Expat Life

A list of some great free services especially useful in making life a bit brighter and easier in these tough times if you live overseas.

(Partner Content) The United Kingdom left the European Union on 31 January 2020. Although this was the official Brexit date, there is still a transition period in place.

(Partner Content) The UK Ancestral Visa is still one of the most popular and common ways in which persons from the Commonwealth countries can come to the UK. However, you will have to prove that you have a grandparent born in the UK to qualify.

With Brexit having taken place on 31 January 2020, there is still a lot of confusion about how exactly this will affect some people.

If you’ve recently arrived to the urban jungle that is London, here are three happy trails that you can take to fall in love with this amazing city.

The Investment criteria for the Tier 1 Investor category increased from the £1 million investment requirement to a £2 million investment requirement some months ago.

The festive season can be a challenging period for those of us living overseas. But there are things we can do to ease the longing for what we miss at Christmas.

Indefinite Leave to Remain visa and British citizenship hopefuls may need to prove their knowledge of life in the United Kingdom.

It's about this time of year that you begin to question the whole enterprise of being an expat.

So, you've decided to move. Don't lose your mind as you leave the country.

South Africa - welcome to the good side...

The new visa route will be launched regardless of Brexit and the terms of the UK leaving the EU. The scheme will also be open to both EU and non-EU citizens.

Anyone interested in investing in foreign property should definitely consider Australia, where the housing market has showcased stability that’s harder to come by in other parts of the world.

Now, normally I drank when I was thirsty and ate when I was hungry. And yet every day in a London office when the offer of a ‘brew’ was thrown up, I found myself gleefully handing over my mug.

The EU Settlement Scheme allows EU, EEA, and Swiss Nationals and their eligible family members to apply for UK immigration status to remain in the UK post-Brexit.

SPECIAL FEATURE: So, what are the difficulties English speakers face when learning other languages? Here are a few of the basics.

There can be some serious consequences if you overstay on your UK visa.

Seeing the beauty of Australia through the eyes of a tourist, or the naivety and innocence of a Darryl Kerrigan, is just one of the many great lessons you learn from living overseas.

To take the car, or not take the car back home to Australia. How is it done? Is it safe?

Are Londoners too polite to be considered friendly? Is their unfailing etiquette holding them back?

Have you considered which international shipping option will best suit you?

Earlier this year the UK Government introduced a new immigration route for persons looking to set up a business in the UK.

London's Portobello Road Market is so much fun to just nosey around in as much as it's a shopper's dream. Oh, and there's a certain romantic movie to fantasise about as well.

Aussie expats in London only have till Friday night if they want their vote to count in the election.

London's Anzac Day Dawn Service is a solemn coming together of Aussie and Kiwi expats in a unified ceremony of remembrance. It will be followed by events at the Cenotaph and Westminster Abbey

You have recently arrived in London and have gotten crook but have been too busy enjoying yourself to sort out your medical affairs. There's no need to reach for the panic button just yet,. There are plenty of ways to seek medical advice in the UK that won’t leave you...

If you have ever rented a bedroom, or even just a share of a bedroom in London, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

We have compiled some more guidelines on Brexit in the case of a No Deal.

Once out in the open air it doesn’t take long to start connecting the dots. You can quickly learn there’s no need to take the tube from Covent Garden to Trafalgar Square.

Plane fare dinkum! Australian athlete Reg Spiers was short of cash in London and so desperately wanted to get home to Australia that he tucked himself into a wooden cargo box for a free flight home.

Have you have ever had to survive a dismal London winter? Oh yes, it's worth a moan while you yearn for home.

Talented young Aussies full of gumption and romance have been coming to London since forever. Why?

Life and death matters: here's a snapshot of what it's like if you are born in and live in the UK rather than Australia. It may surprise you.

Teaching in the UK vs teaching Down Under: it can breathe new life in to your career and expand your horizons.

In a surprising move, the UK Immigration Minister announced that the Tier 1 Investor Visa is suspended.

You've probably been boasting about your "perfectionist" habits, or "passion" for the role. But this doesn't go down well in a job interview.

The UK Government made some unexpected immigration rule announcements this month.

Fellow Aussies could wax lyrical to me all day about the brilliant beach BBQ they have on Christmas day followed by Boxing Day with beers in the pool, but frankly it falls on deaf ears. To me, nothing beats a cold Christmas, so while you’re in London.

WATCH: Uniforms, late starts, lunchboxes, walking to school and playing outside. Who knew these are special things about Australian school-life?

British immigration law provides for a concept called ‘sole responsibility’.

So you are coming to live in London. How do you find a place to live, find a job, get a UK mobile phone, open a bank account, register with a doctor and make new friends?

The supper-eating, loo-going, sofa-sitting Brits do not eat 'dessert', only 'pudding'. And certainly never, ever say 'pardon'.

The Chancellor also announced a change to the CGT rules on the sale of a residential property. Going forward, if CGT is due, a payment on account will be required.

The annual allowance for tax relief on pensions has been fixed at the current level of £40,000 since 6 April 2014. The previous allowance was £50,000 and prior to 6 April 2011, the annual allowance was as high as £255,000.

Rather not Uber? London's black taxi's are part of the authentic London experience. And you could even try a rickshaw.

The UK Government has confirmed in a shocking move that the Immigration Health Surcharge will be doubled from December 2018.

Are you looking for teaching work? England is looking for teachers.

UK teaching experience is a professional fast-track to exciting opportunities and progression in the UK, as well as back at home.

Yes, we understand that in the eyes of many Brits we all come from a land of sun, surf, sea and sand. So, why would we ever choose to live in the cold and wet? We love you! Please be nice...

One of the most tricky issues that clients sometimes have is the issue of name changes due to marriage and other reasons, and the resultant admin involving their UK immigration documents.