Travelling teaches us a lot of important life lessons – about ourselves and the world around us.
As a result, we often end up falling in love with the places we visit and leaving a small piece of our heart there when we leave. However, if you find yourself constantly longing to return to one of your holiday destinations – such as London or Manchester – why not take a leap of faith and move there? Who knows, it could be the greatest adventure you will ever go on!
With that in mind, here are some things you need to do before moving to the UK!
1. Plan ahead.
Although moving on a whim is exciting, and you often see it happen in films and tv shows – in reality, you need to plan far in advance when moving to a different country to ensure you are suitably prepared. For example, you need to ensure that you have the money set aside to support yourself whilst you seek employment, find a nice place to live, and even ensure you have the right to remain in the country by obtaining a visa.
Thankfully, there are numerous different visas you can apply for when living in the UK, including a spouse visa if you are moving to live with a partner who is a UK national. Additionally, once you have been living in the UK for five years, you can apply for an indefinite leave to remain visa. If you find the process of applying for a visa confusing or overwhelming, you aren’t alone. Thankfully, there are plenty of services online that help make the process easier to understand. You could also benefit from reaching out to a specialist immigration lawyer, who can take on the difficult work for you and ensure you have everything you need on hand before the move.
2. Budget. Budget. Budget.
Moving is expensive, therefore you must set yourself a strict budget. Remember to factor in the following things:
- Visa and healthcare expenses
- Moving costs (How are you planning on travelling to your new destination? What are you bringing with you? Are you going to have any furniture delivered?)
- The cost of your new property (either monthly rent costs, or the cost of purchasing a property)
- The cost of living in your new home. (What area of England are you moving to? How much, on average, do people spend there on a weekly and monthly basis? How much is fuel?)
3. Choose your destination wisely.
England is a relatively small country, but it is filled with a range of different cities and towns, each with something unique to offer. From the romantic streets of Manchester to historic york, you need to ensure that you move to a place that meets your needs and requirements. You may want to ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I want to live in a city or in the countryside?
- What amenities do I need nearby?
- What job opportunities are in the local area?
- What can I do there for fun?
Photo credit: 1) Photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash 2) Photo by Scott Evans on Unsplash.
Become a Harlem Insider!
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
