Been Here a While

Q. Should I become a US citizen or keep my green card?

A genuinely personal decision, and this page will not make it for you. But know that it is a tax decision as well as an identity one.

Both US citizens and green card holders are taxed on worldwide income. The difference shows up at the other end: giving up a green card held long-term, or renouncing US citizenship, can trigger the expatriation tax rules, and those depend on your net worth, your tax history and how long you have held the status.

The UK permits dual nationality. That is not the constraint. The constraint is that the decision is far easier to make than to undo, and the cost of undoing it rises with the size of your estate.

Q. Can I renew my British passport from the USA?

Yes. You renew online through GOV.UK's overseas passport service. For applicants in the US it costs £116.50 for an adult and £75.50 for a child, plus a £28.64 courier fee (the fees from 8 April 2026). You will need a digital photo, and the application tells you which documents to send, which normally includes your old passport.

It takes longer from abroad than in the UK, so check the current processing time on GOV.UK before you apply. Do not book travel until the new passport arrives, as it will have a different number from the old one.

Q. Are my American-born children British, and can they get a UK passport?

Usually yes, if you were born in the UK. British citizenship normally passes down one generation to children born abroad. A child born in the US on or after 1 July 2006 is automatically British if a parent was a British citizen at the time and could pass it on, for example because that parent was born in the UK, or became British by applying in their own right.

If you are British by descent yourself, because you were born abroad to a British parent, your US-born children are not automatically British. They may be able to register as British, with conditions based on time spent living in the UK.

Registering your child's birth with the UK is optional. You can apply for their British passport without it, using the same online overseas service: £75.50 plus the £28.64 courier fee. The rules are different for children born before July 2006 and in some family situations, such as unmarried parents, so check GOV.UK for your case. The UK allows dual citizenship, and the US recognises it too.

Q. Can I vote in UK elections from America?

Yes, however long you have been away. Since 16 January 2024 there has been no time limit: any British citizen who has previously lived in the UK can register as an overseas voter. You register online at GOV.UK using the postcode of your last UK address, and renew every three years.

Overseas voters can vote in UK Parliament general elections, and possibly referendums, but not in local elections, the Scottish Parliament or the Welsh Senedd. You can vote by post, by proxy (someone you trust votes on your behalf), or in person if you are in the UK. Postal votes are not available if you are registered in Northern Ireland.

Post between the UK and the US can be slow, and postal ballots must be back by 10pm on polling day. GOV.UK suggests asking your electoral registration office when postal votes go out, to help you choose between post and proxy.

Q. Can I vote in the US midterm elections on a green card?

No. The midterms are on Tuesday 3 November 2026, and only US citizens can vote in federal elections. Green card holders and other non-citizens cannot vote for Congress or the President, and cannot vote in state elections either. A small number of places let non-citizens vote in some local elections, but that is the exception.

This matters more than it might seem. Voting in a federal election as a non-citizen is a federal crime, and USCIS says it can lead to removal from the US and count against you when you apply for citizenship, even if you did not realise you were not allowed to vote. So if you are ever offered a voter registration form, at the DMV for example, check that you are only registering if you are a citizen.

Once you become a US citizen you can register and vote like anyone else, and you do not have to give up being British: the UK allows dual citizenship. Registration deadlines are set by each state, so check yours well before election day.

Q. What happens to my UK driving licence after years living in the USA?

You cannot put a US address on a UK licence. The DVLA needs an address in Great Britain, and renewing the photocard, which you must do every 10 years, is only open to people who live in Great Britain. So a UK licence is not something you can keep renewing from America.

Once you live in the US, the answer is a state driver's license. The rules are set by each state, and some states make foreign licence holders take the knowledge and driving tests. Nevada, for example, does. Check your own state's DMV website. You cannot get an International Driving Permit once you have moved abroad, since those are only sold in the UK.

Visiting the UK? Visitors can drive small vehicles such as cars in Great Britain on a full, valid licence from their home country for 12 months from their last entry. If you ever move back, the DVLA lets you drive on a valid non-GB licence for up to 12 months and apply to replace your old GB licence.

Q. Can I use the NHS when I visit the UK if I live in America?

Only partly. Free NHS hospital care depends on where you live, not on your passport. If you are settled in the US, you are normally treated as an overseas visitor, even as a British citizen who paid into the system for years. Hospitals in England charge overseas visitors 150% of the cost of treatment, and although urgent care is never withheld, the bill still follows.

Some things stay free for everyone, as long as you did not travel to the UK for the treatment:

• GP and other primary care
• A&E, walk-in centres, minor injury units and urgent care centres, until you are admitted as an inpatient
• NHS 111, family planning, and treatment for certain infectious diseases

The UK and the US have no reciprocal health agreement, and the NHS advises former UK residents to have their own medical insurance when they visit. If you move back to settle, you will usually count as resident again from the day you arrive. These are the rules for England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own.

Q. Can I bring my ageing parents to live with me in America?

Only if you are a US citizen aged 21 or over. Green card holders cannot sponsor parents. For citizens, parents count as "immediate relatives", so there is no annual cap or waiting list for a visa. You file Form I-130, and you also sign an Affidavit of Support, a legal promise to support them financially, which needs household income of at least 125% of the US poverty level and usually lasts until they become citizens or have 10 years of US work.

Health cover is the big practical question. Medicare is generally only open to parents once they have lived in the US as permanent residents for five years in a row, and even then Part A has a monthly premium ($311 or $565 in 2026) unless they or a spouse paid enough US Medicare tax. Until then, private insurance for older newcomers can be expensive.

Just visiting? On an ESTA, British visitors can stay up to 90 days at a time. The UK government advises visitors to have travel health insurance, as US medical bills can be very high.

An immigration attorney can advise on your family's situation. The Directory lists specialists.

Q. What happens if we decide to move back to the UK from the USA?

Moving back changes your tax position in both countries. The UK becomes able to tax you again once you are UK resident, US citizens still file US returns wherever they live, and green card holders need to end their status properly. US retirement accounts and access to the NHS each have their own rules on return.

Our Moving Back to the UK guide covers the move home in full: tax residence, US accounts, the NHS, university fees, driving and pets.

Seek professional advice on anything like this. The Directory lists specialists.