London is a great place to start a new life and grow professional wise. The capital of London has been ranked the most attractive city for work.
If you are migrating to the UK permanently or are simply spending a year or two finding out what this great country has to offer you will need to organize some essential things like your visa, your UK bank account and your National Insurance number.
- First and most important: Your Visa
Before you start searching for your London home you need to make sure you will be granted permission to live and work on the UK and in order to be able to do this you will need a UK visa. This could be a daunting and expensive process so we recommend you use an expert immigration consultant to guide you.
2) Setting up a UK bank account
As soon as you land on the UK one of the things you’ll need to do is open a UK bank account. This could be problematic for newcomers as the bank will ask for documents you probable won’t have so once again it could help using a relocation specialist to make it easier and less stressful. There are a number of large banks to choose from, a financial advisor could help you see which one best suits you.
3) You’ll need an NI number
The Department for Work and Pensions in the UK will give you a unique number called NI which is used to track your tax and NI contributions every year. You should start the application process as soon as you arrive and have a postal address. It is important that you get your NI number before you start looking for work in the UK, as many employers will not employ you without one.
To start the application for a NI number, you will need to call the National Insurance and ask to book an interview. The phone lines are often busy, so we recommend you try calling first thing in the morning or close to the end of the day.