MOVING TO ENGLANDKnow Before You Go

Visas

Before you move, you must know whether you need a visa, and which visa you want to apply for. If you hold a US passport and intend to stay in the UK for 6 months or less as a visitor, you do not normally need to apply for a visa before travelling. If you are wanting to work or study you will need a visa. Find out where and how to apply for a UK visa in the USA.

The UK

The United Kingdom is a country that consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In fact, the official name of the country is "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland." Great Britain is the name of the island northwest of France and east of Ireland that consists of three somewhat autonomous regions: England, Wales and Scotland.Therefore, England is part of Great Britain, which is part of the United Kingdom. The U.K. includes England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are not independent countries but the United Kingdom is. The remaining portion of the island of Ireland (that which is not the U.K.'s Northern Ireland) is an independent country called the Republic of Ireland (Eire).

Be

Warned

Its not all shopping at Harrods and eating fish n chips ! Day to day life can be tough in the UK. The weather can be dull, damp, grey and raining for days. The cost of living is expensive, houses are often tiny and you get taxed on everything. Gun control is very tight but there is still a lot of crime. Did we mention its cold and damp?

Colloquialism

sCheers: I have determined that there are absolutely no rules for using “Cheers”. “Cheers” can mean thanks (ex. “Cheers for sending that email, love.”). “Cheers” can mean goodbye & of course when enjoying a pint together. Brilliant: Everything in London is “brilliant”. Whether it’s good, great, appreciated, or just smart, “brilliant” is always appropriate. Knackered: tired Sod: “Sod” is essentially every American curse word in one convenient three-letter package. (ex. “Oh, sod.”, “Sod it!”, “Sod off!”, “Sod you!” Taking the piss: means to be made fun of. British humor “takes the piss” out of people for laughs. Biscuits/Chips/Crisps: This can get confusing, Biscuits are cookies. Chips are french fries. Crisps are chips. Muffins are English muffins. Fag: cigarette but on second thoughts, best not adopt this one into your American vocabulary. Posh: Though you may have heard the word before I guarantee you’ve never used it as much as the Brits do. It originally means high class but is used to describe anyone who is very trendy. (ex. My new Burberry wellies are so posh.)

Food

You may already have several ideas about typical British food, but the most popular dish in England these days is… curry! Although everyone in Britain understands that "breakfast" is the first meal of the day. There is a lot of confusion about the words for other meals such as "dinner, lunch, tea, high tea , elevenses, brunch, supper" and if you ask a British person what these words mean, most of them will give you a different answer according to what part of the country they are from. Generally speaking the British breakfast is much bigger than in most other countries. Many people like to have a fried breakfast which can consist of fried bacon and eggs with fried bread and possibly fried tomatoes or black pudding. Of course not everybody wants to eat a lot early in the morning and many people prefer to just eat toast and marmalade with tea or coffee. Cereals are also very popular. Lunch is often a sandwich, packet of crisps and an apple but if your in a pub try a ploughman's ! Dinner is much the same as in America these days with a few additions like Shepherds pie, roasts, curry, toad in the hole, bubble & squeak which I’ll let you ask for when you get there !

Moving Your

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Moving Services

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We Move Brits

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Where To Live

Obviously the big cities are expensive and you could be paying thousands a month for a flat that’s the size of your closet in an American home but Cheltenham, Bath, Exeter, Salisbury are all great places in the South. Further North which is cheaper there are some lovely villages in Yorkshire, The Lake District & Cheshire. Scotland & Wales also have some great cities and towns to live in. Wherever you go you will not be far from the countryside as well as city life and you will always be less than 72 miles from the sea !

Budget

Moving to England often involves a lot of different out of pocket expenses, some of them planned and others that may surprise you.So it's important that you put a good deal of effort into planning into your move, so that you stay on track both budget wise and time wise. Make a list of all possible expenses up front. Don’t forget to include, flights, pet shipping, visa application, household moving, selling items, buying new items, house rental, car purchase, insurance, hotels car hire, cab rides, eating out, utilities, cell phones, TV service, house, phone & utility deposits, winter clothes, new bedding, currency exchange….the list goes on & on. Oh and Umbrellas for all the family!

Banking Your Health

Open an International Bank Account:In order to obtain a bank account in England you will need your passport, a letter from your current employer in England and proof of residency. These documents may be hard to obtain, if you are in the middle of the move and haven’t found a job yet. If possible, you should check with your local bank to see if you can switch to a UK branch before departing America with your global bank such as Citigroup, HSBC, Deutsche Bank and others. You can also transfer your Amex card if you have one

The National Health Service (NHS) provides free hospital care and medical consultations to those with UK Work Permits and their dependents. Anyone who is in an accident or emergency situation gets free medical attention and treatment, no matter what the status of their visa. Most people in the UK see a general practitioner. I recommend going to the NHS official website to find a general practitioner ( Doctor) in your new English home: www.nhs.uk/England.

Two Other

Things

Reference

sUPakWeShip www.upakweship.com National Health Service www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk Visas www.ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/visiting-uk/visas House Hunting www.hunt4ahome.co.uk British Weather www.uk.weather.com Where to Eat www.restaurant-guide.com General Info about Britain www.anglotopia.net UK~USA Blog www.uk-yankee.com

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