You have decided that you are going emigrate to England. Maybe it has been a dream of yours for years and now you can finally move to England. Sometimes people think quite lightly about emigrating. Then they think 'I'll just pack my things and leave'. This is of course a very nice idea, but when you emigrate there are a few things to consider. After all, you are taking a big step, because you are moving to England. This means an international move for you and your things. But how do you arrange all this?
Preparing for your move
Before you move to England, it is useful to immerse yourself in the English language. Fortunately, the level of the English language in the Netherlands is very high and the language is probably not a problem for you. Furthermore, you can also read up a bit on the English culture, because the British do have their own traditions and politeness.
Perhaps you have been on holiday in the United Kingdom before. There are many popular cities in Great Britain that are popular with Dutch people. Think of London, Birmingham or Manchester. Perhaps one of these cities will become your new home!
Organizing your affairs properly
You should also definitely not forget that before you emigrate to the United Kingdom you first need to arrange everything properly in the Netherlands. You also need to arrange your affairs properly in Great Britain later. In this article we will discuss these matters so that you can move to England with peace of mind.
Before you move to England:
We have tried to put together a kind of 'England checklist' for you. There are things that are essential to arrange before you move to England, but there are also things that are simply sensible to arrange well in advance.
It is also useful if you look in advance at what exactly you want before you move to England. You can perhaps make a personal 'moving checklist' for yourself, because of course we do not know your personal situation. So think carefully about this, because you do not want to be faced with surprises later. You just want to live quietly in England without further obstacles.
Important steps
Before you start the process of your emigration to the United Kingdom, it is best to start with the first step in the Netherlands. The first step is to check your passport/ID card and driver's license. Check carefully until when these documents are valid and renew them if necessary. You have an international move ahead of you, so make sure you have these documents ready, because you will need them for many things.
It is also wise to make a copy of these papers in case of theft, loss or damage.
Documents you want to take with you
There are certain documents, such as diplomas, that you can take with you. In many countries they ask for diplomas, for example, at a job interview. You can easily bring your diplomas with you DUO request. Further information about this can be found on their site.
It is true that you are of course moving to England and your diplomas are Dutch. That is why you must apply in the Netherlands Nuffic to request a diploma description. Then your diploma is also valid abroad
Legalization of official documents
A translation of your diploma is not the only thing you need. You also need to translate or legalize other official documents. After all, people abroad want to be able to read these papers in their own language. It is often also necessary to have these papers translated or legalized. legalize. The document will then be legalized with a specific stamp or sticker. We refer you to the embassy/consulate of Great BritainOn their website you can look up what requirements the papers must meet.
Sometimes the papers need to be translated before they can be legalized. If you ask about this in advance, it will save you a lot of extra work!
Cancelling your lease
Before you move to England, you will of course have to cancel your rent in the Netherlands on time. There is often a notice period. This is stated in your rental contract. If you arrange this on time, you will prevent having to pay an extra month or two of rent in the Netherlands. While by then you will probably have already finished your move to England! You don't want this, of course.
International moving company
For your move, it is wise to hire an international moving company with a lot of experience with moves to Great Britain. International moves naturally require a different approach. These international moving companies ensure that your move will go smoothly with their experience. Whether you choose to move by land, water or in the air.
Costs for an international move
Exact price calculations are difficult to make for removals. This is due to the fact that the costs for a removal depend greatly on your personal wishes and needs. Therefore, the average costs are difficult to estimate without any background information.
It is best to request free quotes from international moving companies. We understand that you do not have time to request a free quote from every international moving company. That is why it is wise to use a company like Moova to enable.
Enable Moova
At Moova you can quickly request free quotes from companies with experience in international removals. This way you can easily receive the different quotes. Compare free quotes and make your choice! It is completely without obligation and saves time. This way you also get a good idea of what your move to England will cost.
After your inventory at a moving company, you will also know how much moving boxes you will need for your move. You can easily order these online.
Unsubscribe from the Netherlands
A step that makes it all official is your deregistration from the Netherlands. You do this at the municipality where you live. You can do this up to 5 days before your departure. The rules differ per municipality, because sometimes you really have to go to the town hall. Therefore, always consult the website of your own municipality to know exactly what you have to do. Can't find it on their website? Don't hesitate to contact them by phone.
The Dutch tax authorities
Of course, you must always ensure that your affairs with the tax authorities are properly arranged. But there are also a number of matters that you must also have properly arranged before moving to England. The tax authorities have a special form for emigration. You must fill this in and then you will receive additional information later about what else you must do as a Dutch citizen for your taxes when you move to England.
Benefits
If you receive benefits in the Netherlands, it is not always possible to have them paid abroad. Therefore, always contact the UWV or the municipality concerned.
Your pension
Are you already receiving a pension in the Netherlands or are you going to retire soon? Then you should contact your pension fund about this. They can inform you about your accrued pension and the possibilities for receiving your pension in the United Kingdom. So make sure that you arrange your pension so that you will not run into problems later.
Health insurance
You must cancel your Dutch health insurance before you move to England. You can do this by means of a special cancellation form due to emigration. You can request this from your own insurance company. In England you can insure yourself with the NHS.
Cancel other matters
You are going to emigrate to England, so you no longer need a Dutch mobile subscription. You can also cancel other things such as the gym, gas, electricity and TV and internet. Check the contracts so that you can cancel this on time. Don't forget other services.
Can I use my Dutch bank account?
You can continue to use your Dutch bank account in England for a while, but eventually you will of course have to open an English bank account.
Any student debt with DUO
When you move to England you still have to student debt at DUO to pay off.
Do you need to register with your local council in the UK?
When you move to England you do not have to register at the town hall. They will look at you very strangely when you stand there with your passport and ask for it. It is arranged there that when you rent or buy a house you are obliged to pay 'council tax'. This is a municipal tax that also counts as a registration.
Visa
Due to Brexit, Great Britain is of course no longer part of the European Union. That is why the rules have changed since December 31, 2020 for us Dutch people regarding traveling and emigrating to the country. It is still the case that you do not need a visa for a stay of less than 3 months. In your case, you want to emigrate to England, so you have to count on extra paperwork.
Nowadays, students, temporary workers, etc. need a visa. Here you can do the visa check to see which visa you need. Arrange all this before you emigrate so that you do not run into problems later.
Dutch and January 2021
Dutch citizens who lived in the United Kingdom before 1 January 2021 can still easily apply for a residence permit. However, if you have lived there for less than five years, your residence permit is conditional. In the long run, you will of course need a permanent residence permit.
The old rules
To fall under the old rules, you would have had to apply for the permit before 31 June 2021. Since you are reading this page now, we assume that you have not done so yet. The bad news is that you will now have to deal with the infamous British immigration system. This works with points. First, you need a job with a certain minimum gross annual salary. You also need to be able to speak English well. Here you can find more information about this system.
Exceptions
It is also good to know that if you are emigrating to England for a job in healthcare, a job with special skills or a job in a sector where there is a shortage of staff, different rules apply and there are therefore special exceptions.
National Insurance Number (NI)
Are you going to work in England? Then you need a National Insurance Number (NI). You can apply for this number when you have found a job. You also need NI for social assistance and your pension. You can apply for NI at the Jobcentre Plus in your place of residence. This is the British employment office. You must first contact them by telephone to make an appointment for a personal interview. They will also tell you immediately which documents you must bring to the appointment.
Study in England
Since Brexit, the rules for studying in England have also changed. Many students find it a great pity that England has withdrawn from the European Union. Erasmus+ program. It is also wise to do the visa check for this to see which visa you need. For a stay of less than 6 months you probably do not need a study visa.
Internship in England
Internships in England are also becoming more difficult. For this you now have the Tier 5 Government Exchange visas necessary. All this information and more can be found on the websites of Nuffic and the British government. We also refer you to them for up-to-date information.
