relocating to the UK when you already have citizenship by birth, but never lived there before
Most of the queries in this group dealing with relocation to the UK are for/from people who are looking to immigrate and get citizenship, people marrying a current Brit, and students, I'm none of these , rather I have UK citizenship, but have never lived in the UK and am planning on permanent relocation to the UK, so I'd like to pick the brains of current UK citizens in regards to things I need to see about doing whilst preparing to move and after moving that obviously won't be addressed for me in the naturalisation process because I won't be going through any immigration and naturalisation process as I've already a legal right to reside and work in the UK.
I'm going to be moving to London sometime during the year (I'm not entirely sure when, it's mainly going to be determined by how long it takes me to save up the sum I've determined will be necessary for relocation) I'm a British citizen, but have lived in the US my whole life (with the exception of a few years in school in Canada when I was in primary school) I've already taken care of the passport and after a lot of frustrated scouring of the government websites (who like to hide everything not relating to immigrating for some reason) I've finally answered my questions about national insurance numbers and national health registration (at least I think I have) My current query to the group is are there anymore things of vital importance that I need to look into and add to my list of things to take care of either before I move or as soon as I get there that I'm not yet thinking of?
what I've already looked into are:
--UK Bank account (so far HSBC looks smartest, they've got a form you fill out with current address that you can leave UK address blank on until you've got one, and it seems like you can be totally set up before you relocate and you don't have to wade through a million pages to find it on their site)
-finding a flat. I can stay with friends for a couple of weeks so I plan to look/set up meetings with potential flatmates via craigslist and gumtree just before I leave so I can meet with them and hopefully find the perfect place for me when I get there and be moved in quickly enough not to bother said friend (after the absolute nightmare of the place I lived in in Connecticut, I will never again rent anywhere without physically looking at the place first, no matter how desperate I am to have a firm mailing address)
-shipping my stuff (I don't intend to relocate many of my belongings with me, most of the electronics seem that for the cost of shipping them, and converting current it would be cheaper just to replace them. I intend to send my hard drives, cd/dvd burner/drives, memory sticks and graphics tablet from my computer which I can then install into a UK bought tower (since I'd have to buy a new power supply for anyway with the current change. that way I've essentially got everything that's important of my computer and am not paying more for shipping than it would cost me to get a new monitor and tower) a few books and cds and maybe some clothes {some of my other books and art or art supplies I'll just have my parents ship later when I've been settled for awhile and can better afford to have the not entirely necessary wants sent, also when I've determined if I've room for it :) if I sell any of my art I can always just make them ship it to the buyer for me so It's not like I need it piled up in the small room I'll end up inhabiting for my price range) lacking a mailing address I'm planning to have the necessities sent to my Uncle's in Wales where I can pick it up on the visit I'll certainly be giving him as I haven't seen most of my relatives in eons.
-getting a national insurance number
- getting registered for national health
-getting a job. I'm perusing several online job sites like monster et al, also some that are more tailored to my fields (graphic design (particularly book design), advertising, publishing) I'm not entirely expecting to find something brilliant in my field right off from out of the country, because I'm in a competitive field to begin with so I'm working on a pretty CV to get interim work as an office temp or bartender while I work on wowing some art directors :) I'm oddly less concerned with this because if I weren't making this relocation I'd be moving to New York City where I'd be facing a similarly daunting task, So the fact that I've just graduated and am in such a cutthroat field is what makes it seem just as logical as not to move to London, since I'll be poor and struggling no matter what my choice at the start. )
I think that's all, but like I said if anyone can think of anything important like the national insurance and health things that I may not be thinking of I'd appreciate it. Despite my impetuous nature I'm quite a list-maker try to take care of the annoying important stuff before I even get going so I can enjoy the adventure part as much as possible while I'm doing it type.
[To pass on those answers for anyone else who may be in my situation:
1. You'll need to go to a local Jobcentre Plus, Social Security Office or Jobcentre and set up an interview to apply. From what I've read it seems that you're discouraged from applying unless you've already got a job and you get a form to show to your employer to prove you've applied for one and you just use some sort of temporary number until you get your permanent one. Which seems odd to me, but that's just from spending so many years working in the American scheme where your social security card is proof of right to work in this country, whilst it seems more like proof of right to pay taxes in the UK :) )
2. With National Health you are entitled to coverage as a permanent resident from the moment you arrive with intents to permanently reside in the UK. You'll need your passport to prove that you legally have the right to permanent residence and documentation that proves your intention is to reside in the UK permanently such as sale of goods/property overseas, receipts showing shipping of goods, looking for work, application for benefits, children are attending school. Without intent of permanent residency you are liable to be billed for all services by NHS it's not merely a citizenship thing. If you need to go to Hospital you should be fine if you take those documents with you. For Primary Care you'll need to go to a General Practitioner's office near where you live and apply to be registered on their list of NHS patients. )
I'm going to be moving to London sometime during the year (I'm not entirely sure when, it's mainly going to be determined by how long it takes me to save up the sum I've determined will be necessary for relocation) I'm a British citizen, but have lived in the US my whole life (with the exception of a few years in school in Canada when I was in primary school) I've already taken care of the passport and after a lot of frustrated scouring of the government websites (who like to hide everything not relating to immigrating for some reason) I've finally answered my questions about national insurance numbers and national health registration (at least I think I have) My current query to the group is are there anymore things of vital importance that I need to look into and add to my list of things to take care of either before I move or as soon as I get there that I'm not yet thinking of?
what I've already looked into are:
--UK Bank account (so far HSBC looks smartest, they've got a form you fill out with current address that you can leave UK address blank on until you've got one, and it seems like you can be totally set up before you relocate and you don't have to wade through a million pages to find it on their site)
-finding a flat. I can stay with friends for a couple of weeks so I plan to look/set up meetings with potential flatmates via craigslist and gumtree just before I leave so I can meet with them and hopefully find the perfect place for me when I get there and be moved in quickly enough not to bother said friend (after the absolute nightmare of the place I lived in in Connecticut, I will never again rent anywhere without physically looking at the place first, no matter how desperate I am to have a firm mailing address)
-shipping my stuff (I don't intend to relocate many of my belongings with me, most of the electronics seem that for the cost of shipping them, and converting current it would be cheaper just to replace them. I intend to send my hard drives, cd/dvd burner/drives, memory sticks and graphics tablet from my computer which I can then install into a UK bought tower (since I'd have to buy a new power supply for anyway with the current change. that way I've essentially got everything that's important of my computer and am not paying more for shipping than it would cost me to get a new monitor and tower) a few books and cds and maybe some clothes {some of my other books and art or art supplies I'll just have my parents ship later when I've been settled for awhile and can better afford to have the not entirely necessary wants sent, also when I've determined if I've room for it :) if I sell any of my art I can always just make them ship it to the buyer for me so It's not like I need it piled up in the small room I'll end up inhabiting for my price range) lacking a mailing address I'm planning to have the necessities sent to my Uncle's in Wales where I can pick it up on the visit I'll certainly be giving him as I haven't seen most of my relatives in eons.
-getting a national insurance number
- getting registered for national health
-getting a job. I'm perusing several online job sites like monster et al, also some that are more tailored to my fields (graphic design (particularly book design), advertising, publishing) I'm not entirely expecting to find something brilliant in my field right off from out of the country, because I'm in a competitive field to begin with so I'm working on a pretty CV to get interim work as an office temp or bartender while I work on wowing some art directors :) I'm oddly less concerned with this because if I weren't making this relocation I'd be moving to New York City where I'd be facing a similarly daunting task, So the fact that I've just graduated and am in such a cutthroat field is what makes it seem just as logical as not to move to London, since I'll be poor and struggling no matter what my choice at the start. )
I think that's all, but like I said if anyone can think of anything important like the national insurance and health things that I may not be thinking of I'd appreciate it. Despite my impetuous nature I'm quite a list-maker try to take care of the annoying important stuff before I even get going so I can enjoy the adventure part as much as possible while I'm doing it type.
[To pass on those answers for anyone else who may be in my situation:
1. You'll need to go to a local Jobcentre Plus, Social Security Office or Jobcentre and set up an interview to apply. From what I've read it seems that you're discouraged from applying unless you've already got a job and you get a form to show to your employer to prove you've applied for one and you just use some sort of temporary number until you get your permanent one. Which seems odd to me, but that's just from spending so many years working in the American scheme where your social security card is proof of right to work in this country, whilst it seems more like proof of right to pay taxes in the UK :) )
2. With National Health you are entitled to coverage as a permanent resident from the moment you arrive with intents to permanently reside in the UK. You'll need your passport to prove that you legally have the right to permanent residence and documentation that proves your intention is to reside in the UK permanently such as sale of goods/property overseas, receipts showing shipping of goods, looking for work, application for benefits, children are attending school. Without intent of permanent residency you are liable to be billed for all services by NHS it's not merely a citizenship thing. If you need to go to Hospital you should be fine if you take those documents with you. For Primary Care you'll need to go to a General Practitioner's office near where you live and apply to be registered on their list of NHS patients. )