How to move to London from the US

Moving to London from the US is possible, but it’s nowhere near as easy as it is for citizens of the EU, or commonwealth countries. There are a variety of different visas that you can apply for, that will allow you to stay for around 2 or 3 years, some of which have the option of applying for extensions at the end of the initial period. In order to apply for permanent residency in the UK, you will need to have lived in the UK for a continuous period of 5 years.

Sponsored Skilled Workers Visas/Tier 2: By far the easiest way to move here is by getting a job with your existing company that has a branch office in London and can sort out the working visa for you.

Highly Skilled Workers Visas: If you’re not in this fortunate situation, you might think of applying for a highly-skilled worker/Tier 1 General visa. You do not need to have secured a job to apply for this type of visa. Application is based on a points system and you will need to score 75 points (based on age, qualifications, previous earnings, experience in the UK) plus 10 points for English language, plus 10 points for meeting the minimum amount of money to be able to support yourself. At the time this article was written, the minimum amount of money that you must have in your bank account (if applying from outside of the UK) is £2800. This amount must be in your bank account for more than 3 months before your application. Documentary evidence will be provided and your balance must not dip below this threshold. A points calculator is available here . It is worth bearing in mind that you will receive a maximum of 20 points if you are under 28 years of age. 31 years old is the maximum age at which you will still receive points (5 points) and by 32 years old, you will not gain any points from this category. The cost for applying for this visa is £675.

Entrepreneurial Visas/Tier 1 Entrepreneur: Much like the Highly Skilled Workers Visa, to apply for an entrepreneurial visa, you need to answer questions and will be awarded points for different categories. Check out this self-assessment calculator here. You will also need to prove that you are able to support yourself, by meeting the minimum amount of ‘entry clearance’ cash. As above, the minimum amount of money that you must have in your bank account (if applying from outside of the UK) is £2800. This amount must be in your bank account for more than 3 months before your application. Documentary evidence will be provided and your balance must not dip below this threshold. Also, you must have access to no less than £200,000 to invest in your UK-based business. These funds can be invested by 3^rd parties into your business, but you’ll need to provide documentary evidence. The money must be deposited into a financially regulated institution and be disposable in the UK.

Student Visas: This is a fairly straightforward visa to apply for. If you’re studying a degree in the UK, you’re able to apply for a student visa that covers the length of the course plus a further 4 months at the end of the course. In order to be eligible for this visa, you require 40 points. 30 of these points will come an acceptance for studies by an approved course provider. The further 10 points will be a bank statement or letter confirming that at the time of application, you have enough funds available to cover your course and living costs for 1 year.

Post-study visas: After graduating from a higher education institution in the UK, you can apply for a post-study visa, enabling you to seek work in the UK, without the need of a sponsor. The cost of applying for such a visa ranges from £265 if you’re applying from outside of the UK to £500 if you’re applying from inside of the UK.

For further information on all of these types of visa, plus others such as spousal visas and ancestry visas, please visit http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

Once you’ve been granted ‘entry clearance’ into the UK, you can start to think more about actually  moving here. First things first, you’ll need to organize shipment of your belongings, so take a look at international shipping firms and compare costs to get a good deal. You’ll most likely save money on packing your belongings yourself. Try www.sevenseasworldwide.com

For choosing accommodation, take a look at the rest of our website for a comprehensive guide on moving to London.

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