On Arrival

It’s incredibly important that you set yourself up for success when arriving in the UK. This section cover the basic information on how to make sure you have the best first impression.

Accommodation Upon Arrival 

There are two common options for temporary accommodation:

1. Hotel or Hostel. Depending on budget and needs, hotel or hostel is most convenient.  In the UK, B&B (bed and breakfast) is also popular. Similar to a hostel, it provides rooms and breakfast. 

2. Airbnb is a worldwide accommodation platform. Bookings can be done online for renting a whole house, a flat or a room for a period of time (at least 1 night or above). 

It should be noted that short term accommodations in hotel, hostel or airbnb are relatively more expensive than renting property long term.  Hence, it is advisable to look for longer term accommodation as soon as possible.

Transportation upon arrival

There are several means of public transport to and from the Heathrow International Airport in London.   The Piccadilly line takes you to Central London and from there, you can change to any other modes of transport. 

You may also take the more expensive Heathrow Express in order to reach Paddington station (a common interchange station for trains) quickly (in 15 minutes). 

The National Rail website provides information on various train schedules and fares.

Taxis and buses also serve Heathrow International Airport.  You may also consider taking a coach for destinations in other UK cities.  There are several coach operators: National Express, Megabus, RailAir, and The Airline.  Passengers can purchase tickets in advance. 

Applications and Registration Upon Arrival 

Share a Code 

The UK government provides a ‘Share a Code’ service for those who need to prove their immigration status.

“Share a Code” enables you to:

  • Prove your status, for example, to employers

  • Check what rights you have, for example the right to work or rent

  • Update personal details in your UK Visas and Immigration account

You can use this service if you:

  • Have a legal status to stay

  • Have applied for a visa and used the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document on your phone

To view or prove your immigration status, you will need:

To submit an online application: https://www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status)；

  • Details of the identity document used when you applied your visa

  • Your date of birth 

        

Note: If you cannot use this service you can use the following links to:

National Insurance (NI) number

National Insurance number is a documentation of proof to show that you have the right to work in the UK, which is also used in the administration of your tax and national Insurance accounts.

Application criteria:

  • Live in the UK

  • Have the right to work

  • Working, looking for job or just found a job           

If you have a BRP (Biometric Residence Permit), the NI number might have been printed on the back of the BRP. If you do not have a NI number, you can apply when you are in the UK, on the following website.

Required documents for application:

  • Passport (from any country)

  • Biometric residence permit (BRP)

You may be requested to prove your identity online by submitting digital photos of your identity documents and yourself. If you fail to upload photos, you may need to post photocopies of your documents or attend an appointment in person.

After applying, you will receive an email with your application reference number. The email will tell you if you need to provide further proof of your identity. It can take up to 8 weeks for you to get your NI number after you have proven your identity.

Register to vote

In general, if you have BNO passport, 18 or over on election day and be resident at an address in the UK or Gibraltar, you are vote in certain elections in the UK. Before you can vote, you need to get on the electoral register. The easiest way is to do it online. With online tool you can

  • get on the electoral register so you can vote in elections or referendums

  • get on or off the open register

  • update your name, address or nationality by registering again with your new details (if you live in the UK)

If you are listed on the electoral register, it may help your credit score too!

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