Applying for Immigration to the UK — Where Do You Start?

More and more qualified people are seeking to migrate to the UK for better prospects. However, not as many are successful in getting visas to the European country. Out of the hundreds of thousands that applied to the UK for a visa last year, only 273,000 were able to gain permission.

And that is because they were not able to completely fulfil the requirements set by the Home Office, the department responsible for issuing visas to the United Kingdom.

If you are one such individual that is seeking to migrate to the UK, here are some things that you should know.

The Basics of Migrating to the UK

Know Your Rights

If you are a citizen from the EEA member states, the EU or the OCT, you will not (as of yet) need to apply for a visa to live in the country. As a citizen of the commonwealth, all you will need to show is your passport, along with a certificate of entitlement of you need help for future benefits.

If you live in any other country though, you will need to check with the UK Home Office website to check if you qualify for a visa-free access.

Know Which Visa You Need

There are several reasons why you’d want to come to the UK such as:

• General visit
• Work
• Study
• In transit
• Long-stay with family or a partner
• Get married or enter in a civil partnership
• Stay with a child
• Get medical treatment
• For official government business

Whatever reason you may have, there will be some specific paperwork you’ll need to fill out to ensure that you can enter the UK legally.

Set a Budget

Applying for a UK visa isn’t cheap.

It’s important that you find out all the details for the fees, what you need to show in the bank and other factors before you apply.

Create a budget and plan your expenses accordingly. Talk to any friends or family that may be living in the country and make an estimate.

The government will want to be sure that you support yourself and that you will not try to access public funds.

Educate Yourself

If you have a genuine reason to apply for immigration to the UK, you’ll next need to make yourself as culturally aware as possible.

The UK is incredibly diverse so a lot of people do get somewhat of a culture shock when they first arrive here. Make things easier by first enrolling in an English class.

Also, do your research online on the different cultures and religions that are practiced in the British country.

Ask a Professional

Wembley Solicitors is a leading law firm in London that offers assistance with all visas to the UK.

If you require professional help for your visa process or immigration appeals, contact us! We’ll try our best to help you plan for your life in the UK.