Planning the right route before you move overseas
Moving from the UK to another country usually begins with one practical question: what permission do you need to live there?
The answer may depend on why you are moving, how long you intend to stay, whether you will work or establish a business, whether your family will accompany you and what you intend to do once you arrive.
Knightsbridge helps individuals, families, professionals and business owners understand the residency and immigration options available when planning a move from the UK. Our role is to establish what you are trying to achieve, identify the appropriate route and coordinate the steps required to put the move into effect.
Where advice or representation must be provided by a locally authorised professional, we can work alongside overseas advisers as part of the wider relocation process.
Understanding your reason for moving
Different objectives can lead to very different immigration routes.
You may be considering moving overseas because you are:
- starting a new job;
- relocating with an existing employer;
- establishing or expanding a business;
- joining family members overseas;
- purchasing property;
- retiring abroad;
- investing in another country;
- seeking longer-term residence; or
- considering a permanent move from the UK.
Before looking at application forms or document requirements, it is important to understand what the intended move actually involves.
A route that works for a temporary assignment may not be appropriate for somebody seeking permanent residence. Similarly, a residence route based on employment may create different conditions from one based on business ownership or investment.
Residency and visa options
Depending on the destination, available routes may include:
- employment visas;
- investor or entrepreneur routes;
- business owner residence;
- remote worker or digital nomad visas;
- family residence;
- retirement residence;
- property-linked residence;
- long-term residence permits; and
- permanent residence pathways.
Eligibility requirements vary significantly between countries.
Some jurisdictions focus heavily on employment sponsorship. Others offer residence through business establishment, investment, property ownership or financial independence.
Our work starts with identifying which route best fits the objective rather than simply selecting the first available visa category.
Moving with your family
International relocation often involves more than one applicant.
Where a spouse, partner or children will move with you, we consider how their position fits within the overall relocation plan.
This may include:
- dependant residence rights;
- children’s immigration status;
- documentation requirements;
- timing of family applications;
- education and schooling considerations; and
- whether family members will be permitted to work.
Planning these issues early can avoid a situation where the main applicant obtains residence but the wider family arrangements remain unresolved.
Preparing the application
Once the appropriate route has been identified, the next stage is preparation.
Depending on the country and application type, this may involve:
- identity and civil-status documents;
- employment evidence;
- company or business documents;
- financial records;
- police certificates;
- medical examinations;
- property documentation;
- educational qualifications;
- document legalisation or attestation; and
- evidence relating to family members.
The exact process differs from one jurisdiction to another.
Our role is to help bring the requirements together into a clear plan and coordinate the application process with local specialists where necessary.
Coordinating the wider move
Obtaining a visa is often only one part of an international relocation.
A move overseas can also affect:
- UK tax residence;
- overseas taxation;
- property ownership;
- investments;
- business interests;
- banking;
- insurance; and
- family arrangements.
Where appropriate, we can coordinate these issues alongside the immigration process so that they are considered as part of the same relocation strategy.
How Knightsbridge helps
Our approach is built around the move you are trying to make.
We can help you:
Assess your circumstances and objectives.
Identify the most suitable residence or immigration route.
Plan the sequence and timing of the move.
Prepare the application and supporting documentation.
Coordinate with overseas professionals where local representation is required.
Review the wider tax, property and relocation issues that may need attention.
The objective is not simply to obtain a visa. It is to help ensure that the immigration route supports the wider move you are planning.
Speak to us about moving overseas
If you are considering relocating from the UK, it can be useful to establish the immigration position before making significant decisions about employment, property, business arrangements or departure dates.
Tell us where you are considering moving, what you intend to do there and who will be moving with you.
We can help identify the appropriate next step and the areas that may require closer consideration.
