Category: Expat & Immigrating

Whether you are deciding to live outside your home country tentatively as an expat or deciding to immigrate permanently there are a few things you need to know beforehand. Make moving abroad as easy and as stress-free as possible by following these simple tips.

Moving to the UK from Australia Checklist (Epic Guide!)

You’re thinking about moving to the UK from Australia but you’re not sure of the steps you need to take to do so? In this guide, I’ll walk you through a moving to the UK from Australia checklist and things you should consider preparing if you are moving for a few months to indefinitely.

Australia has quite a few reciprocal agreements with the UK and a few more visas available, so it does make the transition to the UK a little easier.

Pssst. there are plenty of helpful tips in this post even if you’re not from Australia! Even if you’re moving from Australia to another country.

Rights to Work and Employment

Can Australians Live and Work in the UK?

Yes, Australians can live and work in the UK. First you need to determine whether you can get a UK passport or what visa will allow you to do so. Here are the most common visas Australians move to the UK on:

Tier 5 Youth Mobility (age restricted to between 18 to 30)
UK Ancestry (grandparents were born in the UK)
Right to Abode/ UK Passport (parents were born in the UK)

You can also move here on:

Spousal Visa (this includes if you have an EEA partner as well, (however this) will change for EEA after Brexit)
Student Visa (limited working hours)
Investor/ Set-up or run your own business
Exceptional Talent
And a few others…

To check if you qualify for any of the visas above there is a check UK Visa questionnaire you can use here.

Check That Your Job Is Transferable to the UK

Some professions will require you to be certified in the UK or will have restrictions on certain jobs so do some research beforehand. For example, my friend couldn’t work as a pharmacist on her New Zealand qualification, so she’s had to work as pharmacist’s assistant.

Yes, I know I am talking about New Zealand here and not Australia, but this is just one example that did affect my friend.

Do I Require Any Qualifications or Permits?

As the standards and permits are different in the UK some professions will require you to be certified or registered with a governing body for certain jobs, especially in health and construction.

Check if you have restrictions, permits or qualifications required for your job in the UK, the lead time, supporting information and process.

To see if they your higher education qualifications are transferrable use the NARIC website.

What You Need to Organise as an Australian Moving Overseas

In every guide I read it’s about what you need to do to set-up your life in the UK which is fantastic, but what about all the elements you need to do when leaving Australia? This guide will cover everything you need to know as an Aussie leaving Australia. I’ll cover things like tax, voting, banking and much more.

Australian Tax

Being a resident of Australia, you will still need to do some tax activities while living overseas like non-lodgements, repaying HELP or TSL and paying tax on interest or investments. A few things you should consider before leaving are:

Ensure myGov Account is Set-up

This is one of the biggest mistakes I made when moving overseas, I always used an account so I never set-up a myGov account. Make sure you have set-up your account and have your passwords saved so you can get into the account. It will save you money when you need to do non-lodgements, tax returns or anything else you need to check.

If you don’t have an account ATO will need to ask you two questions about:

Bank account details – this evidence failed for me as it was linked to my accountant.
Notice of assessment (one from the last 5 years) – scan copies of your assessments in case you need to the details.
Superannuation account details (one from the last 5 years)

Repaying HELP and TSL Overseas (If Applicable)

The Australian government announced a few years back that you will need to pay your HELP and TSL debt when living overseas. For those who only plan on being here a short time this won’t apply to you but those who plan on being out of the country for more than 183 days or more in any 12 months will need to pay.

As of the 2017 to 2018 tax year these were the rules (the ATO have not updated for the 2018 to 2019 tax year).

Your worldwide income	What you need to do
If your worldwide income for the 2017–18 year is at or below $13,968 (AUD). This is 25% of the minimum repayment threshold.	You need to lodge a non-lodgement advice form.
If your worldwide income for the 2017-18 year is above $13,968 (AUD).	You need to report your worldwide income.

You can find all the details about what to do here.

Foreign Residence Tax

I mainly wish I had known about tax (super boring). Basically, I kept all my accounts in Australia including saving accounts which earned interest. As a foreigner any investment like properties, savings, shares and whatever earns you money within Australia will mean you fall into the foreign tax bracket.

The outcome of being a foreigner means if you earn more than $1 you will need to pay tax.

In the 2017/2018 tax year, I earnt $2 of interest and what an expense it was sorting this out. I have spent $90 sorting out 20 cents I owe the tax department for $2 of interest I earned. The ATO spent more on sending the letter to the UK than what I owed – ridiculous!

For savings accounts it’s easy and you have two choices that your bank can support you with by withholding taxes:

Remove your TFN number (the bank will automatically withhold tax)
Ask the bank to withhold tax

I can’t comment on the other areas as I’ve not had any investments and suggest talking to an accountant before making the move if your tax will be complicated.

To find out if you need to pay tax or what to lodge you can use the ATO calculator as a guide.

Money

Accessing your money overseas is handy (how else would we get those plane tickets?) and one of the most important items on the to do list. Not only can you save money by making the right decision, but it creates a stress-free environment when relocating.

Most of this section is optional as it’s up to you how you want to manage your finances.

How Much Money Should I Save to Move to the UK?

Your savings might look big in Australia but then you exchange to pounds, next thing you’re your Aussie dollars are cut in half (depending on exchange rates at the time). Your poor savings account will take a hammering when moving to the UK. As a single person I recommend bringing over $10,000 to cover three months’ accommodation, travel, food, six weeks’ worth of bond money, being without a job and some money for fun activities. You will need to adjust your budget if you are moving as a couple or a family.

I breakdown the cost of moving to the UK here and the cost of living in London based on my experience here.

Tell Your Bank

As I mentioned in the tax section, ensure that you tell your bank that you are leaving the country so they can set you up as a foreigner and ensuring they don’t block your cards and anything else they may do whilst you are overseas.

Bank Fees (optional)

Investigate whether there are accounts you can move to without fees or have minimal fees. With my bank there are no accounts I can move to that didn’t have fees that came with debit cards and all the banking needs I have. I now pay $5 every month to keep my account open which is about £60 a year. There was no point having the online savings account because I can’t transfer any money in and out without a current account attached to it.

Setting up an HSBC UK Bank Account (optional)

Setting up a bank account in the UK can be a bit of a nightmare if you don’t have proof of address. One of the ways around this is a month before or earlier you plan on leaving for the UK set up an HBSC overseas account.

Simply get the below documents ready as evidence for your application and apply on online.

Passport
Proof of income
Source of income
Other documentation such a visa may be required subject to qualifications, status and local country laws and regulations.

Once the application is completed one of their International Banking Specialists will get in touch with you to arrange a meeting to verify your documentation, alongside your application form.

Of course, there are more options available but without out proof of address in the UK it’s hard to set-up a bank account. I’ve detailed the bank accounts you can get without proof of address here.

Don’t forget to read how to build a credit score as a new UK resident.

Apply for a Stop-gap Card (Optional)

If HSBC isn’t your preferred option, then you will be an overseas credit card or travel prepaid card before you leave. There are so many to choose from: NAB, Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, Qantas Card, Travelex, Australia Post, Velocity Frequent Flyer, St. George, Westpac, Travel Money O and many more!

I used the 28 degrees Master card as my travel credit card as you pay no foreign transaction fees on purchases when travelling or shopping online and it had no card fees. Plus, a credit card comes in handy for emergencies.

It gives you a convenient way of accessing money before you have all your finances set-up.

Cancel Credit Cards (Optional)

Cancel any credit cards that have a fee associated with them. You will need to remember to pay the yearly fees and spending money on your Australian cards means you will be hit with exchange rates. Instead look at getting a UK credit card when you are ready which will help with your credit score.

Loans (Optional)

In 2018 the Australian population borrowed $2.54 billion in personal loans and therefore there is a chance that you could have a personal loan that you’ve not paid off. No judgement here, I moved over with a personal loan when moving to the UK. The biggest thing to factor in is:

Can you afford to pay it whilst you are looking for a job?
Can you fund it with your UK salary?

It’s also important to know when your loan ends and any details you need to know about your accounts.

For my loan I just made the repayments every week and then finally had enough funds to pay it off (only) to realise my loan company had changed! It wasn’t hard to get in touch and pay off the loan in the end, however it did require me to have a BPAY account, so I had to get my mum to step in.

p.s. BPAY doesn’t exist in the UK.

Transferring Money

Transferring money with your bank can be a costly expense and I know very well from experience. Generally, banks will give you bad exchange rates and super high fees with the transfers. Look into companies that specialise in transferring money overseas like Wise, Western Union and World Remit. I still can’t believe today how much money I lost by using banks and not investigating the best way to transfer my money!

Personally, I now exclusively use Wise as I tend to find they give the best Aus to UK and UK to Aus rates. If you are interested in Wise here is my referral code.

Superannuation

As a citizen of Australia, your superannuation is locked in place until you meet the conditions of release (i.e. reach preservation age and retire or satisfy another condition of release) – even if you have no intention of returning.

The one thing to be mindful of is if your super fund cannot contact you then they could transfer your superannuation to the ATO. You can read more about the ATO managing your funds here.

Notify your super fund that you are moving overseas so that they can continue managing your fund.

The UK has pensions which UK employers will pay into, so you won’t be receiving funds into your super unless you decide to self-contribute while living aboard.

Combining Your Superannuation (optional)

To save on fees and charges you should look at combining your superannuation and will make it easier to keep track of your super.

Before I really knew how to manage my funds, I had three super funds managing my money and two smaller funds which I basically just lost money with, plus I had no idea who was managing them. Your main super fund will be able to track your other accounts and once you give them permission, they will request for the money to be transferred. It was super easy, and I didn’t have to do any of the leg work.

Welfare Benefits

Any government benefits you receive in Australia you will not receive if you move overseas with a few exceptions. To find out more check the Department of Human Services.

Voting

Australia still requires you to vote overseas if you plan on returning within 6 years. By registering as an overseas voter, you will be provided with an option to become a general postal voter so you will automatically receive a postal vote in the mail approximately 2–3 weeks after the announcement of the federal election.

The other way you can vote is by going to the Australian Consulate in London if you don’t wish to do postal votes.

If you plan on moving overseas indefinitely then you can unenroll to vote.

All information about voting overseas can be found here.

Driving in the UK

Can I Drive in the UK on an Australian License?

Australia and the UK have a reciprocal agreement which means you can drive and exchange your licence in the UK. For the first 12 months in the UK you won’t need to exchange your licence but after this you will if you wish to continue driving.

Planning on purchasing a car? Insurance will be super expensive with your Australian licence (i.e. 3 times the price). I suggest waiting until you qualify for a UK licence as it will save you a ton of money. To qualify for exchange, you need to have lived in the UK for 185 days.

Suggestion for Car Insurance Companies

Occasionally on the Aussies in London Facebook group car insurance question will pop up, there are two companies’ people normally recommend:

As a general rule, Third Party is often cheaper than comprehensive insurance. Being under the age of 25 will also increase your car insurance.

International Driving Permit (Optional)

When travelling, rental car companies and other countries may wish for you to have an International Drivers Permit (IDP). For ease of renting cars, you may wish to get one before leaving Australia. They don’t cost a lot of money and it’s just another thing you don’t need to worry about if you do decide to drive around.

You will also get cases where the car companies might not ask for the IDP but if you get pulled over by the police, they will be expecting to see this document.

IDP in Australia are state specific, here are the following authorities you will need to contract to get one in your state:

New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory – NRMA Motoring and Services
Queensland – RACQ Ltd.(Royal Automobile Club of Queensland Limited)
Victoria – RACV (Royal Automobile Club of Victoria)
South Australia – RAA (Royal Automobile Association of South Australia, Inc)
Western Australia – RAC (Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (Incorporated)
Tasmania – RACT (Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania Limited)
Northern Territory – AANT (Automobile Association of Northern Territory Inc)

Health

Before we get into organising your health it’s important the note that your health may take a hit when moving to the UK. The strains of colds, flu and other bugs are different in the UK than Australia. People complain about the levels of sickness they experience when they first arrive here. Once you have adjusted to the changes your body will get back to normal (at least that’s what happened to me).

Health Checks and Vaccinations

Consider seeing your doctor, specialist or medical professional before you depart, especially if you have an existing medical condition. Just a general health check, ensure your vaccinations are up-to-date and anything else you need to discuss.

Medication

If you take medication you should consider looking to:

Ensuring that you have enough for 2-3 months to get you through the initial set-up in the UK. For ladies this includes your pill (even though it’s free in the UK it will save you stressing).
Get a letter from your doctor supporting the medication you take, how much, why you take it and any medical documents to support this. Also, not all medication is the same in the UK so it might be worthwhile asking your doctor to investigate UK alternatives.
Keep the original packaging when travelling.
Check with your doctor that it’s legal in the UK or some medication in Australia might not be available over counter for example.

Vaccination Card (Tip for Travelling)

Bringing your vaccination card over with you is super handy when you need to travel. It’s one of those things I just added in with my documents I was bringing with me and came in handy when I was getting vaccinations for a trip to Vietnam. They knew exactly when I had my last jabs, so it was easy to determine the ones I needed to get for the trip, plus some countries require you to take the vaccination card with you to enter. Please note this is if you wish travelling whilst you are in the UK to countries like Africa or Asia, the UK doesn’t require you to have any vaccinations as a mandatory requirement for Australians.

Prescription Glasses or Contact Lenses

If you wear glasses take along a spare pair and/or a copy of the prescription so that they can be replaced if lost or broken.

Bring enough contacts to last you for a few months or if they get lost.

Reciprocal Health Care Agreements

Australia has reciprocal health care agreements with the UK and as a tax paying resident you will get access to the NHS.

Read more about the reciprocal health agreements and who is eligible.
There are a few questions I see popping up in forums whether NHS replaces travel insurance, the reciprocal health agreement with Australia nor the National Healthcare replaces your travel insurance. When you are travelling I suggest getting travel insurance as it will give you more coverage.

Cancelling Private Health Insurance (Optional)

Cancelling private health insurance is something to consider if you are moving over for a long time as it won’t provide you any benefit in the UK.

An important thing to note if you are still earning a taxable income in Australia is that you may be subjected to the Medicare levy surcharge even if you are living in the UK. So, if you cancel your private health insurance while travelling overseas, you may be liable for the Medicare levy surcharge if your income exceeds the relevant threshold.

Speak to your private health insurer about what it will mean to you if you cancel or suspend your cover.

Travel Insurance

One of the biggest reasons why us Aussies move overseas is to travel. I recommend that you get travel insurance to cover your first 6 months in the UK. Generally, travel insurance companies in the UK will not cover you in the UK until you have been living here for 6 months but you can always review the policies to see if the insurer has different rules.

The other thing to consider with travel insurance is if you are insured in the UK the treatment will be in the UK. If you wish during an emergency to be sent back to Australia, then you need Australian Travel Insurance.

Very generic but insurance is normally determined on if you are citizen or resident:

A citizen is described as passport holder with:

a permanent residential address
with unrestricted right of entry to the country.

A resident is a holder of a residency visa with:

unrestricted right of entry into the country
access to long-term medical care
a permanent residential address in the country.

Important Documents

Packing your passport and credit cards is great but if you intend to stay overseas for an extended period then you should consider bringing those important documents with you like:

birth certificate
marriage certificate
citizenship certificate
divorce and custody arrangements
tax documents (tax assessment etc)
educational qualifications.

Scan all your important documentation along with your passport and visa.

Packing for the UK

Kat with a suitcase and clothing items covering What to Pack When Moving to the UK — Watch the UK packing list video!

Minimising your belongings is scary and exciting. It is the one and only time I would consider myself being a minimalist! At the end of the day, the UK has plenty of shops so whatever you miss you will be able to buy here.

A full UK p acking list can be found here. There are a few items that I think need an honourable mention, they are:

Australian power board- if you have a few devices this will make your life easier when charging devices.
Comfortable shoes – you will be walking a lot!
Interview outfit – got to look good for those interviews.
And stock up on your favourite things! There are some things that you can get in the UK like vegemite but if you are a chicken salt lover this won’t be available in the shops. Same goes with beauty products as some brands may not be available in the UK.

Other Things to Organise

An epic amount of organising was covered in this article and it’s not the end of the list of things to do before moving to the UK. Here another pre-departure article and checklist covering all the other areas not mentioned in the article.

More Moving to the UK Articles

1 February 2019

UK Ancestry Application (Explained)
One of the most confusing things about applying for visas is the questions in the application and the evidence. What on earth do they expect you to answer and provide!? As it’s such a stressful process I wanted to make sure I could share on the information I entered on my UK Ancestry Visa.

As the process does change regularly make sure you go to the gov.uk website before applying. This is all based on my information and when I applied. I have linked through all the official documents to speed up the process.

Disclaimer: Please note this information is based on my application and evidence (I’m not a lawyer or immigration advisor). The article is to help guide you on what to expect question wise and get you thinking of what to prepare. Your answers should be tailored to you and your information. If you are unsure reach out to the Home Office or my friends at Britbound who will be able to help you. Here are some other documents that may be helpful:
- Guidance Notes
- UK Ancestry
For more information about the visa process check out ‘What You Need to Know When Applying for Your UK Ancestry Visa’.

Disclaimer: This is based on my experience and you should seek professional advice if you are unsure. Go to GOV UK to check if there have been any changes to the visa rule & fees.

Where to Start Your UK Ancestry Visa Application

The UK Ancestry visa is moving to the new application process so to apply you need to go to the gov.uk website. Depending on which country you are applying from the gov.uk website will direct you to the right place.

I’ve had a lot of questions about whether you should use VFS Global or were they come into the process. VFS Global is just like using a visa service such as VisaFirst and 1stContact. I actually used VFS Global for my Russian visa as they run a few services for different countries. If you wish to go with a visa service to submit your application then they are a company you could choose to use.

VFS Global do run some of the visa application centres (as a contracted third party) and that’s mainly where they come into the process. This is where you do your biometrics appointment and get your application stamped.

Please note the UK gov have announced that IHS surcharge will be increased to £625 in the coming months. This means that the 5 years will now cost £3,125.

Start an Application

To ensure you are directed to the right place (as they are migrating their systems) go to the gov.uk website. The form will look slightly different from the screenshots in my application and included in the article. The questions are basically the same so the information in this article still applies.

Now for the Questions and Evidence…

Let’s go through the questions! I have put this in order of the sections within the online application and then added photos from my final application. You will notice that not all questions/answers end on the final application or in the same order so hopefully it all makes sense.

Passport and Travel Information

The Passport and Travel Information section is basically noting down what is stated in your passport or travel document so I won’t break this section down to much.

Is this your first Passport? My answer was no.

Then you need to enter your details of all other passports and travel documents held over the last 10years: Also state any non-documented nationalities you have held. I previous had a child’s passport so I entered these details and also submitted this passport along with my application as evidence.

Are you travelling with anyone? I put no for this answer as I was moving here by myself.

Date of planned arrival in the UK? i.e. when you planned to land in the UK

How long do you intend to stay in the UK? I put 5 years for this answer (the length of the visa).

What is the main address and contact details of where you will be staying whilst in the UK? I put the hostel that I would be staying at when I first arrived. Other options is hotel, Airbnb, friends or family etc.

Example of my application:

An extract from the final application. As you can see these should be pretty easy for you to fill 🙂

Example of the travel dates and purpose of travel section.

The passport information summary on the application.

The passport information summary on the application.

Personal Details and Travel History

Personal details covers information like where you live, how long you have lived there and general information. The interesting section is where it covers your travel and criminal history, let’s begin!

Have you been issued any visa for the UK, UK Overseas Territories or Commonwealth Country in the last 10 years? I put no as Australians don’t need visas to visit the UK or Commonwealth countries and I have never had a work visa. If you are country that does then put any visitor or work visas you’ve had here. A quick summary of information you will need if you select yes:
- Type of visa issued – State the type of visitoror wok visa here
- Date of Issue – Date of Issue as stated in thepassport or travel document
- Date of Expiry – Date of Expiry as stated in the passport or travel document. If the passport ortravel document has no date of expiry please enter 01 JAN 2050.
- Issuing Authority – that authority issued yourvisa i.e. British Embassy, High Commission, Consulate
Have you ever travelled to the UK in the last 10 years? The one and only trip (technically two entries) I had to the UK was detailed here. You can put up to 5 trips you have had to the UK. I suggest putting latest to oldest dates (just my preference).

Have you made an application to the Home Office to remain in the UK in the last 10 years? I put no for this answer. Unless you have requested for Settlement or any visa like that then you answer will be no.

The application then goes into whether you have be refused entry, deported, elected to leave the UK and any other country. Hopefully you will be able answer no to all these questions.

Have you ever travelled outside your country of residence, excluding the UK, in the last 10years? I listed out all my trips, this needs to be as arcuate as possible. For my most recent application I was given 30 lines however it was a different visa but expect to have between 10 to 30 lines in the application to enter this. Again using the latest to oldest trip order. If you feel like it you can add a spreadsheet detailing your remaining trips but I didn’t provide a spreadsheet with my application Ancestry application.

Have you ever been issued with a UK National Insurance Number? E.g. QQ 123456A Unless you have lived in the UK previously you won’t have a National Insurance Number. If you curious to know more about National Insurance Number I have detailed everything in this article.

The application then goes into criminal records, whether you are a terrorist and other information around your criminal history.

Example of my application:

Ancestry Visa Application Travel History Section

ncestry Visa Application Travel History Section2

Family Details

Family details is about your mother and father, your relationship status and whether you have children. This section should be a breeze.

For evidence I only provide my mums birth certificate as my dad isn’t linked to my ancestral heritage to the UK. If the birth certificates can tie your ancestral heritage then shouldn’t need a marriage certificate. If linking the heritage isn’t obvious then marriage certificates are a must.

Example of my application:

Ancestry Visa Application Family Details

Employment and Income

What is your total monthly income from all sources of employment or occupation, after tax? WhenI submitted my application I added what currency I was paid in so my answer was: AUD 3000 (for example).

The Type of work undertaken – For this question I just described my field and put IT ProjectManagement.

Do you have any additional paid jobs or occupations? If you have any more jobs add them here.

For evidence I also provided my employment contract to support the employment section.

Income and Expenditure

Do you have savings, properties or other income, for example from stocks and shares? My answer was no as I didn’t have any income streams. If you do add them here.

How much do you spend each month in GBP(£) on living costs? I actually put this in AUD and not GBP as it was the thing at the time. It’s just a summary of what you spend on rent, bills etc each month converted into GBP.

The questions in the Income and Expenditure section is where people get the most confused.

For this sections first, work out the total cost of your trip: flights, hotels, meals, train tickets, everything, in the currencies you’re paying in. Then convert to pounds and calculate the total.

Once establish the costs you need to figure out if you are paying for the whole trip or are you getting someone else to support your trip? If someone else is paying then did they buy your plane ticket? Will they be paying for the hotel stay? Are they reimbursing you for what you spend? Convert all that to pounds and add it up.

How much of your total monthly income in GBP(£) is given to family members and other dependents? My answer was no but if your parents or anyone is supporting you add the amounts here.

What is the cost to you personally of your trip in GBP(£)? I put a combination of my flights, accommodation and expenses for this. If someone is helping you pay for this then only put the amount that you are paying in this section so basically what is this personally costing you. I didn’t provide any evidence for this.

The total amount of money you have for this trip? I just put what my total saving was for this answer, for example, AUD 8000. This was supported by bank statements as evidence.

If you want to know how much to save before moving to the UK, I suggest reading ‘How Much Money Should I Save to Move to the UK?’. You can through all my suggestions out the window and wing it! In that case just have enough to show you can support yourself, I always recommend £1,890 as a minimum.

The cost of the aeroplane, boat or train tickets? Whatever you ticket cost to get to the UK. If you don’t have a ticket then find the most realistic cost by using Skyscanner etc. Slightly ironic that the advice is don’t book you travel before your visa is approved! I didn’t provide any evidence for this.

The cost of your accommodation? I calculated my first months accommodation cost for this answer. I didn’t provide any evidence for this.

The cost of your living expenses? I estimated this cost, for example, £600. It should cover things like transport, estimated food budget etc. It’s a bit of an odd question. I didn’t provide any evidence for this.

If you want to know the cost of living in London I have you covered! It’s based on my costs living here.

Is someone other than you paying for all or a part of your trip? If someone is paying for a part of your trip this is where you add this. I didn’t have any one supporting me but having a statement from the person/ money in your account will help support the application (that’s just my personal opinion).

Example of my application:

As you can see in Employment and Income section, not all of my questions I had answered actually ended up on the final version. No idea why or whether this has now changed.

Family and Friends in the UK

Please enter details of what you plan to do whilst in the UK. My answer was ‘to live and work in the UK’.

Do you have any friends or family in the UK? I didn’t so my answer was no.

Medical Treatment

There is a whole series of questions on whether you have ever received medical treatment in the UK. As someone that never had medical treatment in the UK my answer was no but if you have then put in the relevant information.

UK Ancestry

Finally where you put your heritage and how you qualify for UK Ancestry.

How do you qualify for UK ancestry? Add your relevant grandparents details here.

I provided my granddad’s birth certificate as proof, along side my mums birth certificate as mentioned in an earlier section.

Do you have a job arranged in the UK? You don’t need to have a job lined up to qualify to move to the UK on Ancestry. My answer was no as I didn’t have a job.

For evidence I provided my resume. The GOV UK website states that the evidence can be in the form of job offers you’ve received or a business plan if you’re self-employed.

What is your English Language ability? English is my native language was my answer. If it isn’t just put the level of English you speak (not exactly sure the terminology you should use).

What money is available to pay for your initial expenses such as accommodation and food for yourself and any dependents (if applicable)? My answer was whatever was in my savings account at the time it was just under $8,000. You should add the currency code in front of your answer so the answer should look like AUD 8,000. I also linked this to the same amount I had in the ‘the total amount of money you have for this trip’.

For the evidence I provide 3 months of bank statements to support this.

Example of my application:

The questions in this section have changed a little since I applied, at least it’s less information you need to enter.

Additional Information

Is there any other information you wish to be considered as part of your application? I didn’t have any extra evidence so I put no for this.

Summary of Documentation

In the bullets below is a summary of all the evidence I provided for my UK Ancestry visa. I go more into detail about how to get grandparents birth certificates and the process in ‘What You Need to Know When Applying for Your UK Ancestry Visa’.

I find lots of threads asking whether the documents must be originals or copies can be supplied. Just to add clarity to this point always provide originals to be safe, don’t worry the documents are returned to you.
- The printout of your online application.
- The copy of your biometrics appointment information.
- Current passport, plus previous passports.
- Birth certificate.
- The birth certificate of your parent (only the parent of the grandparent you’re applying through).
- The birth certificate of your grandparent.
- Marriage certificate (to support heritage if unclear).
- Three months of bank statements showing £1,600 (which was the requirement at the time). Bank statements should be printed on branch-specific letterhead with the contact info for the branch where it was printed. If not, each statement should be stamped and/or signed. If they won’t do that, a letter from a branch manager confirming their authenticity and correctness will suffice.
- Resume/ CV (to prove that you can and intend to work in the UK) and you can also include printouts of registration emails from UK job sites e.g. Reed, London Jobs, Indeed.
- I also included my employment contract to support the employment and finances (not sure if it was necessary, just something else I did include).
Hopefully, that has given you some insight into what information you need for your application. If you are unsure reach out to the Home Office or my friends at Britbound who will be able to help you.

More Moving to the UK Articles
27 October 2018
A Guide to Applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (Via UK Ancestry)
After living in London for just under 5 years I finally qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). I have been preparing for this since I first arrived! Saving all my bills, contract, payslips and whatever other documentation I thought would be useful for the application. Yes, I am a little intense thinking about this before I had even lived here for a couple of years.

One of the most confusing things about applying for visas is the evidence. What on earth do they expect you to provide!? As it’s such a stressful process I have documented the information and steps I took to get my Indefinite Leave to Remain.

As the process does change regularly make sure you go to the gov.uk website before applying. This is all based on my sisters and I information and when we have applied. I have linked to all the official documents we used so you can reference these as well.

Disclaimer: This is based on my experience (I’m not a lawyer or immigration advisor) and you should seek professional legal advice if you are unsure. Go to GOV UK to check if there have been any changes to the visa rule & fees.

Indefinite Leave to Remain Visa Criteria for Ancestry Route

The criteria for the IRL is:
- you’ve been living and working in the UK for 5 years with a UK Ancestry visa
- you’ve spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months of the last 5 years (known as ‘continuous residence’) – if you have then you will need to apply for an extension until you qualify.
If you’re 18 to 64 years old when you apply, you must also:
- pass the Life in the UK Test
- meet the English language requirements.
Before You Start Applying

There are two steps you should complete before starting the application, they are:
- Pass your ‘Life in the UK Test’ also known as citizenship test. There is no expiry date on the test so do this as soon as possible. Also, don’t lose the number, you will need it for your citizenship application!
- Prove your English language ability (countries like Australia and New Zealand are exempt from this)
When Can You Start Applying?

For a Set O or UK Ancestry route to ILR, the earliest you can apply is in your final 28 days before your visa ends. For example; my visa expired on the 10th of September 2018 so the start of the 28 days would be the 13^th of August. Therefore the 13^th of August is the first day I was allowed to apply.

You can see this stated at the start of the Set O application: Do not apply any sooner than 28 days before you complete your qualifying period.

When I say to apply this doesn’t mean you can’t start your application in advance. You are able to start your application 70 days which allows you to prepare the application and any information you need to gather to support it.

On the first day of your 28 days submit the application so when you get to the pay screen this where you cannot go back and change your application. Once paid you will be able to go to the next steps such as booking your biometric appointment.

Indefinite Leave to Remain Visa Financial Requirements

There is no listed financial requirements for the UK Ancestry route i.e. that you need savings in your account or give proof of income (just to clarify proof of income means that you need to prove you earn over a certain amount).

There is a statement that you need to show that you can support yourself which I did by showing my savings accounts and various other documents (more in the documents section below).

Visa Cost

The cost for ILR in 2018 is £2,389 to apply online and £3,189 with Super Priority (i.e. 24-hour decision) and this cost is per person. For the latest fees check GOV.UK settle in the UK page. The fees generally change in April each year (the end of the tax year).

Additionally, there will be £19.20 for the biometrics. There are free appointments available at the core centres but if you don’t manage to get one of these there can be additional costs.

For my sister’s application, she went with the standard decision as super-priority is suspended. The cost for ILR in Dec 2020 is £2,389 for the visa, £19.20 for the biometrics and an express appointment at £75 as she couldn’t find a free appointment.

You can pay the fees by debit or credit card. I paid the fee on my credit card, one to get the air miles and the second it allows me to show more savings in my bank account.

Applying Yourself or Using a Company For Your ILR?

I applied by myself this time around instead of using a company. This time around I put a lot more research into what I needed to do to evidence the visa and information I would need. I was confident that I would be successful.

When I was at the Home Office there were a lot of applicants using companies so there will be plenty of places offering this service if you wish to choose this option. If you have a complicated application it’s a less risky option to go with.

Arrival Date or Visa Start Date (which to use when applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain)

Before we start the application process less answer the question I see all the time on communities! Arrival Date or Visa Start Date?

Read page 8 Period between the issue of entry clearance and entering
the UK of this document:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/834928/calculating-continuous-leave-v19.0ext.pdf

It basically says that as long as you arrive within 180 days after your visa starts and don’t go over the continuous period (i.e. 180 days in a rolling year) you can apply for ILR.

Application Process

The best way to get to the right online form is to use the ‘find out if you can apply tool‘. This will direct you to the right application for your visa status.

With the new process, appointments will be available up to 28 days in advance. Gov.uk says on the initial Set(O) application page “Do not apply any sooner than 28 days before you complete your qualifying period.” A recommendation from UKVCAS is that you book your appointment within 5 days of submitting your applications. You will be reminded in 15 days if you have not done so.

As everyone needs to enrol their biometrics with their visa application you will need to book an appointment.

In this video, I run through all the questions and my answers in detail. Please note the end form doesn’t display all the questions you are asked within the application.

Submitting Your Application

At the end of the application process you will be provided with three options to submit your application, only two are a viable option which is:
- Standard service – get a decision within 6 months
- Super priority – currently suspended, see the gov website for more information on this.
- Read more about processing times here.
For this application, I decided to go with the premium service (this is now super-priority) instead of posting the application. When I was reading about the troubles others had with keeping jobs whilst waiting for their visa to be approved it sparked concerns. I didn’t want to go through the same troubles so I paid the extra for the ease.

Additionally not having my passport up to 6 months means that I won’t be able to travel so if something happened at home I wouldn’t be able to go. Plus not having an international holiday for 6 months!? That would be a struggle for me.

My sister has had to go with the standard process as this is all that is offered currently and won’t be allowed to leave the country until a decision is made on her application.

Booking Your Appointment

Once you complete your online form and pay you will be sent to a further actions page. On this page click the book biometric appointment and this will trigger an access code for the UKVCAS site. Once received you can set up your account with a password.

To read the full guide on biometrics appointments for UK Visas the UKVCAS process is explained, here.

With the UKVCAS process you need to bring the following to the appointment:
- Confirmation of your appointment, this can be just the document on your phone
- Passport
- I also brought all my documents to the appointment just in case
Evidence Required for Indefinite Leave to Remain Application

As my sister is applying in December 2020, I’ve updated the sections below to include what we both submitted and the updates for UK Ancestry. That way you can compare both our evidence provided and what we thought would meet the criteria.

I find lots of threads asking whether the documents must be originals or copies can be supplied. As of the latest checklist in December 2020 it states:
- You should use your supporting documents checklist as a guide to what documents you need to self-upload or take to your appointment.
- You will be able to upload copies of your documents on our commercial partner’s website, or you can take your documents to your biometrics appointment to be scanned and uploaded by our commercial partner for a fee.
- You do not need to send any physical documents to the Home Office or UK Visas & Immigration unless you are advised to do so.
The checklist also states:

If you do not provide any of these documents, we may not be able to make a decision on your application. Please note that we may occasionally ask you to provide other documents in addition to those listed.

Your application may be rejected if you do not provide all mandatory documents. If your application is rejected due to documents not being provided, it will not be considered and an administration fee for each person included in the application will be deducted from your refund.

All the titles and italics in this section of the article are the documents required by the Home Office for my application and what I have provided to meet these.

The stack of documents I provided to prove my ILR

The passport issued by Australia

Ok, pretty easy this one! I just included my current passport.

Evidence of UK Ancestry

Evidence that you have a grandparent who was born in the UK or Islands (including the Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Ireland (if they were born there before 31 March 1922) such as:
- your full birth certificate
- the full birth certificate of the parent through whom you are claiming UK ancestry
- the birth certificate of your grandparent who was born in the UK or Islands
- if you, your parent, or grandparent have changed name since birth, evidence of this, for example, marriage or civil partnership certificates
For my sister’s application, she included her birth certificate, our mum’s birth certificate (the parent we have UK Ancestry) and our granddad’s birth certificate (mum’s dad). As you can trace the heritage via our birth certificates she didn’t include those.

There is another checkbox that says ‘Applicants’ birth certificate showing their parents’ names which is included in my sisters birth certificate.

This was not clear at the time of my application so I brought the documents just in case and then they said it was a must to include.

Evidence of immigration status in the UK

For this, we both provided this for our visa’s. Mine was a photocopy of my visa in my passport and my sister was a copy of her UK Ancestry BRP card/ the initial vignette. Plus the above documents to prove our UK Ancestry connection.

Declaration to confirm consent for the Home Office to request verification checks

Again like the requirement above it just requires a form to be signed.

Consent form for the Home Office to request verification checks for joint accounts or third party support

The consent forms are included in the application documents. If you have joints accounts with your partner or anyone else then they will need to sign this. The sponsor will also be required to fill out a consent form. No joint accounts or sponsors then this isn’t required.

Employed Evidence
- If you are employed at the date of application, please provide a letter from your current employer which confirms they will continue in their current job with that employer.
- Documents to show you are employed, such as recent wage slips.
- If you are self-employed, please provide one of the following: business and/or company accounts official letter from a registered accountant which confirms self-employment official tax documentation.
Unemployed Evidence (plus gaps in working history)
- If you are unemployed at the date of application, please provide alternate evidence to show your employment record throughout the five year period in this category of leave, and of any attempts to make and find work.
- If you have been unemployed for long periods over the five years, you must provide reasons why you have failed to find work and evidence to show you have been looking for it.
- You must also provide evidence of how you can support yourself without a regular income.
For my application, I included every employment contract, 5 years worth of payslips and a letter stating I was employed.

For my sister’s application, she included the current employment contract, a letter from her company stating that she was employed and 6 months worth of payslips.

Also to back this up, my sister and I provided P60’s and a letter from the HMRC which also show employment and that we have been paying taxes.

Here is an example of the letter I provided from my workplace to support my application.

Example Employment Letter for ILR

Psstt… to get an HMRC letter is really easy just 0300 200 3300, ask for 5 years’ worth of employment history to be sent to you in a letter.

Example of the HMRC letter I provided for my ILR to help support my application.

Evidence of your finances. Bank statements, building society savings book(s), payslips or other formal documents
- As evidence of your ability to maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependants without recourse to public funds. Note, we do not accept internet or cashpoint statements as evidence of finances.
- If you claim that a relative or friend is providing you with financial support, in addition to evidence of your own finances, you must provide bank statements or other documents of the kind described above as evidence of their financial resources.
- The documents showing the finances available to you and to any person supporting you should cover at least the last three months.
I asked my banks to provide one year of statements to support this evidence, HSBC provided this with ease and cover letter, however, Lloyds only provide 3 months (this is the minimum evidence) printed at the bank which they stamp to validate the statement.

I had four accounts I did this for plus I had a stack of old bank statements from 2013 until about 2015 which I included as additional evidence.

I actually forgot one of my bank statements, however, it was a small saving account so in the grand scheme of things, I don’t think it would have added anything additional.

For my sister’s application, she just included 6 months worth of bank statements.

All previous passports, travel documents or national identity cards that you have used to travel to or remain in the UK

If you have received a new passport since your last leave to remain application, and your visa is in your old passport, you must include both passports.

I included my current passport and my old passport that was valid from 2008 until 2018, this had my initial visa in it too.

Life in the UK Test pass notification (now electronic)

When I applied you were still issued a life in the UK test pass letter and this is what I added as evidence to both my ILR and citizenship application.

However, now you are issued with a number that you include in your application. This will be issued after you pass the test.

Please, please, please don’t leave this to the last minute! Also, make sure your details are 100% correct. I have known people to get refused to take the test because their ID cut off their middle name or their country of birth was wrong. There is no expiry date so do this as soon as possible!

Make sure you keep your life in the UK test safe as you will also need it for Citizenship (if you plan on applying).

Reasons for absences from the UK (additional information I provided)

I included a full list of absences, a tally of days outside of the UK and both passports to prove my absences. I have created a Google Docs spreadsheet as an example but you can also use the template to calculate your reason for absences.

Here is an example of my reason for absences in the application. I also provided the spreadsheet as I had over 30 lines worth of trips to enter.

Prove the level of English language required

Not stated as a requirement for my sister’s application so I assume that they are no longer stating this for exempt countries, as we are Australian. However when I applied it was simply providing my passport to prove this.

Some nationalities will require to take an English test, the pass letter just needs to be included in the application. Find out more information here.

Indefinite Leave to Remain Visa Processing Time

The processing time has changed with the new UKVAS service, you should expect a decision within the following timelines:
- Standard service – get a decision within 6 months
- Super priority – currently suspended. Check the website for the latest information on this.
Depending on the service you choose you should get an email from Home Office on that your application was approved or denied. If approved then you will receive by post your BRP and approval letter.

Decision Time

Once a decision has been made on your application you will be sent a letter stating whether you were approved or not approved.

As it is now emailed/posted to you I am not sure whether the caseworker is meant to tell you the reasons why you are unsuccessful. You could call the UKVI Support Centre to find out more information.

Example of the ILR approval letter the Home Offices gives you

Receiving Your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)

The letter advising you that your application is approved will state that a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) has been ordered and sent to your address. If you completed the application yourself then it will be sent to your home, otherwise, it will be sent to the agency you used.

The BRP card should arrive in 10 working days, there are details in the letter of what to do if your BRP doesn’t arrive. The letter will also include handy information about your BRP, what happens if it gets lost etc.

The Home Office now just posts your BRP card so this will arrive in your letterbox at some point.

Here’s what the Biometric Residence Permit looks like. The photo is so much better than my passport photo!

Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) Has an Expiry Dates

I had no idea that BRP had expiry dates until my card arrived! Turns out every 5ish years you will need to renew your BRP. I have read that others got 10 years on theirs my mine is weird 5 years 5 months until I need to renew it. You won’t need to reapply if you decide to progress down the citizenship path.

Next Step, UK Citizenship

Want to know how to apply for your UK citizenship? Here is a step by step on the UK citizenship application requirements and process. Finding helpful information can be a hassle so this article is here to help!

Disclaimer: This is based on my experience (I’m not a lawyer or immigration advisor) and you should seek professional legal advice if you are unsure. Go to GOV UK to check if there have been any changes to the visa rule & fees.
9 September 2018
UK Visa Super Priority Appointment (Tips and Process)
As of the 5^th of November, the whole service has changed and it’s no longer the same Premium Service offering by UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI). There is a new service called UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) which is run by Sopra Steria in partnership with UK Visas and Immigration. I have searched the internet, so you didn’t have to! Here is everything you need to know about the changes.

Psstt.. You can read more about the application process and documents I provided for the Indefinite Leave to Remain Visa (Settlement) here.

Super Priority service is currently suspended. As things are changing (due 2020 events) with UKVCAS service please keep up to date with UKVI latest information and UKVAS.

Disclaimer: This is based on my research and you should seek professional advice if you are unsure. Go to GOV UK to check if there have been any changes to the visa rule & fees.

5th November 2018 Changes to Appointments

With the rollout of the UK Visa and Immigration new streamlined services there have been several changes introduced which include:
- a streamlined online journey for most application types, with an intuitive form making it easier to apply and the option to purchase additional services;
- a modernised, digital and more secure process to submit key evidence and personal information, with most applicants able to retain their passports and other valuable evidence rather than sending them separately to UKVI;
- fast and convenient self-service with the ability to make applications and upload evidence directly;
- more flexible on-demand, mobile application services accessible at third party premises;
- enhanced support for vulnerable customers through a range of financial support for travel costs and mobile services.
You can read more of the details UKVI issued on this here.

Timeline of the Changes
- From 5th November: the new UK VCAS centres will open and slowly rolled out until the 29^th of Nov. They are opening 57 locations across the country to make the process easier.
- During the period of 5th November – 29th November, the old and new service will run which means there will be access to the new biometrics/document upload centres and Premium Services.
- 29th November: Premium Service Centres will close
- January 2019: Service and Support Centres will open, for use by a small number of customers who require more support with their application. These customers will continue to use the current process until January and the UKIV will issue more information on this process shortly so look out for it.
Premium Service Appointment Booking

In order to book the premium service appointment, you need to complete the online application (for my ILR I used the new visa immigration website), it will be the last stage of the online application process providing you with two options to submit your application. The two options are Standard and Super Priority service and the type of visa’s this service is offered to are:
- Tier 2 or 4 visa
- Tier 2 or 4 dependant – applying on your own
- Tier 1 or 5 dependant – applying on your own
- Remain in the UK with family – applying in the partner, family life as a partner or private life in the UK routes
- Indefinite Leave to Remain
- And a few more.
What does this mean for you?

This changes the way the visa appointments used to work so instead of the appointments opening 45 business days in advance they now open within 5 working days of making your application. They encouraged to go to an appointment as soon as possible and will receive a reminder after 15 working days if you have not attended an appointment.

If you want to visit one of these service points you can book an appointment:
- up to 28 days in advance
- the same day
- the next day
- outside of standard office hours
If your application included family members or dependents you will need to attend the appointment at the same time.

What are the Decision Timelines for the New Premium Service?

The changes have introduced a new timeline for when a decision is made on your application, the choices are:
- Standard service – get a decision within 6 months
- Super priority – get a decision in 24 hours
- Read more about processing times here.
Example of the new application

Visit Gov.uk to commence your application, depending on the visa type you will be directed to the appropriate form you need to fill out. Once you commence the application you will be presented with an information page about your visa which will detail information about; biometric information, healthcare Surcharge, before you start applying, what you need to know, how to apply and application fees.

Example of Tier 2 Application page.

Once you’ve completed the application and declaration you will get to the payments section.

The first step of this process is providing your evidence and biometrics information. Between 5th November and 29th November you will be offered the choice between the existing service or the new UK VCAS. This is still displaying on some applications. You will need to choose the new service as the existing service no longer exists.

Example of page 2 of the Tier 2 application page for providing biometics.

The next step is choosing the service, to recap the decision timeline is:
- Standard service – get a decision within 6 months
- Super priority – get a decision in 24 hours
Example of payment page and options available.

The moment of spending your money is now here! Put in those card details.

Choosing your payment method on UKVI.

The last page is further actions will cover booking appointment, downloading the checklist and application.

Further actions page on UKVI which allows you to book an appointment with UKVCAS.

Booking Your Appointment

Once you complete your online form and pay the fees you will be emailed an access code. This is used to book an appointment through the online portal on the UKVCAS website.

This is also the portal you will self upload your support evidence.

What Locations Can You Get a Premium Service Appointment?

Before the changes there only used to be 7 Premium Service Centres now there is now 57 UKVCAS centres across the UK:
- 6 core service centres offering free appointments – Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast and Croydon.
- 50 enhanced service centres offering charged appointments so it will be £60 for appointments between 10 am – 4 pm, £100 for weekday appointments outside of these hours, or £125 for weekend appointments.
- 1 premium lounge for a fee of £200 (or £260 outside of10 am –4 pm hours). Choosing this service won’t improve your application processing time.
To find your closest centre use the location tool here. When you are booking the appointments the location tool will also appear providing you with the 4 closest centres. If you wish to find another location then enter the postcode of that area and it will show you the centres to that area.

For example, my closest centres in London are:
- Croydon Core Service Point – Bedford Point, 35 Dingwall Road Croydon
- Wimbledon Service Point – Wimbledon Library, 35 Wimbledon Hill Road London
- Victoria Service Point – Regus, 52 Grosvenor Gardens London
- Premium Lounge Service Point – 20 Mark Lane London
Indefinite Leave to Remain Premium Service Fees

The fee structure for the Premium Service was £800 which has now been transferred to Super Priority service (new arrangements).

You can see the latest fee list here.

Additionally, you can purchase the following services:

Enhanced service points

Basically, this is scanning and evidence checking services and cost £60 per person. I suggest doing this yourself instead of paying for the third party to do this on your behalf.

Out of hours appointments

This service was previously offered and is just appointments out of the core hours. Prices start from £100 per person on top of any other appointment-based fees.

Next day appointments

As the title states, they now offer next day appointments for £100 per person on top of any other appointment-based fees.

Same day appointments

For urgent applications you can now get a same day appointment. Prices start from £100 per person on top of any other appointment-based fees.

How Long Does a Premium Visa Appointment Take?

I would allow 30 to 60 minute for the appointment. The appointment will just the enrolment of your biometrics and a check supporting evidence has scanned correctly. If you have uploaded/scanned the documents, then it will be simply getting you biometrics done and you will be out the door.

Once that is complete the decision process will be kicked off and should take 24 hours. I would allow up to three days and if you’ve not heard back by then you can call UKVI.

Preparation for the Appointment

The preparation before the appointment is just ensuring that you have your application completed, booking confirmation, checklist and all the documentation prepared. Make sure have certified translations of any documents that are not in English or Welsh.

With the new service you will be told what you need to bring to your appointment when you submit your application, this will include:
- appointment confirmation
- passport or travel document
- supporting evidence (bring the originals to the appointment)
When I submitted mine there was no electronic way of uploading the information, so I brought mine all neatly separated into different files and categories to make it easier for the caseworker. It was all just placed in one folder, so it wasn’t necessary to prepare this. I would still put the documents in order as per the checklist to make it easier when someone is reviewing your case if you are bringing physical documentation.

I’ve read horror stories with the new appointment service that their paper scanners didn’t work. Upload all the docs *before* the appointment and take the original documents to the appointment. No need to take photocopies of docs or passport photos.

What to Expect During a Premium Service Appointment at the Visas and Immigration

Since my appointment, the process has changed (I have included that below), the new process will be:
- show your appointment confirmation (you will get this as an email containing a QR code) and ID documents to confirm your appointment – even if you pre-upload the documents you still need to bring the originals to the appointment.
- enrol your biometric information (fingerprints, photograph) and digital signature
- submit your supporting evidence (unless you choose to self-upload this)
- show your passport or travel document and have your identity checked
- speak to a member of staff who will check that your biometric information has been successfully enrolled and your passport and supporting evidence has scanned correctly
Afterwards you are supposed to get an email confirming you’re biometric was enrolled but I’ve never received any confirmation stating this.

Later, depending on the service you choose you should get a letter from the Home Office on that your application was approved or denied. If approved then you will receive by post your BRP and approval letter.

Useful Links
- UKVCAS
- Immigration forums on people’s experience – Post 1 and Post 2
Video Update on UK Visa Premium Service Appointments

Video on the UKVCAS Biometric Appointment

More UK Visa Articles
Let me know of your experience in the comments below!
19 August 2018
Everything You Need to Know About the Life in the UK Test
The Life in the UK test is a key requirement if you plan on settling in the UK. After having gone through the test I thought I would share my experience, all the questions I had, what the process was, the experience on the day of the test and some suggested ways to learn about life in the UK.

Psstt.. prefer to watch my experience? I’ve included a video at the bottom of the article.

What is the Test There to Do?

The test is to ensure we know something about the UK so basically covers the UK history, traditions, society, monarchy, government, values and culture.

Who Can Take the Test?

The test is for anyone that is between the ages of 18 to 65 who are applying for indefinite leave to remain (Settlement) or British citizenship (if you have not previously taken the test in the settlement process). You do not need to take the test if you:
- are under 18
- are 65 or over
- have passed it before
- have a long-term physical or mental condition (must be supported by a doctor’s note)
Can I Take the Test After Applying for Settlement or Citizenship in the UK?

No, it is a part of the evidence that you need to provide the certificate and is specifically stated on the required documents list.

When Can I Take the Life in the UK Test?

As the pass certificate doesn’t have an expiry date it is possible to take the test anytime. I suggest not leaving it to the last minute as I did! I gave myself 1 month to study for the test which ended up being crammed in 3 days! It added unneeded stress to my application process and I was thankfully that I knew a lot about the UK anyway.

How Do I Book My Test for Life in the UK?

The only way you can book a life in the UK Test is by using the website. Simply go to the website above and create an account. You will then be given options to choose a test centre and you’re able to book with one of five closest test centres to your home address. Select a centre that suits you, choose a time and date and then be asked to pay for the test.

When you’re creating an account and booking your test it’s very important to ensure that what is written on your ID is exactly what you’re putting in as your account name. When you turn up to the test centre they will be comparing your ID that you provided against the booking details. If you don’t have this correctly documented or provide the ID, you booked with then you may not be able to take the test and you lose your payment.

What’s the Official Website for the Test and Books?

Here is the official website for the life in the UK Test.

I bought the following books for my Life in the UK test, Life in the United Kingdom: a guide for new residents, Life in the United Kingdom: Official Practice Questions and Answers and Life in the UK Test: Study Guide 2018: The essential study guide for the British citizenship test.

I would recommend purchasing the first book, a guide for residence, then purchase the online test instead of the other books. In my opinion, the test will give you more practice on the questions to expect and has 1000’s stored in the database to keep you in dated with new questions.

Life in the United Kingdom: a guide for new residents

The https://lifeintheuk.net/online-tests/ is where I mainly spent my time practising the test! You can get a years subscription for £6.

Psst… this contains affiliate links, I will earn a small commission if you buy one of these products at no extra cost to you :).

How to Postpone Life in the UK Test

To postpone the test, you need to log back into your account on the official website and simply reschedule the date this can only be done 3 days before your test date if you don’t do this then you will lose the fee you have paid.

How Many Questions Are There? How Long Does the Test Last?

There are 24 questions with either true/ false or 4 multiple answers available to choose from. The questions will be different for each test, however, all the questions will all be from the Life in the United Kingdom book.

The Test lasts for 45 minutes but in general will take between 10 to 20 minutes. If my computer didn’t glitch during the test I would have been out in 10 minutes.

What Score Do You Need to Pass Life in The UK Test?

You will need to get a 75% pass rate which means 18 questions right out of 24.

Did you know that Megan Markle also had to take the Life in the UK test to become a resident of the UK? Turns out even Royals can’t get away without taking the test.

How Do I Prepare for the Life in the UK Test?

Preparing for the life in the UK Test is like taking any test and will vary on the way you learn to what best suits you.

All the questions in the test will be based on the Life in the United Kingdom handbook so make sure you purchase a copy. This way you’ll know what to expect test wise on the questions. There are another two books that you can purchase (insert) but the main book will give you all the information that you need.

The official book also has a website which I found helpful to do the practice tests. Not only does this give you the structure of the question and answers but tests your knowledge. I spent a great deal of my time practising for the test using the practice questions!

Find out more ways to learn about life in the UK at the end of the article.

Do I Need to Take Any Identification with me to the Life in UK Test?

Yes, you will need to take two forms of identification, they will even send you a reminder. It needs to be the ID that you booked with and a document verifying your address, the following documents can be used.

Your main identification should be the photo ID which you registered with so:
- a passport (from your country of origin)
- UK photocard driving license, full or provisional (if you use your license identification evidence than you will need a different proof of postcode)
- Biometric Residence Permit
Proof of postcode (must be originals and this cannot be any older than 3 months prior to the date of the test):
- gas/electricity/water bill
- a council tax bill
- bank or credit card statement
- UK photocard driving license
- a letter from the Home Office with your name and address on it
When Will You Get Your Results?

The result will be provided on the day, you will be told to wait in the waiting room after your test and then be called up by the receptionist who will tell you whether you have passed or failed.

Will I Get a Certificate If I Pass?

You will get one of these bad boys if you pass!

The test centre will issue one copy of your pass certificate so keep it safe! If you lose that copy you will need to call the Home Office to get another copy.

If I Need to Re-sit the Test Will I Have to Pay Again?

Yes, unfortunately, every time you fail the test you need to pay for another test. Additionally, if you forget your ID you registered with, your ID doesn’t match the booking detail or you forget your proof of address.

How Many Times Can I Resit the Test If I Fail How Do I Book a Test?

There is no limit on how many times you can take the test. It is more a case of how many times are you willing to pay for the test? The only rule in place is that there must be a minimum of 7 days before you can book another test if you fail.

What to Expect When You Arrive at the Test Centre?

My test was scheduled at 10 am on Tuesday and as with anything like this I arrived 15 minutes before the scheduled test time. When I arrived at the test centre I was greeted by the security guard.

The guard asked me for my name and asked if I wanted to go to the bathroom I was a bit confused because they didn’t understand it initially when he asked me at the time. Basically, as soon as you all registered with the front desk you’re unable to go to the bathroom. I guess it is just ensuring you’ve not got someone hiding in them giving you answers.

Once I was a ticket off the sheet I was given a laminated sheet explaining the details of the test process. I was surprised to see that the sheet said that it would be roughly an hour and a half to two hours at the test centre, thankfully this was not the case.

After 5 minutes of waiting I was called by the receptionist to verify my booking details against my passport. I was asked to confirm my first and last name, birthplace and nationality. Therefore, it’s important that your ID matches your booking information as I mentioned above, fail to meet this and the test centre will not allow you to take the test.

Once I was all checked-in a locker was provided for me to put all my belongings in. Everything apart my passport needed to be in the locker.

When I entered the room, the supervisor checked my ID again and logged me onto a computer. The centre provided a headset so you can have the program read you the questions and multiple-choice answers if you need.

Starting the test, I was given four questions to practice and these answers were not included in my results. Once I passed those four questions the test then proceeded to give me the 24 questions and started the 45-minute timer to complete the test. My version was a bit glitchy so I was worried that I might lose my test results during the process but thankfully that was not the case! Just needed to press f5 every time it froze.

After completing the test I then head to back to the waiting room and collected my things from the locker.

An anxious 5 minutes waiting until the receptionist called me up to tell me whether I passed or failed. Whilst I was waiting there was a lady arguing with the receptionist about her first and last name. It went on for some time! For some reason she put her first and last name back to front so the booking and ID did not match. Luckily for her the receptionist was trying to put a note on her file to allow her to take her test!

Finally, the moment came and I was told I had passed! That sigh of relief was so real in that moment. I was given a pass certificate, requested to sign it and advised that this will be the only copy I get. Consciously keeping it safe and constantly checking that it was there until I got home. Now it’s safely sitting with my Indefinite Leave to Remain evidence.

Other Useful Ways to Learn About Life in the UK

The other way I find I learn more is by going out and exploring. This way you can get knowledge by just soaking up the history and facts. If you’ve not had a chance to explore it will give you more of an opportunity to see the UK and there is no shortage of places you can choose to visit! Here are a few sites to consider visiting or things to try:

Stonehenge (Paid)

Stonehenge is a great place to visit to learn about Englands history for the life in the UK test.

Learn about the history of the UK before the Romans, I highly recommend going to Stonehenge! You will get a free audio guide during your visit which will bring you up to speed on all the things you need to know.

You will learn about the history of early Britain when the first farmers arrived in Britain 6000 years ago. In later years Stonehenge continued to grow during the Bronze Age where people-built roundhouses and buried their dead in tombs called round barrows. The people of the Bronze Age era were also accomplished metalworkers who made many beautiful bronze and gold objects this included ornaments and weapons.

Tower of London (Paid)

The book will expect you to know some of the places of interest to visit in the UK and history of the Monarchs. The Tower of London will cover William the Conqueror and much more. This is where the Crown Jewels are kept and you’ll get to see the famous Beefeaters.

To make your visit to the Tower of London cheaper make sure you get there by rail and enjoy the 2for1 Days Out Guide offer (this isn’t available during July and August).

National Portrait Gallery (Free)

National Portrait Gallery

The gallery covers the history of the Monarchs and eras like Victorian and Edwardian times. Pick up an audio guide (a small fee) for some additional information and history around the portraits or simply just wander around the National Portrait Gallery and see famous paintings of:
- The Tudor and Elizabethan portraits
- The Stuart portraits and the Civil War
- Georgian and Regency portraits
- Victorian and Edwardian portraits.
British Museum (Free)

The Life in the UK book expects you to understand the impact that the Romans had on British Society. The British Museum delivers you just that by their free daily eye-opening tours on Roman Britain or just visiting room 49.

The room 49 tour will cover the Roman occupation of Britain, the diverse society, the wealth of the Romans, the laws, administration, currency, architecture and much more through the variety of objects and artworks on display.

Museum of London (Free)

The Museum of London offers a wealth of topics that are covered in the Life in the UK book from World War I, World War II, British Empire Exhibitions 1924-1925, Elizabeth II Coronation 1953, Great Plague 1665, Suffragette Campaign 1903-1918 and Great Fire of London 1666. It is a place you should add to your learning tour of the UK.

Urquhart Castle (Paid)

Urquhart Castle

Every time I have visited Urquhart Castle I have thoroughly enjoyed my visit. The tour guides are so friendly and rich in knowledge about the history of Urquhart Castle and Scotland. On my last visit I learnt about how the castle played a key role in the Scottish fight for independence so make sure you to take the time to chat with them during your visit.

Stirling Castle (Paid)

Stirling Castle is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland. The castle was one of the most used by the Scottish royal family and included crowing of several kings and queens including Mary, Queen of Scots and many others. The three-sided cliff face gave the castle a strong defensive position and strategic location during its time as a serving castle.

Try Some Traditional Foods

Food is a great way to get immersed in traditions and cultures. A few dishes you could try are:
- In England try some roast beef served with potatoes, vegetables, Yorkshire puddings (which is a must with any English roast) and other accompaniments. For vegetarians, you can still try the tasty Yorkshire puddings!
- In Wales try some Welsh cakes which a snack is made from flour, dried fruits and spices.
- In Scotland, Haggis is the traditional dish which is made from a sheep’s stomach stuffed with offal, suet, onions and oatmeal. Not so friendly for the vegetarians out there! Instead pick up some Scottish Shortbread.
- In Northern Ireland, Ulster fry is the dish to try. A fried meal with bacon, eggs, sausage, black pudding, white pudding, tomatoes, mushrooms, soda bread and potato bread. Just leave out the meat if you are a veggie and try the slices of bread!
Get Involved in UK Events

Guy Fawkes Night

On the 5th of November, the UK hosts a series of events for Guy Fawkes Night. It is sometimes known as Bonfire Night and marks the anniversary of the discovery of a plot organized by Catholic conspirators to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London in 1605. Many people light bonfires and set off fireworks.

Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday)

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent starts and traditionally where people eat pancakes which were made to use up foods such as eggs, fat and milk. I am not religious so to me it’s just an excuse to have pancakes for dinner!

St Patrick Day

Celebrated around the world by the Irish is St Patrick’s Day on the March 17. It particularly remembers St Patrick, one of Ireland’s patron saints, who ministered Christianity in Ireland during the fifth century.

Remembrance Day

On the 11th of November at 11 am, the UK commemorates those who died fighting for the UK and allies in the First World War. Everyone takes part in a two-minute silence and some buy poppies (the red flower found on the battlefield of WWI) to commemorate.

Good luck! If you have study tips or links to the information you found helpful, share it below.

Life in the UK Test – The Whole Process (Video)
24 July 2018

How Much Money Should I Save to Move to the UK? With a Cost Breakdown

Now that you have made the big decision to move to the UK (congratulations!) you are probably thinking how much money should I save to move to the UK?

I recommend saving over £8,000 as a single person. A budget like this will help you cover:

Tier 5 Youth Mobility visa (adjust to whether you need a visa and type, this could be as little as £75 if you have a British passport or as high £3,600 with a UK Ancestry)
Initial travel cost
One month of accommodation in a hostel
UK transportation
Food
Initial monhtly rent and deposit
Being without a job
and some money for fun activities.

Holy (add swear word) right? Is it really going to cost me that much money to move to the UK? Just translating it in Aussie terms that’s $16,000 which is a lot of money!

At the end of the day it is about your planning, risk factor and deals you can get. My sister only spent $5,000 of the $10,000 that she brought over but had me to support her. She spent her first 6 weeks rent free which you can imagine immensely helped the pocket.

The savvier you are with your accommodation, travel and food or happy to take the first job you are offered, the more room you have for being able to save less money.

Initial Costs

There are numerous costs associated with moving across the world. These costs will all be one-offs to you moving to the UK budget, however, they may make a dent in your budget.

Visa Cost (if required)

Visa costs can quickly add up! You have the initial visa prices and then the immigration health surcharge (IHS).

The table below is the most popular visas and the current costs as of Jan 2020. I’ve added examples of the potential costs you could expect, however, these vary depending on visa length, type and other variables. Always check the Gov website for the latest costs.

Visa Type	Cost (Applications Outside the UK)	Example of Potential Cost
Skilled Worker Visa	Standard fee ranges from £610 to £1,408 depending on your circumstances	Example cost of 5 year Skilled Worker visa: £3,730 to £4,528
UK Ancestry Visa	£516	£3,636 for 5 year visa
Youth Mobility Scheme Visa (T5)	£244	£1,184 for 2 year visa
Family Visas: Spouse, Children etc.	£1,523	£3038 for 2.5 year visa
Student Visa	£348	£1,288 for 2 year visa

Source: Gov UK Jan 2020 Costs

Immigration Health Surcharge Fee (IHS)

This fee gives you access to the UK National Health Service (NHS). The fees vary depending on the type of visa you’re applying for, here’s a summary:

£470 per year for a student or Youth Mobility Scheme visa, for example, £940 for a 2-year visa
£470 per year for visa and immigration applicants who are under the age of 18 at time of application
£624 per year for all other visa and immigration applications, for example £3,120 for a 5-year visa

Not everyone likes filling out visa applications so I recommend Britbound to help. Just to give you an extra bonus to start your adventure, Sarah at Britbound is giving you 10% off visa package (Youth Mobility and UK Ancestry only)! Just use the code KATSGONEGLOBAL.

Travel to the UK

You must get to the UK somehow! You’ll need to factor in flights, bus, train or however you plan to get here in your budget. The cost can be anything from £50 to £1,000 depending on your current location. The most I’ve had to pay for a one-way flight from Perth Australia was £500 so this is an area you can definitely reduce my estimated costs.

Able to be flexible on the dates you can travel? Then head to Google Flights or Skyscanner and use their handy calendar tool to find the best travel dates for your route, by locating the dates with the lowest fares.

Travel Insurance

For travel insurance purposes you are only considered a resident in the UK after you live here for 6 months and this means you will need to get one way insurance for moving to the UK.

One way travel insurance does end up costing more but I feel that it’s better to pay a few dollars for the peace of mind. If you are like me, sold all your belongings and only travelling with what you have left then it will be sad if you lost or had anything stolen!

World Nomads offer one-way travel insurances which will cover you whilst you’re settling here.

After 6 months you will be able to access cheaper insurance. Most banks will offer travel insurance with current accounts. This is the best place to check before looking at insurance packages. Normally it is a monthly recurring fee and will include other things.

Otherwise use places like “Compare the Market” and “Money Supermarket” to find the best deals.

Costs of Getting To/From Airport

Hopefully, this won’t be a massive expense, especially if a friend or a family member has a car and can drop you at the airport before you leave! Otherwise, it is another cost to factor in.

Then it is figuring out how to get from the airport to your accommodation. If you plan on getting a taxi this will cost more, however, you can get pre-paid taxi service instead of metres which will be cheaper. Public transport or bus will be the cheapest option.

For example, a taxi from Heathrow to Crystal Palace (Southeast London) costs between £40 and £60. The same route by public transport costs £8.40 although there are barely any lifts.

Luggage

Airlines will have baggage rules and it’s so easy to take the kitchen sink with you! It’s always cheaper to buy extra baggage up front than getting a shock at the airport. Alternatively, you can use shipping companies or the post to get those last items over.

I’ve not included what it costs to ship furniture, household items and anything else over as I just bought everything I needed over here. This is where the cost of moving can significantly increase and depending on how long you plan on being here it may not be worth it if you are only here for two years.

Costs When You Arrive in the UK

The best practice is of course to have more savings than you need to cover the costs of any worst-case scenario. As we’ve seen with 2020 you just never know what surprises are around the corner.

I suggest that you allow 3 months worth of padding into your budget, however, I understand this is not always achievable. As this varies from person to person you will be able to adapt the budget to suit your needs.

The Office for National Statistics says that in 2019 the average family spent £585.60 per week which includes transport, housing and recreation, and culture. For a 3 month budget, this would be £7,027.20.

If you are interested in the average cost of living in London check out this article.

Accommodation on Arrival

Firstly, you will need to factor in the cost of temporary housing, hotel or hostel while you are looking for a flat. I mention this in things you should organise before you move to the UK that I highly recommend you find accommodation that has a kitchen and allows you to cook your own food.

Average Accommodation Cost

I’ve gathered the average cost for hostel, hotel and Airbnb rooms to help establish potential costs for a month’s worth of accommodation.

If you have friends or family to stay with this will add some major savings to your budget! You could also look into couch surfing or pet sitting as another option to save money. Think about staying outside of the city or tourist areas to make your money go a bit further.

I’d recommend joining Facebook groups as some people might be renting out their rooms whilst they are on holiday.

Hostel Dorm Room

Country	Daily Average	Example Cost for 1 Month
England	£24.57	£736.99
Northern Ireland	£17.99	£539.81
Scotland	£21.13	£633.79
Wales	£21.71	£651.39

Source: HostelWorld

Hotel Room

Country	Average Achieved Room Rate	Example Cost for 1 Month
London (included as it’s significantly higher)	£158.39	£4,751.70
England	£64.75	£1,942.50
Scotland	£60.35	£1,810.50
Wales	£67.42	£2,022.60

Source: BDO Hotel Britain Lite 2020

Airbnb

Country	Daily Average	Example Cost for 1 Month
England	£70.10	£2,103.00
Northern Ireland	£72.50	£2,175.00
Scotland	£76.20	£2,286.00
Wales	£134.95	£4,048.50

Source: Witter Blog

Food

As mentioned a kitchen is something that really helps the budget go for longer in the UK and food is an expense that can add up quickly!

Just as an example, if I grabbed a coffee and croissant at Pret that would be £4 to £5, Lunch would set me back around £7 then dinner anything from £10 upwards for a dish then add drinks at £5 to £10.

Versus a weeks’ worth of food and cooking. Personally, I spend between £15 to £30 per week on food shopping and this is about 5 breakfast, lunches and dinners.

Transport

Catching the tube in London — All aboard the bustling tube! Don’t let this photo fool you, peak times on the tube are intense! Super crowed platforms, everyone squeezing themselves on and occasionally smelling your neighbour’s armpit.

According to the Office of National Statistics, the average family in the UK spends £80.20 per week on transport, including buying and maintaining a car and public transport.

Using three months as a basic guide this means you will need between £960 for transport. However, this can easily be cut down if you use public transport. Even in London, you can get a travel card for £131 (zone 1 to 2 travel card) to £340 (zone 1 to zone 9 travel card) per month depending on zoning.

There are ways that you can save on transport costs like staying walking distance to shopping centres, high streets and other amenities that you may need. That way you are only paying for transport to an interview, sightseeing or a day trip.

Basic Needs

One thing to note is it is very common to find furnished apartments or you can request that you landlord furnishes the apartment (this will be their choice).

With a pre-furnished rental, you can expect the place to have bed frames/mattresses, tables, couches, fridge, washing machine etc. You will need to bring your owning bedding, towels, clothing and anything else you wish to make your place homely.

I went to places like TK Maxx to buy quality products at a cheaper price like bedding, plates, ironing board, sheets, pots & pans.

Phone sim card

Most phone companies will offer low range prepaid sim cards for £10 and upwards. You’ll need to have an unlocked phone otherwise you will be locked into your current home provider. Below are just a few examples of the kind of deals you can get for £10 on a sim only contract:

Tesco’s £10 top-up gets you 3GB of data, 500 minutes and 5000 texts.
Giffgaff £10 top-up gets you 3GB of data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts.
Virgin Media £10 top-up gets you 2GB of data, 500 minutes and 500 texts.

Spending Money

Being new in the UK is understandably exciting and you most likely will want to explore your new city or town. In the UK there are a lot of free things to do which is super handy and of course some paid activities. Or trying out the latest coffee shop or restaurant.

Rent And Deposits

You will need to save the up-front costs such as rental deposit and first month’s rent. The rental deposit is typically four to five weeks’ rent.

London will be the most expensive destination to move to in the UK so if you plan to move to a cheaper city like Liverpool, Glasgow, Cardiff, Nottingham Belfast or Birmingham cost can decrease.

I’ve split the example costs into two sections, one if you rent a share house in a city and the other the average median prices for private rentals. Additionally an example of the initial costs to save towards. As these are averages you will need to adjust based on your circumstances.

Share House

Here are the average rent prices per city in a share housed.

City	Average Room Rent 2019	Example of Initial Costs (with 1^st months rent and deposit)
Brighton	£647	£1,294
London	£728	£1,456
Glasgow	£558	£1,116
Leicester	£437	£874
Manchester	£491	£982
Nottingham	£436	£872
Bristol	£543	£1,086
Edinburgh	£563	£1,126
Aberdeen	£528	£1,056
Cardiff	£516	£1,032
Southampton	£459	£918
Oxford	£577	£1,154
Portsmouth	£467	£934
Cambridge	£564	£1,128
Leeds	£459	£918
Bournemouth	£473	£946
Birmingham	£438	£876
Newcastle	£418	£836
Liverpool	£406	£812
Sheffield	£420	£840
GB	£566	£1,132

Source: Hamptons Lettings Index

Spareroom and Ideal Flatmate is where you can find listings for share houses.

Private Rental

Here is the median monthly rent across the UK in 2020.

Location	Median Monthly Rent	Example of Initial Costs (with 1^st months rent and deposit)
England	£700	£1,400
London	£1,425	£2,850
Northern Ireland	£651	£1,302
Scotland	£687	£1,374
Wales	£679	£1,358

Sources linked in the table.

Zoopla or Rightmove are the best websites to get an idea of the price of renting a whole property.

Just moving to England can make renting in London harder especially if you are fresh off the boat! The more time you spend in London working, the easier it will get over time. Here are some things to consider:

Not having a credit history will impact your ability to be accepted through estate agents. Some landlords will request that you provide 3 to 6 months rent in advance to ensure the landlord has security.
If you wish to go down the guarantor route to avoid paying so much rent up front you would need a person that is a UK homeowner who is willing to act as your guarantor so this can be a challenge.
You need to prove that you can legally be in the UK so British Passport, EU Passport or working visa. The paperwork can’t be started until you can prove this.

More Renting Articles
10 Things you need to know before you rent in London
A Helpful Guide on How to Find a Flat in London

Finding A Job

Just to give an indication of how long it took me to find a job, each time I have searched for a permanent job in the UK as a Project Manager it has taken about a month. Whereas my mum struggled as her career is a bit more niche and needed more time to find a job that suited her.

Summary of Total Costs

Let’s summarise the costs so we can get a rough indication of the start-up budget. The following figures are based on a single person and as I mentioned above budgeting for 3 months of living costs. Some careers may be quick to find a job and others will take a bit longer so it’s good to factor in how long you could be unemployed.

Initial Travel Costs

	Skilled Worker Visa (max example cost of 5 years)	UK Ancestry Visa (5 years)	Youth Mobility Scheme Visa (T5) (2 years)	Family Visas: Spouse, Children etc. (2.5 years)	Student Visa (2 years)
Visa and IHS	£4,528	£3,636	£1,184	£3,038	£1,288
Transport	£500	£500	£500	£500	£500
Travel Insurance	£100	£100	£100	£100	£100
Transport	£60	£60	£60	£60	£60
Total	£5,188	£4,296	£1,844	£3,698	£1,948

Disclaimer: these are estimations and not actual figures. Excludes shipping belongings to the UK.

Estimated Living Costs (3 Months)

	England	Northern Ireland	Scotland	Wales
Hostel 1 Month	£737	£540	£634	£651
Average Rent + Desposit	£1,400	£1,302	£1,374	£1,358
Average Transport Cost	£962	£962	£962	£962
Average Food Cost	£743	£743	£743	£743
Average Recreation and Culture	£923	£923	£923	£923
Average House Hold Bills	£318	£318	£318	£318
Average Eating Out	£488	£488	£488	£488
Basic Needs (bedding, household items, etc)	£500	£500	£500	£500
Sim Card	£30	£30	£30	£30
Estimated 3 Month Cost	£6,101	£5,806	£5,972	£5,973

Disclaimer: these are not actual figures. Costs will vary country to country and what options you choose. The information is based off various sources linked throughout the article.

Be sure to download the savings tracking checklist (it can be opened with Google Sheets) which covers all the items I mentioned in the article.

Let me know in the comments below in the comments how your savings are going!

How Do I get UK Address Using Family or Friends?

As I mentioned above this can make the process easier! There are a couple of ways you can get documents to prove you have a UK address with family or friends. From using them as a reference to get your NINO, to sending your bank statement to them and registering to vote in their area.

1. Using a Family or Friends Address to Get an NI Number (NINO)

A NINO letter can be used as a proof of address, however, some banks don’t allow this as proof so double check beforehand which ones do.

So how do I use my family or friends to get a NINO? I have not tried this method as I didn’t have this option available but you can get your family member or friend to write a letter confirming that you are staying at their address. This letter must be supported by a tenancy or rental agreement, utility bill or bank statement in the name of the person who issued the letter.

I have put together a template you can use for the letter (just copy and paste, fill/delete the sections that apply to you and there you go! You have a letter from your family or friends).

The Manager

<insert address>

<insert date>

RE: <insert name>

I <insert friends or relative name (as name stated on the utility bill or bank statement)> confirm that <your passport name>, date of birth <insert date of birth>, is my tenant/friend/relative (delete as appropriate) and has known me <insert year> year. She/He is currently residing with me at <insert address that is on a utility bill or bank statement> and has been here since <insert date>.

She/He currently pays me a rental amount of £ <insert amount> per week/month.

She/He is staying with me rent free.

Should you require any further information, please contact me on the following number.

Kind Regards,

<signature>

<insert friends or relative name (as name stated on the utility bill or bank statement)>

Just take the above letter with the evidence and hopefully you will be one step closer to getting your NINO. As I mentioned I have not tried this method so if in doubt just give them a call beforehand to confirm.

2. Evidence of Address via the Engineered Way

This approach is generally referred to as the Engineered Way and is basically getting your home country bank to send you a bank statement with your friends or family address. It’s super simple, just use the following steps:

Adjust the address on your file on your non-UK bank account to a UK address.
Once the change in address had gone through apply for a for your non-UK bank to send a statement.
The statement will now be delivered to your UK address providing a proof of address.

It’s been a successful and unsuccessful route for people who have used this so keep this in mind. You may wait a month and then find a bank doesn’t accept this as proof (for example).

3. Register to Vote

Another way you can get a proof of address is to register to vote with your local council. Search for your local council and get added to the “electoral roll” and then they will send you a letter confirming your registration which is an “official letter from the council”. This is only applicable if your nationality allows you to be eligible to vote. For example; EEA citizen and Commonwealth countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Once you get this letter you can then use this as proof of address to get your NINO. Once you get your NINO then you would have two letters that can be used for proof of address to show the bank. Although be mindful that using NI as proof of address could take up to 6-8 weeks to get a letter delaying you getting an account.

P.S. Registering to vote is a good idea anyway as it helps build your credit score.

4. Using a Company to Set-up a UK Address

Before I moved over I paid for a Quick Start Pack with Visa First to assist me in the process. This provides a mail holding service which I made an assumption could be my way around this whole address palaver but unfortunately they don’t provide a service that can be used by HRMC. Quick Start Packs no longer exist with Visa First, however, they still offer packages to get things like your NINO.

There are a couple of companies that provide this service like 1st Contact and Britbound. Although personally, I used BritBound to set up my accounts.

5. Use BritBound to Set-up Your Address

You can sign up with BritBound who will provide you with a UK address and help you set up your bank account and NINO. They will contact you when you have mail. You can either collect your mail in person or ask them to forward it (tracked) to an address of your choice.

Whoo! BritBound was the company that got me out of this Catch 22 situation. It’s so stressful being stuck in the loop of not getting a job, bank account, NINO or flat all due to not having an address.

The package is called ‘The Social One’ which will set you back £85 but will cover all the essentials you need. (I am not affiliated with Britbound, they were just awesome when I moved to the UK.)

Why Can’t I Get a Virtual UK Address?

An option I looked into was getting a virtual address but virtual address companies also need a UK address to be able to set one up (I know right! Frustrating). The reason is to prevent potential fraud and money laundering via these services so the government put in regulations like the London Local Authorities Act 2012 and the Money Laundering Regulations Act 2017.

This meant that these services have to put you through what’s called the Identity Verification Process (KYC). When you fill in the registration forms your personal details will be run through an identity verification system which checks your name, UK address and date of birth. If you pass this check then you will have a virtual address.

Comment below and let me know your experience on getting a UK Address! And any other processes that worked for you.

2018 Costs	2019 Costs	2020 Costs	2021 Costs
£130.30	£137.00	£141.41	£142.00

	2018 Costs	2019 Costs	2020 Costs	2021 Costs
Electricity	£ 30.74	£38.06	£38.06	£85.61
Gas	£30.38	£36.21	£36.21

2018 Costs	2019 Costs	2020 Costs	2021 Costs
£31.21	£32.70	£33.46	£33.46

2018 Costs	2019 Costs	2020 Costs	2021 Costs
£41.23 – Fibre only	£49 – Fibre only	£49 – Fibre with TV	£53 – Fibre with TV

2018 Costs	2019 Costs	2020 Costs	2021 Costs
£150.50 (yearly)	£150.50 (yearly)	£157.50 (yearly)	£157.50 (yearly)

Monthly Travelcards 2021
Zones 1–2	£142.10
Zones 1–3	£167.10
Zones 1–4	£204.30
Zones 1–5	£243.10
Zones 1–6	£260.00
Zones 1–7	£283.10
Zones 1–8	£334.10
Zones 1–9	£370.60

Room Rent*	£728
Core Bills	£109
Groceries	£200
Mobile	£10
Personal Care	£20
Healthcare*	£8
Transport*	£142
Total	£1,217

Rent	£1,572
Core Bills	£327
Groceries	£400
Mobile	£20
Personal Care	£80
Healthcare	£17
Transport	£284
Total	£2,700
Per person	£1,350

Category: Expat & Immigrating

Moving to the UK from Australia Checklist (Epic Guide!)

Rights to Work and Employment

Can Australians Live and Work in the UK?

Check That Your Job Is Transferable to the UK

Do I Require Any Qualifications or Permits?

What You Need to Organise as an Australian Moving Overseas

Australian Tax

Ensure myGov Account is Set-up

Repaying HELP and TSL Overseas (If Applicable)

Foreign Residence Tax

Money

How Much Money Should I Save to Move to the UK?

Tell Your Bank

Bank Fees (optional)

Setting up an HSBC UK Bank Account (optional)

Apply for a Stop-gap Card (Optional)

Cancel Credit Cards (Optional)

Loans (Optional)

Transferring Money

Superannuation

Combining Your Superannuation (optional)

Welfare Benefits

Voting

Driving in the UK

Can I Drive in the UK on an Australian License?

Suggestion for Car Insurance Companies

International Driving Permit (Optional)

Health

Health Checks and Vaccinations

Medication

Vaccination Card (Tip for Travelling)

Prescription Glasses or Contact Lenses

Reciprocal Health Care Agreements

Cancelling Private Health Insurance (Optional)

Travel Insurance

Important Documents

Packing for the UK

Other Things to Organise

More Moving to the UK Articles

UK Ancestry Application (Explained)

Where to Start Your UK Ancestry Visa Application

Start an Application

Now for the Questions and Evidence…

Passport and Travel Information

Personal Details and Travel History

Family Details

Employment and Income

Income and Expenditure

Family and Friends in the UK

Medical Treatment

UK Ancestry

Additional Information

Summary of Documentation

More Moving to the UK Articles

A Guide to Applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (Via UK Ancestry)

Indefinite Leave to Remain Visa Criteria for Ancestry Route

Before You Start Applying

When Can You Start Applying?

Indefinite Leave to Remain Visa Financial Requirements

Visa Cost

Applying Yourself or Using a Company For Your ILR?

Arrival Date or Visa Start Date (which to use when applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain)

Application Process

Submitting Your Application

Booking Your Appointment

Evidence Required for Indefinite Leave to Remain Application

The passport issued by Australia

Evidence of UK Ancestry

Evidence of immigration status in the UK

Declaration to confirm consent for the Home Office to request verification checks

Consent form for the Home Office to request verification checks for joint accounts or third party support

Employed Evidence

Unemployed Evidence (plus gaps in working history)

Evidence of your finances. Bank statements, building society savings book(s), payslips or other formal documents

All previous passports, travel documents or national identity cards that you have used to travel to or remain in the UK

Life in the UK Test pass notification (now electronic)

Reasons for absences from the UK (additional information I provided)

Prove the level of English language required

Indefinite Leave to Remain Visa Processing Time