Lady’s 7 Easy Options for How to Move to London

Today I want to share my guide to how to move to London. A lot of readers ask me for advice on how to relocate to the UK capital, and now I want to answer that question. Whether you’re an American looking to move to England or a citizen of another country wanting to relocate to Britain, there’s a surprising number of ways you can move to London.

How to Move to London

I’ll start by telling you how I did it. As I mentioned in the FAQ page of the A Lady in London blog, I got a UK work visa in 2007 that allowed me to live and work in London for two years. After that, I renewed the visa for three more years.

After five years of living and working in the UK, I applied for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). After six years I applied for citizenship.

I became a British citizen in 2014 after my British citizenship ceremony.

I now have dual British and American citizenship, and I have both a British passport and a US one. You can read more about how I got British citizenship here.

Unfortunately, it’s gotten more difficult to move to London over the years. The visa I came to the UK on was discontinued, so it’s harder to relocate to London now than it was back then.

There are still plenty of ways to do it, though, and that’s what I want to share with you in this blog post.

1. Get a Work Visa

One of the main ways people move to London is by getting a work visa. This involves getting sponsored by a company in the UK.

There are two options here. The first is to get hired by a Home Office-approved company you don’t already work for.

The visa you get is called a Skilled Worker visa (formerly a Tier 2 visa…they change the names of these things every few years). You can find out more about this option and its eligibility requirements here.

The second option is to get your current Home Office-approved employer to relocate you to their London office. This can be easier than getting a new job, as you’re already working for a company that can relocate you overseas.

If you want to move to London in the future, I recommend getting a job in your home country with a company that has a London office, then asking your company to move you overseas after you’ve been employed by them for a while.

An added benefit of this strategy is that you might be able to negotiate an expat package with things like cost-of-living adjustments, tax equalization, accounting help, and relocation (or housing) expenses covered.

This can mean huge cost savings when you move, which is helpful in a city as expensive as London.

You can find out more about this option and its eligibility requirements here.

2. Get a Student Visa

Another option for how to move to London is to study here. A lot of people find it easiest to relocate to the UK capital for academic purposes.

There are various student visas you can get, and the one you’ll need will depend on where you’re studying and for how long.

The Student visa (formerly called the Tier 4 visa) is a fairly straightforward visa that allows you to study at an academic institution of your choice in London (or elsewhere in the UK).

If you’re going to choose this option, make sure to look into whether the place you’re interested in attending is a licensed sponsor. You should be fine if you’re attending a major university or the equivalent.

Once you’ve graduated, you may be eligible for a Graduate visa. It will allow you to live and work in the UK after you’ve finished your studies. You can find out more about it here.

You can also get a short-term study visa if you’re a student at a qualifying foreign university and you want to study abroad in the UK.

You can get details about the various types of UK student visas here.

3. Marry a UK Citizen

A third option for how to move to London is to marry a UK citizen. Like most countries, Britain allows a spouse (and some other immediate family members) of citizens to relocate here.

You’ll need to go through a visa application process to move to Britain if you marry a citizen. Make sure to start looking into what paperwork you’ll need as early as possible once you’ve decided to tie the knot, as the process can take a while.

You can learn more about this visa and the things you’ll need to do to get it here.

4. Be a Celebrity or Have Exceptional Talent

Another option for how to move to London is to be a leading figure in your industry or show exceptional promise.

The Global Talent visa is designed for those who have won eligible awards or who’ve successfully applied for an endorsement to prove they’re a leader or potential leader in academia, arts and culture, or digital technology.

You can learn more about the Global Talent visa and its requirements here. There’s also a similar visa for professional athletes.

5. Get an Ancestry Visa

If you’re a Commonwealth citizen, a British Overseas citizen, a British Overseas Territories citizen, a British (national) overseas, or a citizen of Zimbabwe, you have another option for how to move to London.

This is the ancestry route. You can get a UK ancestry visa if you have a grandparent born in the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man. You also have to meet certain eligibility requirements outlined here.

Note that the UK ancestry visa only applies to citizens of the countries and territories listed above, not to Americans or citizens of other countries. As an American with a grandmother born in Scotland, I didn’t qualify for this one.

Citizens of some Commonwealth countries also have what’s called a “right of abode” if they have a parent who was born in the UK or meet other specific criteria. You can find all the details here.

6. Get an Investor Visa

Another option for how to move to London is to be an investor. The Tier 1 (Investor) visa is available for those who want to invest £2,000,000 or more in the UK and meet other eligibility requirements outlined here.

If you have a couple million pounds lying around, this is one way to put your wealth to work and buy the right to live in the UK capital while you’re at it.

There are also entrepreneur, start-up, and innovator visas that work in similar ways. You can find details about them here.

7. Get a Tourist Visa

If you’re looking to relocate temporarily or you’re wondering how to move to London without a job, you can enter the UK on a tourist visa.

The amount of time you’re allowed to stay depends on your country of citizenship. For example, if you want to move to London as an American, you can live (but not work) in the UK for up to 6 months on a tourist visa.

This option for how to move to London is a great alternative if none of the others is easy or viable for you. You can find more information about entering the UK on a tourist visa here.

How to Move to London

I hope this guide to how to move to London has helped you understand your relocation options. If you want to dig deeper and see all your options, you can learn more on the gov.uk website.

Once you’ve made the decision to relocate to the UK capital, my tips for living in London and my guide to where to live in London can help you navigate the moving process.

There are also a lot of Facebook groups for expats in London. They can be useful places to ask questions and get answers from people from your country who’ve recently made the move.

Above all, remember that the rules change regularly, so make sure to stay updated as you look into relocating. Consulting an immigration lawyer can be helpful if you need specific advice for your situation. Good luck!

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