London is probably one of the most famous and most popular cities in the entire world. Many people would love to have an opportunity to live here. There are countless world-class restaurants, job opportunities, apartments to choose from, places to see, things to do, people to meet, and so on. However, it is not that easy to move to London, especially if you are a foreigner. Luckily, due to recent changes made by the UK Government, Hong Kong citizens can have an easier time obtaining the visa, especially for students. Therefore, if you are planning to live here, here is everything you should know when moving from Hong Kong to London before you hire Hong Kong movers and packers and start planning the relocation.
Moving from Hong Kong to London and renting a place
First of all, it is really important to decide on your budget and consider your future housing options. It can be extremely expensive to rent an apartment in London, as you might know since you already have the experience of living in a huge city. Unfortunately, living in a large city automatically means everything is more expensive. For this reason, you should first take a look at your finances. See what you can afford. Make sure to be realistic about your expectations. If you do not find anything right away, you can always change your residence after a few months. After all, it is easier to look at the places when you are already in London. You can always start saving money even before your move to London. For example, you should consider hiring an international moving company Hong Kong, decluttering your items, selling them, etc.
Do not rent anything without seeing it first
Rental scams are quite common in the UK. For this reason, you need to be careful and make a plan for a family move to the UK. How can you find a place where to stay if you are currently in Hong Kong? It is impossible to see it now considering you are currently so far away. Still, you can find a way to achieve this. You can check out real estate agencies to see what they have to offer. If you see something that you like, then you can contact that real estate agency and book your visit. In the meantime, you should also find a place where you can stay for a couple of weeks until you find an apartment that you like. It is important just to have a place to stay.
Moving from Hong Kong to London is expensive
Even more information on the topic of how expensive London is. Unfortunately, as mentioned before, London falls into the category of the big city big prices. It is as expensive as NYC. The average rental price in London is around £2000 which is extremely expensive. Of course, this price depends on several factors. If you decide to live pretty far from the city center, you can save money. Additionally, if you are willing to share a small apartment with roommates, it can be affordable. As mentioned before, this doesn’t have to be the last option you have. You can live in one place for a couple of months and then move out if you find a better solution. Furthermore, keep in mind that groceries, going out, entertainment options, and other activities can be quite expensive. For this reason, make sure to properly plan for your international moving budget.
Applying and getting a visa
As mentioned before, the UK Government has recently made several changes when it comes to Hong Kong nationals and their visa applications. This is a perfect opportunity to both work and study in the UK. You will get a BNO status which means British National Overseas, along with your family members as well. This initiative started in January 2021. If you apply this year, you can apply for settlement after five years of living in London. This means you can stay indefinite and have a much easier time getting full British citizenship. However, before you can get a BNO status, you need to apply first. You will need to pass health and criminal checks. This is extremely good news for everyone coming from Hong Kong since it is usually quite difficult to get a working visa for the UK.
Making friends after moving internationally
It can be extremely lonely and depressing if you are moving to a foreign country alone. You are going to be basically the new kid at school where you don’t know anyone. Your family is far away from you. While they can help you by talking to you when all of you are free, you still need to make new friends. Making friends is also a really good way to quickly adapt to your new country. Luckily, you don’t have to learn a completely new language since English is the official language of the UK. This is also a perfect opportunity to work on your English skills and even pick up that British accent along the way. How to meet friends when you are living alone abroad?
- Meet them at your new school
- At your new job
- Visit places where ex-pats usually gather
- Check social media
Traveling around London
The last thing you should know about moving from Hong Kong to London would be traveling around the UK or London specifically. Luckily, London has excellent public transportation. You can easily get anywhere using public transportation. On the other hand, if you want to buy a car, keep in mind that it is pretty hard to find a parking spot. You will also have a problem finding a place where you can keep your car. Unless you have a pretty big budget where you can rent an apartment that comes with a garage, it is not that safe to keep your car on the street.
