Has Anyone moved to UK?

tcsparky · #1 05-06-2017, 10:00 PM

I have decided that I want to move to the UK. I have friends there who are encouraging me to come, and I have always loved my visits. I also have a place to live- one of my friends has a large house and willing to rent to me.

I have started applying for teaching jobs. Many of the schools offer to sponsor an international candidate if hired. I found information on applying for a work Visa. I *think* this is the process: get written job offer, send in job offer with completed application and a check for $900. Wait 8-12 weeks for an answer.

Has anyone else done this? What does the process actually entail? What do I need to know that I probably

Thanks everyone!!!

jolene · #2 05-06-2017, 10:22 PM

I don't have any info to share but we visited there last summer and have friends in Scotland. Love that place. Want to go back. Jelly, Xister.

Sassmofi · #3 05-07-2017, 02:48 AM

I have been living in the UK for over 4 years now.

1. After you receive your job offer and the company agrees to sponsor you, the company must first prove they cannot fill the position from within the UK. Usually the company will write a job specification particularly tailored to you. The company is required to to advertise the position for a month (could be 6 weeks as it has been some time since we went through the process).
2. If the only suitable candidate is yourself, the company will need to submit an application to the employment tribunal which only meets once a month and the application has to be received 2 weeks before the tribunal or it will be reviewed in the next month. The tribunal will review the application to make sure the criteria are met.
3. After the tribunal has approved the application for sponsorship, the visa application process begins. Your offered salary must minimum requirements in order for you to support yourself (I believe it is now just under 20,000).
4. You will fill out information online for your biometrics (some of this will include information on your parents). They will also want copies of your bank account balances. Marriage/Divorce Documents, birth certificate, etc
5. After you submit the visa application, you will receive notice to get photographed and fingerprinted. I believe the location was the local social security office which will send the information to Home Office.
6. Once all is complete, the time to complete the visa can very. DH's company paid for an expediter. Our completed information and passports needed to go to the embassy in New York and the expediter personally walked them into the embassy and received our visas in about 3 days. If you don't have an expediter, I believe it can take several weeks to get your passport and visa back.

DH works for a large global company with headquarters in the UK. They do sponsorships all the time. The advertisement was posted in August. The sponsorship application just missed the deadline for the September tribunal and was processed during the October tribunal. We submitted our visa application in October with the biometric appointment at the very end of October. We had the passports and visa in our hands in about a week with the visa start date at the end of November.

tcsparky · #4 05-07-2017, 08:09 PM

Sassmofi- W.O.W.

You gave me a lot of great info. And it is a lot more involved than I originally thought. I'm glad you responded. I am looking to apply for a teaching position (there is a teacher shortage there now), so if I want to start for the Fall term, I need to get hired soon!

Thank you so much!

My friends were a lot more clueless than I am. They said, "Just move over here first and then get a job. " I didn't want to be an "undocumented immigrant" and told them that I would follow the proper procedures, even if it meant waiting longer.

navane · #5 05-08-2017, 01:30 PM

I used to live in the UK. I was initially there on a student visa to complete my postgraduate studies. After my student visa was up, I looked into going back on a work visa. I had been in an 8-year relationship with an Englishman and, at the time, getting married, doing another degree or having a work visa were our options for me legally remaining in the UK long-term.

I found it very difficult to obtain a job as the rules were very strict back then (appx 2005). As Sassmofi explained, the employer needs to be able to convincingly articulate why a British citizen cannot fill the job. The UK government did have a reduced requirements list for some international hires - but those were for jobs in areas of great need such as technology, medicine and engineering (not my fields).

I did find a *perfect* job in London that was as an international/American student adviser for UCLA at a satellite office in London. The requirements were that the applicant have a strong background in academic advising (check), knowledge of the American/California university system (check and check) and also international student experience (check). I applied and they were very interested in me.....but then they got all hung up on the fact that they were going to have to petition the government for permission to hire me. So, it ended up being a no-go. I ended up not ever moving back as there was no justification for it and marriage wasn't on the horizon.

If the UK is in desperate need of primary school teachers, then you might be in with a shout. Sassmofi gave an excellent run down. Good luck!

tcsparky · #6 05-08-2017, 08:02 PM

Navane,
Thanks for the info. It was very helpful. I am actually applying for High School Science teaching positions. One is with a managed Academy chain. Right there in the application is a note about letting them know if I will need a sponsor to work in the country. HOPEFULLY that means that they are familiar with the process and are prepared to do it.

Fingers crossed!!

navane · #7 05-09-2017, 12:18 AM

That sounds promising!

tcsparky · #8 08-08-2018, 11:04 AM

Argh! Double Argh!!!!!

I got an email about my Visa application from the office processing it. The email stated that while Visa applications normally process in 15 days, since mine is "complex," it may take longer.

I can't email or call to ask questions. This is insane!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NYCMS · #9 08-10-2018, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcsparky

Argh! Double Argh!!!!!

I got an email about my Visa application from the office processing it. The email stated that while Visa applications normally process in 15 days, since mine is "complex," it may take longer.

I can't email or call to ask questions. This is insane!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tcsparky, I can only imagine the frustration....and did they say what it is that makes your application "complex"?

tcsparky · #10 08-11-2018, 09:04 PM

NYCMS!
No, they did not. And, there is no phone number or email address that I can use to contact them. In fact, the email says to NOT make contact about my application. Frustrating!!!!!!

Dear applicant,

UKVI in New York processes all straightforward visa applications within 15 working days. However, your case is considered to be complex, so the processing time for your visa application may extend past the normal 15 working days.

We will continue to process your application as quickly as possible, and UKVI will provide you with an update every 15 business days. We will notify you immediately when your application has been completed.

Regrettably, we cannot respond to status enquiries, so please do not make any travel arrangements until you receive your documents back. We appreciate your patience as we continue to process your application.

Sincerely,

UK Visas and Immigration

Sassmofi · #11 08-14-2018, 12:45 PM

Unfortunately, it is pretty standard bureaucracy for here. I applied for Indefinite Leave to Remain (permanent residency) and did not get my passport/biometric card until end of April. This is with the corporate firm reviewing all the documentation before it was submitted to make sure it was complete. I could not leave the country for 5 months.

tcsparky · #12 08-14-2018, 11:32 PM

Oh my!!!!! School starts in three weeks. I hope they don't take that long! I quit my US job in June, moved out of my house, and am staying with my sister while waiting for the Visa. Yi yi yi!!!

tcsparky · #13 08-20-2018, 09:13 PM

And success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I received the following email from the UK Embassy today, and booked my one-way ticket to London for this weekend!!

Dear applicant,

We are pleased to inform you that your visa application has been successful. Your visa will now be placed in your passport and returned to you.

-For standard and Priority Service visa applications lodged in the USA, your documents will be returned using the prepaid waybill you provided with your application.

The package containing your documents will be dispatched from New York either this afternoon or the afternoon of the next business day. If you did not submit a prepaid waybill when you submitted your application, your application cannot be returned until you have provided VFS Global with an appropriate waybill.

-If you have purchased Super Priority Service or the Silver or Gold Premium packages, the Premium Application Centre (PAC) will contact you shortly. Please do not visit the PAC until VFS Global contact you to confirm your documents are ready for collection.

Sincerely,

UK Visas and Immigration
New York

NYCMS · #14 08-21-2018, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcsparky

And success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I received the following email from the UK Embassy today, and booked my one-way ticket to London for this weekend!!

WOO HOO!!! So very happy for you - and a HUGE relief given all you've gone through to make this happen. Wow, what a journey it's already been!

Best wishes as you settle in and hope you will update us about your adventures abroad!

Cheerio · #15 08-20-2018, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcsparky

And success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I received the following email from the UK Embassy today, and booked my one-way ticket to London for this weekend!!

Dear applicant,

We are pleased to inform you that your visa application has been successful. Your visa will now be placed in your passport and returned to you.

-For standard and Priority Service visa applications lodged in the USA, your documents will be returned using the prepaid waybill you provided with your application.

The package containing your documents will be dispatched from New York either this afternoon or the afternoon of the next business day. If you did not submit a prepaid waybill when you submitted your application, your application cannot be returned until you have provided VFS Global with an appropriate waybill.

-If you have purchased Super Priority Service or the Silver or Gold Premium packages, the Premium Application Centre (PAC) will contact you shortly. Please do not visit the PAC until VFS Global contact you to confirm your documents are ready for collection.

Sincerely,

UK Visas and Immigration
New York

It's worth your double-post for your good news!!