How To Move To England 15 Steps With Pictures

If you need more information, the rest of this section explains the immigration and travel requirements in detail. Otherwise, skip ahead to the next section. The United Kingdom is the state made up of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. You do not need a visa specific to England or any other jurisdiction of the UK.

All you need is a passport to prove your citizenship. While not required, you may also want to apply for a registration certificate. This may help you prove your rights when applying for various benefits. [2] X Trustworthy Source Official UK government website Official website for the public sector of the UK government Go to source Family members of European citizens who are not themselves citizens must still apply for a visa. They can apply for permanent residency after the citizen family member has worked in the UK for five years. [3] X Trustworthy Source Official UK government website Official website for the public sector of the UK government Go to source

Tier 2 visas are available for high-demand fields, listed in detail here. You may also have a chance if you are transferring within a multinational company, or if your employer can demonstrate that your job cannot be filled by a local worker. These usually allow three years of residency, extendable to six. Tier 5 visas are temporary work permits good for 6 months to 2 years. If you are not qualified for a Tier 2 position, look for work in a charity organization, or work as an athlete, entertainer, or religious worker. Tier 1 visas are only available to people starting a business, making multimillion pound investments, or recognized as leaders in their field. They’re typically good for five years and can be extended to ten.

Family (variable length and work status): Available if joining a spouse, fiancé(e), partner of two+ years, or child. Also available if you need to be cared for by a family member in the UK. [7] X Trustworthy Source Official UK government website Official website for the public sector of the UK government Go to source [8] X Trustworthy Source Official UK government website Official website for the public sector of the UK government Go to source UK ancestry visa (5 years, can work): Must be a Commonwealth citizen with a grandparent born in the UK. [9] X Trustworthy Source Official UK government website Official website for the public sector of the UK government Go to source Tier 5 Youth Mobility (2 years, can work): citizen of certain countries, between 18 and 30. [10] X Trustworthy Source Official UK government website Official website for the public sector of the UK government Go to source Visitor visa (usually 6 months, can’t work): A last resort. If you have the money to support yourself while waiting, you can arrive on a visitor visa, then try to get hired and apply for a work permit. The odds are slim, but you get a holiday if it doesn’t work out.

London property prices are very expensive, averaging £1,900/month for a two-bedroom flat (apartment). [11] X Research source Consider other cities, or country towns within an hour of a city. Look closely — the listed rental price may be either weekly or monthly. Feel free to negotiate over the price. [12] X Research source If you plan to buy a house, hire a real estate solicitor in the UK first. [13] X Research source

Utilities: Expect to pay about £120 a month for water and electricity, plus £70 for heating. This is the average cost over a year; heating costs are much higher during winter, and lower during the summer months. Council tax: at least £100 per month, but could potentially be higher. Television licence: In order to watch live TV channels (even online), you need to pay a colour TV licence fee of £145. 50 each year. This can be paid in a full lump sum, or in smaller amounts throughout the year. Though rarer nowadays, a licence for a black and white TV costs £49. It is a criminal offence to view TV programming without paying the licence fee, and you could be fined up to £1,000. [15] X Research source Television, mobile, and Internet plans vary widely. This is in addition to the licence fee.

microchip rabies vaccination (21+ days in advance) EU pet passport or third country veterinary certificate (a veterinarian can help with this) Dogs only: tapeworm treatment Unlisted countries only: Blood test (3+ months in advance, 30 days+ after rabies vaccine) Approved travel route and transport agency, listed here. If traveling from a hot climate, you may need to wait for cooler weather.

If you stay in the UK more than 183 days, you will owe taxes on your income. [17] X Research source

Rail travel is common for longer journeys, with price and speed ranging from convenient to absurd depending on the route. If you plan on traveling and are aged over 60 or under-25, buy a discount railcard. In London, buy an Oyster Card from an Underground (tube) station. These give discounted prices on tube, bus, and city rail fares.

Ask your current bank whether it has a “sister bank” program you can use while in the UK. You can try opening a bank account from overseas, but you may need to provide a UK address.

National Insurance Number. This is used for tax purposes, and required for employment and to claim any benefits. Call Jobcentre at 0345 600 0643 to apply. [18] X Trustworthy Source Official UK government website Official website for the public sector of the UK government Go to source Passport photo (with UK specifications). These can be taken at photo booths for £6 or less.