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The Ultimate Guide to Living in the United Kingdom. Visas, citizenship, nationality, and British passports.
Why move to the UK?
There are many reasons why people fall in love with the United Kingdom. One of the oldest democracies in the world, Great Britain is the eccentric mix of an old school world leader with a 21st-century innovator. Britain’s iconic coastline and lush, green, fields have been a haven since time began. A land of history, majesty and a cracking sense of humour, the UK is hard to beat. But what entices people to apply for a UK visa, take up UK Residency and make a move to UK citizenship? We’ll explore the reasons the UK ranks as one of the overall best countries in the world.
If you are an EU citizen living in the UK, you know why so many people choose to make their lives in the country. If BREXIT is causing you concern about your right to remain in the UK, head to our Visas and Permits section. We’ll also cover the EU Settlement Scheme in more detail. To keep up to date with any changes, sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll share the latest BREXIT immigration news with you.
The United Kingdom of New Opportunities
The UK’s recent departure from the EU may have been controversial. Still, it has none-the-less opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Great Britain has never been more committed to worldwide trade and new business propositions, creating opportunities for talented individuals to take up UK citizenship. The UK government will, over the coming year, position Great Britain as a global hub for business and innovation. The UK has a long history of diplomacy, and the UK passport is one of the most desirable travelling companions you could wish for.
Health and Wealth
Optimism is high for this new chapter of the UK business both with the EU and worldwide. London is the home of international finance, and the UK is one of the best places in the world for Entrepreneurs. The British Pound is the oldest currency in use and one of the most converted currencies in the world. In addition to finance, countries around the world have copied the UK legal system. This recognition is in part responsible for the British reputation for ‘Fair Play’.
UK citizenship means access to one of the highest standards of living in the world. Over the last decade, the UK has had the most significant drop in total crime of all European countries. Couple this with low pollution, clean water and wide-open spaces, UK residents have a high sense of well-being. The UK health service is the envy of the world, both for the level of healthcare, and because it is free of charge. With specialist hospitals, emergency paramedics and 24-hour telephone medical assistance, it is a global leader in health care systems. Private healthcare is available with many of the world’s best surgeons having clinics and consultancies in the United Kingdom.
Working in the UK
Living in the UK on a UK visa, UK residence permit or UK citizenship, finding employment shouldn’t pose a problem for enterprising individuals. Currently, Britain has one of the lowest unemployment figures in modern history with many companies looking worldwide for employees. Salaries are competitive with entitlements to paid holidays, sick pay, maternity and other benefits. Health and safety in the workplace is a legal requirement as is adequate training for all staff.
A UK Education
Many people immigrate to the United Kingdom for a British education, either for themselves or their children. The UK boasts a top-ranking education system with some of the best schools, colleges and universities in the world. Better still, British education is affordable, and in some cases, free. It’s good to know that English language workshops are available to those undertaking UK citizenship. Employers around the world respect British Universities’ offering of a wide range of subjects and disciplines. It’s a well-known fact that a British degree opens doors all over the world and can lead to a higher salary.
Cost of Living in the UK
While a decent salary is an important reason to immigrate to the United Kingdom, the cost of living can be a drawback. The most significant expense when moving to the UK is accommodation. That said, a lot depends on the location. London has considerably higher costs than the rest of the country. Other cities, and smaller country towns, have a much lower cost of living. On the other hand, wages are highest in London, and there is the widest range of available employment. Also, transport can be cheaper than out of town.
Family Matters in the UK
Aside from the educational advantages, Uk citizenship as a family is an excellent idea. Facilities for children are superb. Free libraries, parks and museums, as well as subsidised swimming pools and sports facilities for all ages. There are many low-cost clubs and associations for children to learn everything from a musical instrument to rock climbing.
Town and Country Life in the UK
From the iconic white cliffs to the Scottish Islands, the geography of Great Britain is breath-taking. A modern, integrated transport system means that cultural cities such as London and Glasgow are as easy to reach as rural Stonehenge and Glastonbury. Castles, Cathedrals, ancient villages and modern architecture, the UK has many different sights and landscapes to discover.
British Food
The food scene in the UK is second to none. British produce is superb with almost every town boasting an Instagram worthy Farmers market. With a vast coastline, you can find sparkling fresh fish all over the country, along with heritage meats, organic vegetables and artisanal cheese. From world-famous chefs to world cuisine, UK restaurants are some of the best on the planet with every style of cooking imaginable.
UK Citizenship
Immigrating to the United Kingdom doesn’t mean saying goodbye to your own culture. The UK has always been a diverse, multicultural society. For centuries, the UK has been home to people of different religions, politics and outlooks. Integrating into a new country takes time, but many cities and towns offer English classes and local information printed in several different languages.
The Infamous UK Bureaucracy
One thing that puts people off immigrating to the UK is the notorious ‘red tape’ or bureaucracy. Admittedly, the UK has a complicated visa and residency process. The scope for error means that it is essential to have a good lawyer to guide you. The need for quality legal advice is critical with the current departure of the United Kingdom from the EU. A good Immigration lawyer will be aware of new opportunities and will ensure you don’t miss out. Whether you’re looking for a UK visa, UK residency or UK citizenship, head to the next tab to review your options.
EU Settlement Scheme.
If you are an EU citizen currently living in the UK, there will be no change to your rights until 30 June 2021. You are, however, advised by the UK government to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after this date.
If you are an EU citizen living outside the UK, you will find you are currently ineligible to apply for the Visas listed below. This restriction is because, under the UK EU transition phase, EU freedom of movement rights still apply. After December 2020, these rights may change, including the eligibility requirements for the Visas listed below.
UK Visas and Residence Permits
The first thing to consider when making a move to the UK is to find the correct visa. Your choice is important, especially if you are eventually planning to apply for UK Citizenship. It’s vital to look at all the options and find out which will suit it best in the long run. So, let’s get down to the basics of moving to the UK and look at the different business visas available.
The Short Term Visitor Visa
The UK has simplified the visa for all short-stays. This includes if you are visiting as a tourist. To find out if you need a Standard Visitor Visa for your trip to the UK, please use the VisaHQ tool to the right.
Replacing a whole host of visas, the UK Standard Visitor Visa now covers the General Visitor Visa, Family Visitor Visa and Child Visitor Visa. It is also the visa for visiting business and is required for visits to receive private medical treatment. The Standard Visitor Visa covers visiting sports persons, entertainers, those seeking medical treatment, and academics. Find a full list of people who can access this visa here.
UK Long Term Visas
UK Ancestry Visa
If you are Commonwealth citizen and able to prove that your grandparent was born in the UK, you can apply for an Ancestry Visa. Amongst other eligibility requirements, you must be prepared and planning to work in the UK. It’s also worth noting you must apply for the Ancestry Visa from outside of the UK.
UK Start-up Visa
If you are want to set up a business in the UK, this may be the Visa for you. The UK Start-Up visa replaces the Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa and the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur Visa, which are no longer accepting applications. You must have a viable, innovative, business idea which is different from any existing business on the British market. The company must have the potential for growth. An authorised body must also endorse your plan. The authorised body can be a UK higher education institution or an organisation with a history of supporting UK entrepreneurs. To apply, you must also be from outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland, and there are also specific other eligibility requirements.
CLICK HERE TO SPEAK TO OUR UK IMMIGRATION EXPERT
UK Innovator Visa
The UK innovator Visa replaces the Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa. It is for those who have an investment of at least £50,000 to set up or run a business in the UK. Again, there are specific eligibility requirements, and you must have your business idea assessed by an approved body. Also, you must meet an English language requirement and prove you have savings to support yourself while in the UK.
Top tip – The Department of Industry and Trade, DIT has a Global Entrepreneur Programme which is worth investigating.
UK Global Talent Visa
Replacing the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa is the UK Global Talent Visa. This Visa is for emerging leaders (‘exceptional promise’) or recognised leaders (‘exceptional talent’) in specific fields of work. This is also the Visa if you are under the UK Research and Innovation endorsed funder option. Again, you must be from outside of the European Economic Area and Switzerland.
UK Tier 1 Investor Visa
If you have funds of £2,000,000 or more to invest in the UK, look at the UK Tier 1 Investor Visa. There are other eligibility requirements, and again, there are nationality restrictions. See our Investment Visa section for more detail on this program.
UK General Work Visa
If you’ve been offered a skilled job in the UK, you may be able to apply for a Tier 2 General work visa. You will need to be employed by a licensed sponsor. This sponsor is responsible for checking that you are qualified for the role and that you qualify for a visa. The sponsor will also assign you a certificate of sponsorship and is required to give you other information, including rates of pay.
UK Visas for Education
The UK offers a range of study visas to students of all levels of study. Your options will depend on the length of the study you are undertaking. These visas apply to people coming to the UK to study at a UK educational facility. If you are an academic visitor, you will need the Standard Visitor visa.
UK General Student Visa
There is a Tier 4 General Student Visa for those over 16 years old to study in the UK. You must have been offered a course before applying and have a good understanding of spoken and written English. You must also be able to prove that you can support yourself and pay for your course. Other eligibility requirements apply, again depending on individual circumstance. For short courses or training events, you will need to apply for the UK Short-Term Study Visa.
UK Tier 4 Child Student Visa
Children between 4 and 17 years old need a UK Tier 4 Child Student Visa to study at a UK Independent school. There are eligibility requirements, including parental consent and money to cover the course fees and living costs.
UK Residency and UK Citizenship
In time, you may decide to settle permanently in the UK or even take up UK Citizenship. Generally, you must have held UK legal residency for five years and lived continuously in the UK for 12 months. At this point, you can apply for UK Indefinite Leave to Remain. As ever, there are some variations to this. The requirements differ depending on three factors. These are the type of Visa you already have, whether you have family in the UK, and your nationality. For example, if you are from former British overseas territories, you may be entitled to the Right of Abode. At first glance, this may all seem impossibly complicated, especially with the current changes due to Brexit. We suggest speaking to a qualified immigration professional to ensure you get the best outcome.
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The advantages of UK Citizenship
The UK is still a widely respected stable democracy. The biometric British passport is still one of the world’s most powerful passports, with visa-free access to more than 165 countries around the world. Importantly, this includes the major economies of the world like the USA, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union.
As a UK citizen, you have access to a strong and active consular network around the globe. The UK’s diplomatic presence is one of the world’s most effective.
You also have full access to the United Kingdom’s social safety net, one of the world’s finest. This includes the National Health Service and the education system.
These qualities mean British nationality and Britain’s powerful passport consistently rank in the top ten across many surveys and rankings.
BREXIT has altered the way some people see the UK. It will, almost certainly, change the way that the UK works with the EU and the rest of the world. Freedom to live and work in the EU will in all likelihood be restricted after BREXIT.
What is UK Citizenship?
United Kingdom nationality is not as clear cut as other countries. There are six groups of people that can carry a British passport. For simplicity’s sake, we’ll only be referring to British Citizenship, as this is the most significant and most common used definition. This is citizenship that you access through a direct connection. Your connection can be to the United Kingdom or a defined group of territories. The United Kingdom includes England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Of the territories, the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar automatically offer full British citizenship. The other territories include Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Falkland Islands, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Gibraltar, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Please have a look at our country pages for these territories to see information on their citizenship, passport, and nationality laws.
UK nationality laws
Your UK nationality is only heritable under certain circumstances. There are two considerations for passing on your British citizenship to your children. How did you get your UK citizenship, and where were your children born?
If your children are born in the UK or a qualified British territory, and you are a legal UK resident or UK citizen, then your children will be UK citizens. Citizenship is through the principle of ‘lex soli’ or specific law of soil.
If your children are born outside the UK, you can pass on your citizenship to them in some circumstances. This is the case if you are a UK citizen by birth, adoption, registration or naturalisation. If you are a UK citizen by descent, then you cannot. So, UK nationality can only be passed on one generation to those born outside the UK.
While many countries require you to give up any other citizenship, the UK does not. This is called dual citizenship, but currently, the UK accepts up to 16 Citizenships, including the UK itself. The paperwork is also generous, with lengthy complicated forms and, as you would expect, supporting personal information.
To apply for UK citizenship, you will generally have to meet three standard requirements. You will need to have an English language qualification and to have passed the UK life test. A serious criminal record will mean you cannot apply for citizenship in most circumstances.
UK Citizenship by Birth or Descent
You can become a UK Citizen by birth if you were born in the UK to a UK Citizen or Permanent Resident. If you were born abroad to a British parent, it might also be possible to apply for UK citizenship by descent.
UK Citizenship by Naturalisation
If you have legally lived in the UK for five years, you may be able to apply for citizenship. This includes if you have lived in the UK under Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), UK Right of Abode, or the EU Settlement Scheme.
Unlike these permanent residency programs, UK Citizenship comes with the right to vote in the UK elections and to hold a UK passport. It also means you can leave the UK for unlimited periods without effecting you right to return. You need to have lived in the UK for at least five years to apply for ILR. You can apply for citizenship twelve months after getting ILR.
UK Citizenship by Marriage
UK Citizenship by Naturalisation applies if you are married or civil partnered to a UK Citizen. The UK recognises gay marriage, and so spouses in these unions can apply for citizenship through marriage. You’ll need to have legally lived in the UK for three years, and meet the standard requirements for citizenship.
UK Citizenship Documentation
In addition to the many forms, you will also be asked for additional information. Before applying, it is worth collating documentation such as birth certificate, Visa information, and any English language qualifications. Also, you will need to provide photographs and fingerprint, also known as biometric information.
The UK Life Test
For both UK residence and UK Citizenship, you will need to pass the life in the UK test The only exemptions are for under 18’s and the over 65’s or if you have medical condition confirmed by your doctor. The test takes about 45 minutes and comprises 24 questions based on the UK way of life. It can be a little tricky. Sample questions from the test often appear in the UK Media, and many UK nationals fail to get a good score! Help is at hand by way of official handbooks that can be purchased to help you revise.
UK Citizenship Success
Paperwork, red tape, tests. Getting your UK Citizenship may seem tricky, but, in reality, it is a process that millions of people have completed. With patience, expert advice and perseverance, you will be well on the way to a new life in the UK.
UK Residency by Investment
The UK Tier 1 Residency visa is available to investors from outside the European Economic Area (EEA). To access this visa, you must be willing to make a substantial financial investment in the economy and development in the United Kingdom. The visa gives you and your family the right to live and work in the UK. Importantly, this visa class is a pathway to permanent residency, UK citizenship, and a British passport.
The UK Tier 1 Investor Visa is for those who can invest a minimum of £2,000,000 into an active UK registered company. The investment must be share capital or loan capital. Larger investment amounts have shorter residency times before you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). After one year of living in the UK with ILR, you can apply for UK citizenship and passports.
Amounts and residency times
£2,000,000 – Five years until you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain
£5,000,000 – Three years until you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain
£10,000,000 – Two years until you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain
Key points of the UK Residency by Investment Program
- The processing time for this visas is usually under two months.
- Visas are valid for up to 3 years and four months and can be renewed for a further two years.
- You and your family should make the UK your home for the duration of the visa. You should not spend more than one hundred and eighty days per year outside the UK.
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Useful Links
Official UK Immigration website
Tier 1 – Entrepreneur visa for Startups.
UK Travel Guide by Nomadic Notes