Moving from London to San Francisco (2026): Costs, Visas & Complete Guide

Moving from London to San Francisco (2026): Costs, Visas & Complete Guide

Trading London for San Francisco is one of the most popular transatlantic tech moves of the decade. The Bay Area draws engineers, founders and creatives from the UK with its startup density, venture capital and salaries that dwarf those in Europe. But it also demands careful planning: US customs paperwork, a work-authorising visa, some of the highest rents on the planet and a shipping route that carries your belongings halfway around the world. This guide walks you through the whole journey.

Key takeaways

• Two shipping options: sea freight to the Port of Oakland (typically routed via the Panama Canal, roughly 5–7 weeks door-to-door) or air freight for the essentials you need first.
• US customs: household goods enter on CBP Form 3299 with a detailed valued inventory; used personal effects owned over 12 months generally qualify for duty-free entry.
• Status is everything: the Bay Area move is usually built around a work visa — H-1B, L-1 intracompany transfer, O-1 or the E-2 treaty investor route, for which the UK is a qualifying treaty country.
• Cost of living is extreme: San Francisco and the Peninsula rank among the world’s most expensive rental markets, offset for many by tech compensation.
• Pets: under the CDC rule in force since August 2024, dogs must be microchipped, at least six months old and travel with a CDC Dog Import Form receipt; the UK’s low-risk rabies status keeps the documentation lighter. Cats face no CDC entry requirement.

1. The route: London to the Bay Area

Your belongings and your body take different paths across the Atlantic and, for sea freight, well beyond it.

Sea freight. Household consignments from the UK are consolidated and loaded at a major container port such as Southampton or Felixstowe. From there the vessel crosses the Atlantic and, because San Francisco sits on the US Pacific coast, the cargo is routed through the Panama Canal before reaching the Port of Oakland, the Bay Area’s main container gateway across the water from San Francisco. Allow roughly 5 to 7 weeks door-to-door once you account for collection, consolidation, the ocean leg, US customs clearance and final delivery. A dedicated (sole-use) container is faster and more flexible than a shared groupage load, but costs considerably more.

Air freight. For the items you cannot live without — a laptop set-up, a fortnight of clothes, essential kitchen kit — air freight from Heathrow to San Francisco International (SFO) lands within days rather than weeks. It is far more expensive per kilogram, so most people combine a small air shipment with the bulk of their home travelling by sea.

You. Direct flights run daily from London Heathrow to SFO in around 11 hours. Time your own arrival to be in California when your goods clear customs, since US Customs and Border Protection generally wants the importer in the country for the shipment to be released.

2. What it costs (the general drivers)

International moving quotes swing widely, so rather than quote a single figure it is more useful to understand what moves the price:

• Volume. The cubic metres (or cubic feet) you ship is the single biggest factor. Decluttering before you pack is the most effective way to cut the bill.
• Sea vs air. Air freight can cost many times more per unit of weight than sea, so reserve it for genuine essentials.
• Sole-use vs shared container. A full container dedicated to you is quicker but pricier; groupage shares space and cost with other consignments at the expense of flexibility on timing.
• Access at both ends. Narrow London streets, parking restrictions, stairs, and long carries into a San Francisco apartment or a Peninsula home all add labour and sometimes a shuttle vehicle.
• Services. Full professional packing, custom crating for art or instruments, insurance (marine cover based on declared value), and any storage in transit each add to the total.
• US-side charges. Port handling at Oakland, customs clearance, any inspection or examination fees, and final-mile delivery are billed on top of the ocean freight.

Budget realistically and get the destination costs itemised in your quote so nothing lands as a surprise after the ship docks.

3. US customs and CBP Form 3299

The centrepiece of importing your home into the United States is CBP Form 3299, “Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles.” Because your goods arrive separately from you (unaccompanied), this declaration supports a claim for duty-free entry of used personal and household effects.

To qualify for duty-free treatment, items should generally have been owned and used for at least 12 months and must not be intended for resale. Alongside Form 3299 you must supply a detailed packing list / valued inventory in English, plus a copy of your passport and visa. New items, and anything bought within the last year, may attract duty and must be declared honestly.

Certain goods are restricted or prohibited — for example specific foodstuffs, plants, and items made from protected species — and alcohol shipments are heavily regulated. Firearms and some medicines have their own rules. Declare everything accurately: undervaluing or omitting items risks penalties, examination fees and delays at the Port of Oakland.

4. Living in San Francisco and the Bay Area

“The Bay Area” is really several distinct places, and where you land shapes your commute, your rent and your lifestyle.

San Francisco neighbourhoods. The Mission is sunny, food-obsessed and lively; Noe Valley is quieter and family-friendly; the Marina skews young, sporty and waterfront; SoMa is the downtown tech and startup core, close to offices and transit; and Hayes Valley is a compact, walkable pocket of boutiques and restaurants.

The Peninsula and Silicon Valley. If you will work at one of the big technology campuses, towns like Palo Alto and Mountain View put you close to the action, with leafy streets and excellent schools — and rents to match.

Oakland and the East Bay. Across the Bay Bridge, Oakland and the wider East Bay offer comparatively more space for the money, a strong arts and food scene, and a BART rail link into the city.

Be candid with yourself about cost: San Francisco and the Peninsula sit among the most expensive rental markets in the world, and Californian sales tax, utilities and eating out are high. The counterweight is compensation — Bay Area tech salaries are among the highest anywhere, which is why the maths works for so many who make the move from London.

5. Visa, status and the practical set-up

You cannot simply relocate to work in the United States; you need the right immigration status before you go, and the Bay Area move is almost always built around one of these:

• H-1B — the classic speciality-occupation visa, heavily used by the tech sector and subject to an annual cap and lottery.
• L-1 — an intracompany transfer for staff moving from a UK office to a US entity of the same employer.
• O-1 — for individuals of extraordinary ability, used by senior engineers, researchers and founders with a strong track record.
• E-2 treaty investor — available to nationals of treaty countries, and the United Kingdom qualifies; popular with founders investing in a US business.
• Green card — permanent residence, often sponsored by an employer over a longer timeline.

Take specialist immigration advice early, as processing times and eligibility differ sharply between categories.

Social Security Number (SSN). Once in the US on a work-authorising status, apply for an SSN — you will need it for payroll, banking, credit and tenancy.

Health insurance. There is no NHS equivalent. Coverage is usually through your employer’s plan; understand the premiums, deductibles and co-pays, and arrange interim cover for any gap after you land.

Driving. California does not recognise a UK licence indefinitely. New residents must obtain a California driver’s licence from the DMV, which involves an application, a knowledge test and often a driving test; do this soon after establishing residency.

Pets. Under the CDC rule in force since 1 August 2024, every dog entering the US must appear healthy, be at least six months old, be microchipped, and travel with a CDC Dog Import Form online submission receipt. Because the UK is classified low-risk for dog rabies, the documentation burden is lighter than for high-risk countries. Cats are not subject to CDC entry requirements, though airlines and the state have their own conditions. Confirm the current rules with your vet well before travel.

6. A realistic timeline

• 3–4 months out: confirm your visa route and begin the petition; get moving surveys and quotes; start decluttering.
• 6–8 weeks out: book your mover and shipping mode; sort travel insurance and interim health cover; begin pet paperwork with your vet.
• 2–4 weeks out: confirm packing dates; prepare your Form 3299 inventory; arrange the small air shipment of essentials.
• Move week: professional packing and collection in London; final utility and address changes.
• On arrival: be in California to clear customs; apply for your SSN; open a US bank account; start the DMV licence process.
• 5–7 weeks after sailing: sea shipment clears Oakland and is delivered to your Bay Area home.

How Flyto handles your move

Flyto Relocation runs its own hubs across Europe and ships worldwide, so a London-to-San-Francisco move is coordinated end to end: professional packing in the UK, consolidation, the ocean or air leg, US customs handling including your CBP Form 3299 paperwork, and final delivery to your Bay Area address. One team manages the route and the destination charges, so you always know what is happening and what it costs.

Get your personalised London to San Francisco moving plan with Flyto

Frequently asked questions

Related moves

• Moving from Paris to San Francisco
• Moving from Amsterdam to San Francisco
• Moving to Philadelphia from Abroad
• Moving to San Diego from Abroad

Sources

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection — CBP Form 3299 (rev. 05/24)
• CBP — Prohibited and restricted items
• U.S. Department of State — Employment-based visas
• USCIS — Working in the United States
• CDC — Bringing a Dog into the United States
• California DMV — New to California
• GOV.UK — Moving or retiring abroad

Hiring an international mover? See our full International removals to the USA service — Flyto’s own European hubs, vetted local partners and one English-speaking coordinator, door to door.