Can I move to Scotland as an American? (2024)

Can I move to Scotland as an American?

The UK Government sets Scotland's immigration policy. So, if you want to relocate to Scotland, you need a UK visa from the UK Home Office (a.k.a UK Visas and Immigration).

You may not need to apply for a visa if you're visiting Scotland for under 6 months. However, if you plan to stay longer, you will need to apply for a visa to allow you to become a long-term resident in Scotland.

Find a Job

You will need a job before moving to Scotland because you can't obtain a work permit without having a job offer already in Scotland.

Visiting the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or study.

The average cost of living in Scotland per month is around £1,500, which is 1.26 times less expensive than the average in the UK. Scotland was rated as the finest place to live in and the eighth most expensive state in the UK.

The average rent for a two-bedroom property in Scotland rose by 14.3% over the last year, meaning the average rent in the most common property size is £841 a month - up £105 per month compared with the previous year.

Purchasing a residential property in Scotland

An overseas buyer purchasing a Scottish property will need to pay LBTT. Those purchasing property in the rest of the UK pay either Stamp Duty Land Tax (in England and Northern Ireland) or Land Transaction Tax (in Wales). No LBTT is payable on purchases of up to £145,000.

Healthcare in Scotland is mainly provided by Scotland's public health service, NHS Scotland. It provides healthcare to all permanent residents free at the point of need and paid for from general taxation.

SCOTTISH people are “broadly comfortable” with migration and almost three-fifths believe it has a positive impact on the country, a survey has found. The poll, which is the first study of attitudes to immigration in Scotland since 2014, also found a minority view the issue in a “more negative way”.

Is it hard to move to Scotland as an American?

Logistics aside, you'll need to familiarize yourself with Scottish customs and traditions to help settle in to your new life in a new country. Moving to Scotland from the U.S. requires advance research and planning to make your move as smooth as possible.

The process of applying to become a citizen of another country is sometimes called "naturalisation." A person of another nationality could apply to become a Scottish citizen if they: had lived in Scotland for at least five years, and. had been "settled" in Scotland for at least 12 months.

Scotland is a wonderful place to live – it's got stunning landscapes, a rich history, and it consistently ranks the highest for quality of life out of all the UK nations. Scotland also has great cuisine, home-made whisky, eclectic music, unique arts and culture on show, and some pretty friendly people.

If we're talking about the average cost of living, it is generally cheaper to reside in Scotland rather than the U.S, as Scotland is 1.6 times more expensive than the U.S. Here's a quick summary of the expenses that we've taken into account along with corresponding winners.

According to our reports, a monthly salary of £2,500 allows for a comfortable lifestyle in Scotland, covering expenses such as amenities, food, and rent.

Currently, the hourly rate of the National Minimum Wage is £5.28 for apprentices and those under 18, £7.49 for 18 to 20-year-olds, £10.18 if you're aged 21-22 and £10.42 for everyone over 23.

If you're a non-British or non-Irish citizen, you'll usually need a visa to live and work in Scotland. The type of visa you require depends on what you want to do when you're in Scotland – such as visiting, working or studying.

Workplace temperatures

There's no law for minimum or maximum working temperatures, eg when it's too cold or too hot to work. However, guidance suggests a minimum of 16ºC or 13ºC if employees are doing physical work. There's no guidance for a maximum temperature limit.

Scotland Housing Market Trends

In August 2023, Scotland home prices were up 8.4% compared to last year, selling for a median price of $325K. Sale $/Sq. Ft. To compare other locations to the Scotland and U.S. housing market, enter a city, neighborhood, state, or zip code into the search bar.

How much does a house cost in Scotland?

Buying a house in Scotland can cost as little as £40,000 or as much as £650,000 depending on the neighbourhood, official figures show. The average Scottish home sold for £180,000 in 2022, new data published by the Scottish Government reveals, but this masked huge regional disparities.

15 March 2023

The monthly cost of owning a home for first-time buyers in Scotland is now £727 - £191 (21%) lower than the monthly cost of renting the equivalent property, according to the latest Bank of Scotland Owning vs Renting Review.

Capital Gains Tax is another area Americans buying properties in the UK need to be aware of – not in the UK, but in the US. Americans living abroad are still liable for US taxes. Even if they are tax residents in the UK and pay their income tax to HMRC, they still need to file tax returns to the IRS.

Because there's such a diverse range of companies in Scotland, there are a lot of great job opportunities. If you've got the skills, we've got the country.

Not only that, but together with wonderful food and hospitality, beautiful architecture, good public services and friendly people make Scotland an attractive place for retirement. There is so much to experience in Scotland, and it offers so many benefits.