If you’re thinking about moving to London, the capital of the UK and one of the most important cities in the world with around 9,000,000 people, you should consider some facts and start planning. For starters, it is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, with more than 3 million foreign-born residents.
There are many reasons for your move, whether it’s a relocation for love or you found a dream job and just can’t miss the opportunity. Still, when moving overseas, it’s normal to wonder is moving to London a good idea. Getting to know some facts before relocation across the world is essential, as well as learning as much as you can about the new city. Also, don’t think that everything will go smoothly without any effort because this will probably be one of the most challenging situations in your life for many reasons.
Planning on International Moving to London From the US Soon – Start Months Ahead
For every successful move, a good and thorough relocating abroad checklist is an essential step. Without it, you can easily get lost in all the tasks you have to do. So, once you decided it’s time to move and started wondering how to move to another country, start planning right away. The sooner you start making a checklist and planning the whole relocation process, the better experience you’ll have, and you’ll handle relocation stress much better. Traveling abroad during Covid-19 probably won’t help in the stress department, but with a good plan and plenty of time will be on your side, so take some of your free time to plan every little step of this relocation.
How to Move to London – Apply For Visa at Least Three Months Before
The first step when moving internationally is to gather all important documents. No, you can’t get past this, no matter how tedious this task could be. So, if you’re wondering, can you move to London right now, you surely can’t without a visa. As a US citizen, you can’t live in the UK’s capital city without a valid visa, so apply for one at least three months before the relocation. Now that Brexit’s passed, the British are even more strict about immigration.
If You Want to Get England Passport Here Are the Terms and Conditions
Visiting a country and becoming its citizen isn’t the same thing. In fact, there are some steps and terms every candidate that wants to apply for an English passport has to do. Here are those conditions:
- Being over 18 years old,
- Currently living in the UK,
- Knowing the English language (in this case get familiar with some words that have a different meaning here in the UK,)
- Taking ”Life in the UK” test,
- Being of ”good character.”
Get a Job and Work Perming When Moving to UK’s Capital
No matter if it’s your first time relocating or you’ve done this before – one of the crucial steps is to find a job because your savings will eventually come to an end. Having enough money for all needed expenses is something you should work on. “Can I move to London without a job” might be the main question that comes to your mind, but know that it’s better to start saving right away because being financially stable will be a big deal once you move and will help you adjust to a new country.
Before even starting a job hunt, explore the best jobs for Americans in Europe and the most popular industries in the place you’re relocating to. In your case, with relocating to one of the most career prospective cities in England, it shouldn’t be too hard to get a job and make your living in the UK an experience to remember.
What to Know Before Moving to London, UK – Explore the Differences of Cost of Living Between Two Countries
Before figuring out what to pack when relocating abroad, you should explore the cost of living in the new country and city you’re relocating to. Answering questions like how much money do you need to move to London and what salary do you need to live comfortably in London is essential because it is not enough to just want or like a city to make it happen.
The annual average cost of living in your new home goes up to £2,900 (around $4,000) per month, and it is similar to that of New York, for example. Although it is known as the most expensive city in the United Kingdom, the transportation is more affordable, and the ability to get around anywhere you want to go is a big advantage.
Don’t Worry About Healthcare – It Is Great and More Affordable
If you decided to live in the UK and make yourself a home in its capital, you need to be aware of their healthcare system. It is not a perfect one, but all the residents are provided with it regardless of their employment status. Another great advantage is that it is free for all legal residents in England. NHS is financed from the budget, through the taxes.
Utility Bills Are Billed Differently
Don’t forget about your monthly bills for water, electricity, gas, and other utilities you have to pay. You’ll probably have to pay more for utility services in the UK than in most parts of the US. However, there are many options for utility providers in this capital, and you can check and compare the prices on the website uSwitch for your address.
Like in most US cities, here you can pay monthly for gas and electricity. For water, on the other hand, you’ll probably be served by Thames Water – the largest water services company for the public water supply. It gives you the possibility to pay more frequently, like once a week.
Think About Your Taxes When Living in London as an American Citizen
If you haven’t had the chance to live in another country before, you should get familiar with the fact that US citizens must file US taxes no matter where they live. However, there is a tax treaty between these two countries, and you can reduce UK taxes from the ones you owe in the US.
This is not all – the additional US tax forms and FBAR for foreign bank accounts can get the whole situation more complicated. If you can’t deal with this on your own, get help from a professional and start saving for the tax bills.
Consider Temporary Accommodation That Might Lower Your Costs
We all know how the house-hunting process can be overwhelming and time-consuming, so if you are still looking for that perfect house to call home, consider finding a place where you stay for a few months. Temporary housing options in the UK’s capital aren’t lacking, and you can easily find accommodation that meets your budget and needs. Check the website Craigslist and include Airbnb.
Research the Way of Transportation That Suits You Best
Public transportation is always important in metropolitan areas. Luckily, Londoners have many options that will ease your commute – from buses, river buses, trams, Underground (Tube) rail network, railway, and overground trains to famous black cabs. The opportunities are vast, and you can choose what type of transportation suits you best. Still, you should be aware that you’ll probably spend some time commuting in the rush hour, but that kind of comes with life in the metropolis. The Oyster card will be a lifesaver if you opt to use public transportation.
Shipping a vehicle overseas might be unnecessary among all these transportation options. However, in cities like this, it’s always a good idea to have your own car and visit all the landmarks and interesting places. So, take into consideration an overseas shipping company that can get your vehicle transported overseas safely.
One of the Things You Should Be Prepared For – Cultural Shock
Relocating to London means there will be no language barrier and you won’t have to learn a language abroad. Even though it will be so much easier to actually speak the same language as the Londoners, you will probably have a culture shock, and your everyday life will be different. So, before you hire professionals with all the international moving services and figure out if you could use some help with packing services, you should think about all the changes relocating here will bring. It is true, you won’t have to deal with tips and tricks on how to learn another language, but there might be some mixed feelings in the beginning
Get Used That Some Words Are Different
Even though you’re relocating to a country with the same language, there are still some differences between American and British English. The first one is the accent – you probably already heard it, and you are familiar with it, but it could be a bit challenging to embrace it in the beginning. The next one is the spelling – pay attention to the spelling, especially if you have to write daily in British English. And last but not least – the vocabulary. Some words just don’t have the same meaning in American and British English. For example, if you say pants, your London friends and colleagues will understand it as underwear because they use the word trousers for pants. For more examples of differences between pronunciations, watch this video.
The Best Places to Live in London
Picking the best home isn’t just picking a beautiful house that has everything you want. There are many things to consider, and one of the most important is the neighborhood. After all, it’s where you will come after work, and those are the people you will be surrounded by. We all are familiar with how overwhelming it can be to look for a perfect home and its surroundings, so here are some of the best neighborhoods that can help you make a decision faster and easier:
- Soho,
- Dalston,
- Shoreditch,
- Notting Hill,
- Brixton,
- Camden.
Don’t Consider Relocating Without ”Brolly”
Talking and thinking about the Big Smoke, we just can’t miss the weather. There are 106 rainy days in the year – if you thought you could leave behind your raincoat and umbrella, you were wrong. And, better get used to saying a brolly instead of an umbrella. Because of constant rain, people might not include this amazing metropolis and the UK among the best European countries to live in. But there’s so much more to see and do.
This City Will Give You a Lot of Possibilities to Do Some Interesting Things
The UK’s capital has many interesting places to visit and see. No matter if you are relocating with kids or alone, check out at least these:
- Big Ben,
- The Houses of Parliament,
- Buckingham Palace,
- The London Eye,
- Trafalgar Square,
- The Natural History Museum,
- Tower Bridge.
With Trustworthy International Moving Company This Relocation Will Be a Breeze
Deciding to change your lifestyle from scratch and relocate to the UK’s capital isn’t a small task to do. Between figuring out how to keep in touch with friends and plan the whole relocation process, you could feel overwhelmed. That’s when a professional overseas moving company steps in. To make everything work, you have to find professionals that can offer you all kinds of services. Make sure they can provide you with storage facilities and other things like custom crating for more valuable items. This way, not only will you ensure everything will arrive at your future destination safely, but you will have more free moments without stress to think about the place you are relocating to.
