Moving overseas involves more than securing a visa
Relocating from the UK can involve a series of connected decisions. You may need permission to live and work in another country. You may also need to consider your UK tax position, property, investments, business interests, banking arrangements and the position of family members moving with you.
These issues are often dealt with separately. We think they should be considered together.
Knightsbridge helps individuals, families, professionals, founders and business owners plan international moves from the UK through a coordinated approach to immigration, tax, property, wealth and relocation.
Our role is to understand what you are trying to achieve, identify the areas that require attention and help bring the appropriate professional advice together around the move.
Start with the move, not the paperwork
An international relocation should normally begin with the intended outcome.
You may be:
- accepting an overseas job;
- relocating with your employer;
- establishing a business overseas;
- moving your family;
- seeking a different lifestyle;
- purchasing property abroad;
- planning retirement overseas;
- relocating for tax or business reasons;
- expanding an existing business internationally; or
- considering permanent residence in another country.
Each objective can lead to a different combination of immigration, financial and practical considerations.
Before dealing with individual applications or transactions, it can therefore be useful to understand the wider picture.
Overseas residency and visas
The first practical question is often whether you have the right to live, work or establish yourself in the destination country. Depending on the jurisdiction and your circumstances, residence may be based on:
- employment;
- employer sponsorship;
- business ownership;
- entrepreneurship;
- investment;
- property ownership;
- family relationships;
- retirement;
- financial independence; or
- another residence programme.
We help clients understand the available options and coordinate immigration applications with overseas specialists where local advice or representation is required.
The aim is to select a route that supports the wider move rather than simply obtaining the first visa that appears available.
International tax
Leaving the UK does not necessarily end your UK tax obligations.
Your position may depend on:
- when you leave;
- how much time you continue to spend in the UK;
- your family and accommodation;
- employment;
- business interests;
- investments;
- property; and
- other continuing UK connections.
The country you move to may then apply its own tax rules. Knightsbridge can help clients consider the UK tax implications of departure and coordinate destination-country tax advice where required.
Tax planning is often most useful before significant decisions have already been made.
Overseas property
Property can become one of the largest commitments involved in an international move.
You may be considering:
- renting initially;
- purchasing a family home;
- buying property as part of a residence route;
- acquiring investment property; or
- retaining property in the UK while living overseas.
Ownership restrictions, taxes, legal processes and the relationship between property and residency differ from country to country.
We help clients identify the issues that need to be considered and coordinate with appropriate local legal and property professionals.
Wealth and investments
Changing residence can affect how investments and financial assets are held, taxed and managed.
Clients may have:
- pensions;
- ISAs;
- investment portfolios;
- company shares;
- property;
- private businesses;
- cash holdings; or
- assets across several jurisdictions.
A move may also affect access to particular financial products or providers.
We help identify the wealth and investment issues arising from the relocation and coordinate with appropriately authorised financial, legal and tax professionals where regulated advice is required.
Moving with your family
For many clients, relocation is a family decision.
It may involve:
- residence rights for a spouse or partner;
- dependant visas;
- children’s immigration status;
- schooling;
- housing;
- healthcare;
- rights to work; and
- the timing of the family’s move.
A route that works well for the principal applicant may not necessarily create the best position for everybody else.
We therefore consider the wider family position as part of the relocation strategy.
Leaving the UK
International relocation also involves decisions about what you leave behind.
You may need to consider:
- UK property;
- employment;
- company interests;
- investments;
- banking;
- insurance;
- tax residence;
- pensions;
- continuing financial obligations; and
- future travel back to the UK.
These issues can be just as important as the arrangements in the country you are moving to. Our approach considers both sides of the move.
Global mobility for businesses
International relocation is not limited to private clients.
Businesses may need to move:
- founders;
- directors;
- senior executives;
- specialist employees;
- project teams; or
- staff between group companies.
Global mobility can involve immigration, employment, tax, payroll and family considerations across more than one jurisdiction. Knightsbridge helps businesses coordinate international employee moves and connect mobility decisions with wider expansion plans.
International relocation destinations
We are developing relocation support across a range of international destinations, including:
- Dubai and the wider UAE;
- Saudi Arabia;
- Qatar;
- Oman;
- Singapore;
- Hong Kong; and
- other international destinations.
The available residence routes and practical considerations differ between jurisdictions. Our destination pages explain the issues that commonly arise when relocating from the UK to each country.
When several areas overlap
International relocation can become more complicated when several issues need to be resolved at the same time. For example, a business owner moving overseas may simultaneously need to consider:
- the appropriate residence route;
- UK tax residence;
- company ownership;
- overseas business establishment;
- property;
- investments;
- their spouse’s immigration position; and
- children’s schooling.
Addressing each issue independently can create gaps. A coordinated approach helps identify those overlaps before decisions are made.
Our approach to international relocation
We start by establishing the outcome you are trying to achieve.
From there, we can help:
Assess
Understand your circumstances, intended destination and objectives.
Plan
Identify the immigration, tax, property, financial and family issues that need to be addressed.
Prioritise
Establish which decisions need to be made first and which can follow later.
Coordinate
Bring together the appropriate advisers and overseas professionals.
Prepare
Support the immigration and relocation work within our scope.
Review
Consider how the different parts of the move interact before key decisions are finalised.
One move, several considerations
The most effective international relocation plans are rarely built around one application or one transaction.
The visa may affect the property decision. The departure date may affect tax.
The business structure may affect residence.
A spouse’s position may affect the timing of the move.
That is why we approach international relocation as one connected exercise rather than a collection of unrelated services.
Speak to us about moving overseas
If you are considering leaving the UK and establishing yourself in another country, the first step is to understand what the move actually requires.
Tell us:
- where you are considering moving;
- why you want to move;
- who will be moving with you;
- your intended timescale; and
- any business, property or financial interests that may be relevant.
We can help identify the areas that require attention and build the appropriate next steps around your intended move.
