Post Brexit British couple wanting to tour USA and Canada for 12 months

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HeatherLane

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2023
Posts
11
Location
Exeter, UK
Hi all, I have read through a great many posts today but so many seem to be quite old so criteria may have changed. Apologies if I'm asking questions already answered.
Our situation is this; we are British and sold our house 6 months ago. We have been pet sitting in the UK and touring France ever since. We are registered at a family members house in the UK otherwise we can't get savings accounts, medical appointments etc. We don't live with them.
We plan to buy a Class A RV in the USA in April/May and spend a year between Canada and the US touring around. I have read that although Montana is the cheapest for registering, it is the highest for the insurance and that South Dakota may be a better fit.
We intend to bring the vehicle back to the UK so I've read posts about taxes in the UK which sounds promising but again, they were quite old posts so hopefully we can bring it back. We intend to keep it for more than 12 months but we are planning to move to the EU within that 12 months. We realise that there are width restrictions to registering the vehicle in the UK but haven't researched yet if this also applies to the EU.
I will be doing the driving, I will be 64, my husband will be 71, we may put him on the insurance but only if it's not too prohibitively expensive. I've read too that there might be difficulty getting health insurance for him (he has pre-existing health issues).
We are looking at a diesel Class A around 34ft in length which I'm hoping will be under 7500kg (16534lbs), I intend to increase my licence anyway to a PSV licence so will be fine for heavier. I believe the vehicle will be heavy on tyres and components in general so have factored that in.
So, what I'm posting for really is - have I considered everything? Is anything glaringly missing? Can anyone give me more up to date advice on all the issues please? Am I mad? Can this be done? Will it all be worth it in the end? We don't want to sit on our backsides until it's too late to experience life, we want to get on with this but am I dreaming? Have you done it?
Thanks all, thanks for reading this far.
Adventure before dementia.
 
Hi Heather, I'm Tony and my wife is Anne, we live about 60 miles east of you in Dorset.
Many of the posts on the forum are updated as soon as new information becomes relevant. One recent post you may have seen was a couple who were in the process of travelling the US with their own UK motorhome, but after much planning, they didn't qualify for their US visa, reason unknown.
In light of this, my first advice is to to apply for your Visa first.
We have been touring the US with a fifth wheel and pick up since the beginning of 2019, and like you have been researching, bought everything through an LLC in Montana which negates paying sales tax. You can buy in any state that has what you want, you just register in Montana. Every state sets different sales taxes and the licence tab (think road fund licence) also varies between states. What I can say is vehicle insurance is going to expensive wherever you buy, as they take no account of previous experience in another country. I can also say that when we bought our fifth wheel and pick up in Texas and looked to insure there, the quote was over $4000 for six months on the pick up and 12 months on the trailer. Exactly the same policy with the same provider but buying through an agent in Montana cost us around $2500.
There are a few UK residents doing what you intend, the most knowledgeble is probably Jackiemac as she and her partner have been doing it since 2016.
I doubt you will find an A class at the weight you want, we have hired A class 30ft and that was around 11000Kg.
There is probably a lot of information we could provide, and it might be easier to discuss directly as everyone's situation differs, but I would urge you to read everything you can on the visitors to the USA section. If you would like to contact us, send me a private message Click on our avatar and then click start conversation.
However, to get the broadest response, post any general questions on the forum as the help here is priceless. By the way, we are both 66! no you are not mad, yes it can be done, no it's not simple but definitely worth it.
Happy travelling.
 
Last edited:
Good advice by Tony, especially the suggestion to apply for your visa first. You'll be applying for a B2 visa (tourism, vacation, pleasure). The visa will be valid for 10 years, but only gives you permission to land in the US. The permitted duration of an individual stay will be determined by the Border Patrol Officer at the port of entry and, in any event, will be limited to a maximum of 6 months. There are (legal) ways to extend that time, discussed on this Visitors To The USA forum.

Don't bother applying for an ESTA visa, as that will be allowed for a single use not exceeding 3 months.

My message has links to the latest official information, and the links get updated as we learn of changes..
 
Tom, just to clarify, the ESTA lasts for I think two years, but you can use the same ESTA more than once. We had one for a cruise from Seattle in 2018, and used the same ESTA when we travelled in 2019 to purchase our set up. However, as you say, it only allows you a maximum of three months per visit which cannot be extended, and again, it doesn't allow you entry, only the right to travel. It's still up to the border officer to allow you entry. I think if you tried to use the ESTA for close repeated visits, the owner may have some explaining to do.
 
TonyL said:
Tom, just to clarify, the ESTA lasts for I think two years, but you can use the same ESTA more than once. We had one for a cruise from Seattle in 2018, and used the same ESTA when we travelled in 2019 to purchase our set up. However, as you say, it only allows you a maximum of three months per visit which cannot be extended, and again, it doesn't allow you entry, only the right to travel. It's still up to the border officer to allow you entry. I think if you tried to use the ESTA for close repeated visits, the owner may have some explaining to do.
Click to expand...
Thanks Tony, I didn't realize ESTA was available for multiple use. But we'll emphasize/repeat the 3 months max for a single visit for the benefit of Heather and other readers.
 
TonyL said:
Tom, just to clarify, the ESTA lasts for I think two years, but you can use the same ESTA more than once. We had one for a cruise from Seattle in 2018, and used the same ESTA when we travelled in 2019 to purchase our set up. However, as you say, it only allows you a maximum of three months per visit which cannot be extended, and again, it doesn't allow you entry, only the right to travel. It's still up to the border officer to allow you entry. I think if you tried to use the ESTA for close repeated visits, the owner may have some explaining to do.
Click to expand...
Just checked the Dept. Of State web site and confirmed an ESTA is good for 2 years.
 
HeatherLane said:
Hi all, I have read through a great many posts today but so many seem to be quite old so criteria may have changed. Apologies if I'm asking questions already answered.
Our situation is this; we are British and sold our house 6 months ago. We have been pet sitting in the UK and touring France ever since. We are registered at a family members house in the UK otherwise we can't get savings accounts, medical appointments etc. We don't live with them.
We plan to buy a Class A RV in the USA in April/May and spend a year between Canada and the US touring around. I have read that although Montana is the cheapest for registering, it is the highest for the insurance and that South Dakota may be a better fit.
We intend to bring the vehicle back to the UK so I've read posts about taxes in the UK which sounds promising but again, they were quite old posts so hopefully we can bring it back. We intend to keep it for more than 12 months but we are planning to move to the EU within that 12 months. We realise that there are width restrictions to registering the vehicle in the UK but haven't researched yet if this also applies to the EU.
I will be doing the driving, I will be 64, my husband will be 71, we may put him on the insurance but only if it's not too prohibitively expensive. I've read too that there might be difficulty getting health insurance for him (he has pre-existing health issues).
We are looking at a diesel Class A around 34ft in length which I'm hoping will be under 7500kg (16534lbs), I intend to increase my licence anyway to a PSV licence so will be fine for heavier. I believe the vehicle will be heavy on tyres and components in general so have factored that in.
So, what I'm posting for really is - have I considered everything? Is anything glaringly missing? Can anyone give me more up to date advice on all the issues please? Am I mad? Can this be done? Will it all be worth it in the end? We don't want to sit on our backsides until it's too late to experience life, we want to get on with this but am I dreaming? Have you done it?
Thanks all, thanks for reading this far.
Adventure before dementia.
Click to expand...
You've probably read about the experiences of forum members who took their US-purchased motorhome back to the UK although, as you say, some of that information is somewhat old. My suggestion would be that you check the relevant UK government web site. An example would be:

Importing vehicles into the UK

Importing vehicles into the UK - register imported vehicles, GB conversion IVA scheme, type approval, vehicle excise duty and VAT
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk
 
The other option if you are looking to live permanently in the EU is to look at exporting it to your chosen country, get it compliance certified, and then travel to the UK as a visitor rather than complying here then having to do it all again when you settle in the EU.
 
I can't help on international travel side of this, but when it comes to motorhome sizes and weights, I can say that only a handful of smaller gas class A motorhomes built in the last 20 years will be under 16,534 pounds, most of which will be on a 16,000 GVWR chassis such as the Winnebago Vista 26HE from 2015, the newer 27N is on an 18,000 GVWR chassis, even my 2002 28 ft Safari Trek is on a 17,500 GVWR chassis, and the lightest 32 ft diesel I can think of is on a 23,500 GVWR chassis.
 
Excellent information already. So, my priorities from when we get back to the uk until April is to apply for visas (that was on the list anyway) but, just as important, get my C and/or D licence. Would a 35ft RV be classed as a lorry or a coach?
Please keep any information coming, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment as I'm trying to do it all myself and want to make sure it's actually not just a pipe dream! I'm a veteran and my whole career, all I ever wanted to do when I got my lump sum was to travel the World, it's a dream that this will be a big part of. Off to Japan for a month in March, it's non stop.
Thanks for replying.
 
HeatherLane said:
Excellent information already. So, my priorities from when we get back to the uk until April is to apply for visas (that was on the list anyway) but, just as important, get my C and/or D licence. Would a 35ft RV be classed as a lorry or a coach?
Click to expand...
I don't know how it would be classed in the UK, but it would not be classed as a lorry (aka truck) here. It also wouldn't be a commercial coach.
 
On bringing a Class A back to Britain: a wide body is over 100 inches wide and can be 13 feet tall. A standard body will be around 8.' How will this do on British roads? I remember a Jaguar from the 1960s that didn't sell well and was discontinued because its large size was a problem with narrower lanes -- or so the American automotive press stated.

Only the very largest RVs -- the 40'+ ones --in private service require a commercial driver's license in the States. My most basic of licenses (Florida) is good for 26,000 lbs. Our coach is close to 33,000, but I don't expect I'd ever be checked unless it got into an accident.
 
When we used to belong to a UK RV forum, there was always a discussion on exactly what licence was required for a large RV.
The DVLA would change its mind depending on the weather, time of day, what the person had for lunch, in other words, they were clueless!
The general consensus was a large RV was considered a private heavy goods vehicle and as such could be driven on a standard licence. However, should there be an accident the driver would need to demonstrate due diligence and experience. The easiest way was to obtain what was then called an HGV licence.
 
TonyL said:
Tom, us Brits no longer pay bridge toll to enter Wales, it's free!!
Click to expand...
It changed a few times over the years; Pay on the Wales side, pay on the England side, now apparently free.
 
I've read that the DVLA stuff is now dealt with at regional offices. Many years ago, it was handled by each county, then in the 70's they centralised everything (vehicles and driving) for the UK in a new DVLC facility in Morriston, Swansea. At the time, I was working near Morriston and the old GPO phone system was overloaded by motorists trying to call DVLC. It was not uncommon for me to get a mis-routed call from, say, an angry Scottish HGV driver who couldn't get his licence renewal.

My other half, worked at DVLC for several years, and her claim to fame was entering the driving licence details of a well-known then-Prince.
 
I've just checked the embassy website and the current waiting time for a Visa in London is around 90 days.
 
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