How to Move to the UK - Citizenship Guide (2025)

If you plan to move to the UK, it can be a great opportunity for you to gain professional growth. The UK is one of the major business destinations in the world and Europe’s financial capital attracting international businesses.

The UK is composed of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern

• Ireland

. UK citizens and residents enjoy high living standards and working conditions. The beautiful country has one great advantage among others.

Newcomers will not have to learn a new language as English is the native language throughout the UK. Apart from this huge benefit, immigrating to the UK can lead to various opportunities including gaining a UK citizenship.

SEE ALSO: How to Move to Australia – Citizenship Guide

Table of Contents

• Migration Process in UK
• FAQs about Moving to UK
• UK Immigration Consultants in UAE

Migration Process in the UK

These 3 things must be considered when you move to the UK:

1. Get a Visa

You can’t live and work in the UK if you don’t have a visa. You need a visa or an EU passport to enter the country. The United Kingdom government website has an easy online form that will tell you what type of visa you need.

For immigrants, you need a visa for you to live and work in the UK. You can apply at visa4uk.fco.gov.uk and wait for at least several months before your visa gets approved. For more detailed information on how to apply for a UK visa.

2. Open a Bank Account

If you plan to immigrate to the UK, you need to sort your bank account as soon as possible. It can be surprising and a bit of too much task. It’s difficult to apply for banks due to the amount of identification they require. Once you’ve just arrived, you may not have documents such as lease agreements or utility bills. Even if you have these documents, bank may only offer you a basic form of bank account.

Opening a bank account in the UK can be in three ways, depending on your status:

1. High net worth individual (as determined by the bank but usually over $1M) there are offshore services set up by the major UK banks
2. Working traveller in the process of moving to the UK
3. If you’ve just arrived in UK and want to do it yourself.

Due to banking regulations in the UK and anti-money laundering laws you need to show a bank all kinds of proof that you are established in the UK.

Requirements (may vary according to bank application type):

• A passport
• A letter of employment
• A lease or bills in your name to a UK address
• Potentially a letter from your current bank that notes how long you’ve been a customer and states that your account is in good standing.
• Tip: If this isn’t possible, try printing a recent bank statement that includes your name and address

3. Get an NI Number

A National Insurance (NI) number is a unique personal number allocated to you that is used to identify you to HM Revenue & Customs and the Department of Work and Pensions. Without it, you can’t work in the UK or you will get charged “emergency tax”.

This ensures that Government records any contributions you are entitled to. It will go to the UK social security and state pension system. It will take around 6 weeks to be organized. You may have to quote yours to your employer’s accounts department for taxation purposes and contributions will be taken each time you are paid.

There are two ways to apply. You can do it yourself or get it online.

1. When you arrive in the UK, to apply yourself you will need to make an appointment or (called Evidence of Identity (EOI) Interview) at your local Job Centre Plus.

Contact: 0845 600 0643
Working Hours: Monday to Friday 8am–6pm

Requirements:

• Proof of your identity
• An account of all your past years of work and travel
• How and when you arrived in the UK

2. Services Online

Many people who are working and don’t yet have a National Insurance number will be taxed at a much higher emergency rate. To avoid this, it makes sense to get your number as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the process sometimes takes months and can be time-consuming and frustrating to do yourself.

SEE ALSO: Student Entry Requirements (UK)

FAQS about Moving to the UK

1. When and how do I apply for a visa?
For most people applying for a visa like a tier 5 visa or ancestry visa getting the visa is usually a formality so you can begin to apply to jobs far in advance. This depends on the visa and your arrival plans you will want to determine when to apply.

2. How much money do I need to have saved for my visa application?
For a Tier 5 – Youth Mobility application, you need to show you have at least £1,600 in your personal bank account. However, for a Tier 1 visa application, you will have to show savings at least £2,800 if you are applying from outside the UK. Original bank statements must be presented or a letter from your bank to show that this amount has been in your bank account for at least three months. For applicants outside the UK, the evidence must be dated no more than 7 days before your application is submitted.

3. Should I use a visa representative/visa agency for my visa application?
Some applications are more difficult and more time-consuming than others. For example, many people use a visa agency for their Tier 5 — Youth Mobility Visa Application to ensure all the correct documentation is in order and forms are filled out correctly.

4. What is it like going through immigration when I arrive in the UK?
Everyone has different experiences of the British immigration system depending on which airport you arrive. You may be asked a few questions and make sure you are aware of any restrictions on your visa. If you are entering the UK on a Tier 2 visa, you may be asked some details about your employer.

5. I am travelling overseas before I enter the UK — can I apply for my visa in another country?
You can apply for the Youth Mobility program from your home country or from a country where you are staying in at the time of application. However you need to have permission to be in that country for longer than 6 months. The British Entry Clearance Post in that country must also be authorised to process Youth Mobility applications.

SEE ALSO: Schengen Visa Guide in Dubai & Abu Dhabi (UAE)
UK Immigration Consultants in the UAE

1. Carte Blanche Immigration Services

2. Times Immigration

3. Migration Expert

4. Global Migration

5. Worldwide Visa Solutions

6. Riftrust

7. The Migration Firm

8. UK Visa AE

9. Stratix Consultants

10. Visa HQ