The overwhelming majority of people wishing to move to live and work in Britain decide to move to England or Scotland. Apart from London, most foreign nationals show a particular interest in cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, Southampton, Oxford, Nottingham, and Birmingham. Edinburgh, the historic capital of Scotland, is also at the top of the ranking of British cities where life is good. Let’s take a look at some basic information that is useful for anyone considering relocating to this country.
1. Get your visa to settle in the United Kingdom
To live and work in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, you will need to present many official documents and apply for a visa. The most popular types of visas for expatriation to the UK are:
- Professional Visa: If you are a skilled worker who has signed a contract with a UK company, you should obtain this type of visa before planning a move to Scotland, England to Wales, or Northern Ireland. For other categories of workers, UK employers will have to prove that foreign nationals are more qualified than residents of the country.
- Student visa: If you are planning to take a higher education at one of the UK universities, you will need to apply for this type of visa.
- Family reunification visa: You can apply for a family visa to live with your spouse, fiancee, child, or parent. This visa can also be applied for when a relative is expected to provide care to a UK resident for an extended period.
For more details on the process of applying for a visa to live, work or study in Great Britain, you can visit the official UK government website or contact the UK embassy in your country.
2. Know about the move after Brexit
Moving to the UK after Brexit requires a bit more preparation, especially administrative.
The post-Brexit period first sowed some confusion between the possibilities of moving and Visa.
Since January 1, 2021, living in the United Kingdom requires special authorizations.
Your residency status at the time of Brexit is determined by the time you had already spent on English territory, as a resident.
If you have already resided for 5 years or more in the territory of the United Kingdom as of January 31, 2020, you can apply for “Settled Status”. If you have lived less than 5 years on the date of England’s exit from the European Union, you can only apply for “Pre-settled status”.
These administrative procedures must be done upstream. Indeed, they can take a few weeks or months to be finalized depending on the influx of requests when you make yours.
3. National Insurance Number
The National Insurance Number, also called NIN, represents your social security number. Are you moving to England to find work? Then the NIN will be imperatively requested by your employer, who can declare you to the tax services.
You must first request an appointment with a Jobcentre, and you will be asked for the following documents:
- Passport or valid ID
- Residence permit (if you have one)
- Birth or adoption certificate.
- Marriage or civil union certificate
- Driver’s license
4. Find an International Moving Service
Moving to the UK can turn out to be a tough task for you, especially if you are leaving in a big house in another country, but still want to take all your belongings with you. Moving companies are used to the various issues that arise when moving to the UK. Brexit holds no secrets for professionals.
The advantage of going through international moving professionals is also that they will know how to organize your belongings so that nothing breaks. And while to do…They might as well take advantage of their know-how in terms of storage.
5. Work in England
With one of the lowest unemployment rates ( around 4% ), the country offers good employment opportunities, which is pushing more and more US citizens to move to England.
6. Healthcare
The healthcare system in England is one of the best in the world and is very similar to the American system. The National Health Service (NHS) represents the UK’s public healthcare network, providing access to free healthcare. NHS uses third-party payment, so you won’t need to advance care to your doctor.
Conclusion:
It is good! You know everything there is to know about moving to England. And now? You really don’t know where to start, do you? Don’t panic, your move will go like clockwork just don’t forget to consult an international moving service, 3 to 4 months before you plan to move to a different country.
Moving abroad alone is a real headache, especially administrative. Luckily, you can count on moving professionals to make the move easier, right down to the installation of your teaspoon in your new drawer.