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  • 2 months later...

The problem with "The Peoples Republic of Kalifornia" is it costs so much to live there. Land taxes are sooooo high! We lived there for around ten years before throwing the towel in and moving back to my wife's native Missouri.

We lived just down the road from Grass Valley on Mt Aukum at 2300ft elevation.

Another thing with California, it's so dry most of the year, grass and scrub fires in the Sierras!! We were worried a few times as big fires were pretty close!!

If you check, rich people are leaving in droves..Not the best state to live by a long shot.

Anti gun state too with high crime rates.

Try Montana, but they have long cold hard winters.

The Dakota's are great, but long bitter winters usually, Wyoming, very pretty, again cold winters.

It's great where I live, but poor shopping, low land taxes, low cost of living, short winters but hot humid summers. Tornadoes? Yes, but rare in the Ozarks due to the terrain. Cheap land, no formal planning permission if you live on more than five acres and outside city limits, which mean you don't have to submit plans, get planning permits or have any inspections carried out. A BIG saving when building a home, that's both Missouri and Arkansas. Green all the year round and grass fires very rare. Low crime rates, low sales taxes.

There's no perfect place, "Kalifornia" has blood sucking politial leaches, high costs in housing, land taxes, building permits, huge permit cosots if you have to have a well drilled! Earthquakes, grass fires, is very dry for most of the year.

The heartland can be rather "hairy" this time of year, the northern central states have long bitter winters, north west states have pretty wet winters but mild. North east states usually bitter cold winters, very hot humid summers, with some like NY high crime rates.

Nice in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and the Carolinas.

There my two cents worth.

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I did the COLD winter thing when i lived in Chicago i didnt come here to freeze, i must be cold blooded

Yes it is not cheap to live but you get what you pay for

I live on the edge of town & when i moved here there was not much but the town has trippled in size

Its a COW town Vaca means cow ,It has a small airport ,Lakes & the Delta for Fishing, Boating within 15 mins

Factory outlets shopping

A Hospital that you cant afford to go

I dont like it when it gets over a 100+ deg

Just realised i put the Aircon on in the car yesterday

As for earthquakes i missed them both .I was up in the air learning to fly on the first one 1982 Second one i was on the Sacramento river fishing 1989 as far as i can remember the dates

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  • 2 weeks later...

And a gracious style it is too; is your pad similar?

I live on the edge of a smallish town next to the hills /Mountains never hardly snows (3 times in 30 years )

I would not live where he lives for free , the traffic is terrible & i think his property taxes are $35,000 a year mine are onlly $1800

He has a nice view of San Fran but that place stinks of pee & you can never find a place to park

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