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The United Kingdom hosts big names in sports, universities, and world class museums and restaurants. Moving to this great country is an aspiration of many. There are endless beautiful sceneries, cultured lifestyles and urban destinations to enjoy in all of Wales, England and Scotland.
Relocation can be quite an overwhelming task, but with essential information, it can be a relatively smooth process. The following are tips to help you get prepared for the relocation process.
Find out the legal requirements for successful relocation to the UK
You need a visa to be granted entry into the UK. The legal requirements for getting a visa are found on the UK government’s visa application tool.
Ensure you can afford the cost of living in the country
If you aren’t sure how to finance your stay in the UK, conduct some research on the average prices of commodities to help you compare prices of your current residence. The average rent of a one bedroom city apartment is £749.09.
Set up bank accounts
Most banks in the UK operate at international levels. This means that you may not need to find new banks. Whether you open a new account or not, you need a way to fund your UK account by exchanging your home currency into the Sterling pound.
Conducting this transaction is fairly easy through a bank, though the exchange rates might not get you as much as you deserve. A good way to know if you are getting a good deal is by researching what online currency converters are offering.
Instead of going through a bank, you could set up a TransferWise Borderless account to allow you transact in various currencies. You can later transfer the funds to your account at a small fee.
Find work
If you are coming to the UK to work, you need a work visa whether it’s on voluntary or short contract basis. Getting work in the UK is quite tricky because of the strict immigration rules. Some sites that are good places to start include TotalJobs, Monster and Jobsite.
Find a place to live
It is easy to find rentals if you are ready to reside in urban areas. While London has the highest number of jobs for immigrants, it is also one of the most expensive places to live in the UK. To ensure that your money gives you more value in London, consider renting in Bexley, Croydon, Hillingdon and Waltham Forest.
Learn the language if necessary
The primary language in the UK is English. If you aren’t fluent with the language, a good place to start is the Duolingo app. While you might be a native English speaker, the accents may make it difficult for you to understand people. The best way to learn in this case is immersion.
Hire a moving company to simplify the relocation process
There are some international movers in Japan who offer shipping services to people relocating overseas. The UK should be one of the most popular destinations for such companies. There are services by sea and air and you can decide which one to use depending on what you ship or how much stuff you are shipping, decide what sort of services you need. Learn more about shipping from Japan to the UK here. In any case, you should be preparing for your move as early as you can.
