Your advice/suggestions on living and working in the UK

I'm looking at heading over to the UK soon, and just want to know how I can get some help to get over there?
i.e. with visa, assistance on arrival, etc

You might want to come over on a recreational/research trip first to get your bearings and make contacts here.

Also have a look at the British Expatriats websites, theres alot more traffic of Brits going to Canada then vice versa it seems *lol*

[quote="AngelKiri"]
already had a boyfriend in England whose parents were kind enough to sign a letter & photocopy the deed to their house stating that they would let me stay at their house in the intermn. you need to have some sort of abode ready & waiting for you when you arrive & provide proof of it (lease or deed) in your application as well as proving that you are financially viable (not in debt & have substantial amount of savings to carry

quote]

I am going to be applying for a settlement visa for my boyfriend in the next month or so (I have dual Canadian/British citizenship) but we were planning on looking for a place to live when we get there, since it would be insane to rent a place 3 months before our arrival. I have been trying to get in contact with the British Consulate in Ottawa but they charge $2.80 per minute for any visa question so forget about that! I am going to ask a relative if I can use their address on the application but we wouldn't actually need to stay with them. Do I have to ask them for a copy of the deed to their house? It seems kind of intrusive.I'm hoping I can just list their address and telephone # on the application. Also, if I attach copies of bank accounts is that proof enough that I can afford to support myself? Thanks.

Hi Everyone,

My father was born in Scotland and still holds his British passport and we're looking into getting me one as well. I'm looking to travel to Britain and potentially stay there and I'm curious as to what I'le to do with my passport. I.e: I was told that because my father is from Britain that if I reside in the U.K for a full year with my passport that I can attend a university for free. Is this true and also do i need to get a visa to work and any advice on living there would be a HUGE help.

Sincerely Tom
p.s: Does anyone know of any good Water Polo Clubs over there?

HI Pologuy- welcome to the board.

In regards to univsersity fees, said to say that even with an EU passport one needs to have *resided* in the UK/EU for three years (36 months) before paying homeland uni fees. I have been a dutch citizen for 39 months, but have only resided in the UK for 34 months and must still pay overseas tuition fees. I have been looking into these and there does not seem to be flexibility. (Presumabily to keep people from coming here just to get a free education!)

The university I attend is not free for anyone, it may be different at other universities.

As for a work visa, why not get an ancestry visa or (it sounds like you are eligible) your own passport? It makes life a lot easier than having to mess with visas.

Another surprise I got (can you imagine my face when it first happened to me!) was that you need to signal the bus to stop for you when your waiting at the stop. if you dont put your arm out into the road to let the bus driver know you want to get on, he'll just drive right past you assuming you must be waiting for a different bus. WOOOSH.

now THAT'S why the buses wouldn't stop! geeeezzzzz i thought i was really bad looking or something, that's why they wouldn't stop! or even started thinking i was invisible!

Hi everyone.
I moved from Ottawa, ON to Kent on a Fiance's Visa in January 07.
I used Brytor (sorry tried to post url but since am new I can't)for my move. I found the staff there very reassuring and my stuff was delivered by Britannia Movers.

My fiance had to show most of the documents for my application basically that he would financially support me, his mortgage, employment details etc. I wasn't allowed to work for the first 6 months or until we married, claim benefits (which makes sense) and I was able to get National Health Insurance upon arrival (OHIP).
I'm allowed to use my Ontario driver's license for the first year (not allowed to drive a standard car). The only catch is you need to have someone notarize your application for a UK driver's license that has known you for a minimum of 2 years (luckily, I have a friend who has known me for 6+ years and is a dentist).

I finally landed a pretty decent job after a few months of looking. People here have been really nice and friendly with me, not making me feel like an outsider. Yes, I do get asked a lot if I am American or from America hehe

The only 2 thinks that I'm finding hard to get used to is the driving on the “wrong sideâ€

If you live in London, cars are pointless, certainly inside the congestion zone. I can never remember needing one the whole time I lived there. Nowadays with the price of rail travel outside the city it might be worth having one if you travel outside London frequently.

I honestly cannot fathom why any Canadian would want to live in the UK except as a short-term experience, I'm so bloody glad to be shut of it.

There's a reason Britain colonised North America.

The UK is just too crowded and expensive, and it's only going to get more crowded and more expensive.

(Plus it's full of cynical arseholes who are the world's greatest experts on subjects they know nothing about.)

I grew up in a rural area of England. Which by the time I left school was a suburban area. And it's rapidly becoming an urban area. Less than 10% of the UK population live in areas classed as "rural".

I moved to Canada and bought a house twice the size for half the price. I reckon my daily living costs in Alberta are 2/3 of what they were in the UK, and I lived in a pretty cheap area of the UK.

Hi everyone. I'm a fellow Canuck and taught in primary schools in London for three years. I've recently returned to Canada start a teaching agency called Classroom Canada - it's by Canadians for Canadians wishing to move to London, England. I've recently returned from a cross-Canada tour, doing presentations & interviews at universities across the country. The response has been incredible!

Classroom Canada is a very different company, setting you up with good, but cheap accommodation with other Canadian teachers, bank accounts activated before you depart, and professional development to help in your move to the UK. I'm still accepting resumes, so if you're a teacher and heading to London, please send it my way - Come to our website, (google classroomcanada as I'm not allowed to post websites here) or look for our ads on Apply to Education.

I'm specifically looking for teachers who wish to teach in Zones 1-3 (central London).

Good luck!
Victoria

This is my dilemma. My common-law partner/fiance is a British citizen, but has landed immigrant status here in Canada since 1981. I am a Canadian citizen and we are looking to move to England because he wants to go back ( home is where the heart is)he hates it here. So I agreed to the move and we were looking at October November. We have 2 small children 5 and 3 years of age. How do I get the ball rolling with this? I have tried to contact people at the Embassy / High Commission in Ottawa but that is absolutely impossible, trying to get someone to answer the phone is out the question? The website britian in Canada is totally confusing because i don't know what it is I need.I know that he needs to renew his passport and get a permanent resident card? I don't know why he needs the residency card? but anything would be a great help.
Thank you
Sara