FaceSanity

Hi everyone, I am new here, the forum looks to be a very nice place with some very ineteresting posts and topics.

Coming to the issue in hand;

I am a Pakistani Citizen married to a British wife and we also have a British Baby-Daughter. None of us ever lived in the UK. We applied for the settlement visa and got it, it was not very difficult as pointed out by many posters previously. We have planned our travel for October 1, 2003.

I know for certain that the settlement visa comes with an unconditional work-permit so that is not an issue.

What I am very concerned about is what kind of registerations would we need to do upon our arrival to the Kingdom (Queendome ). Identity Cards, Family Cards, National Health Services, Driver's Licence, opening a bank account, etc. :scared:

I have searched the internet extensivley but have found very little regarding our case.

Is there anybody out there (here) who could guide me (us) towards all these issues. Any relevant websites would be very helpful. The most helpful part would be is someone could, based on his or her own experience, tell us exactly what is needed to be done immediately upon our arrival to the UK.

bromleygirl

I don't know if you can drive on your Pakistan drivers licence in the UK but if you want to get a UK provisional licence you will need to send your application and your passport with yoru settlement visa in it to the DVLA in Swansea via special delivery including a pre-paid special delivery envelope for yoru passports return. It normally takes 2 weeks to get everything back.

As for opening a bank account you should try and bring a letter of reference from your Pakistan bank. I'm not sure of your circumstances i.e. if you or your wife have already been offered employment. To open a bank account you normally need 2 utility bills in your name for your address or proof that you are employed such as a wage slip.

Hope this helps

mika24me

Hello

National identiy cards are not in place in the UK yet, so that is one less thing for you to worry about.

If you can bring six months bank statements from Pakistan showing that you have had an overdraft or borrowing, along with two utility bills addressed to you at your UK address, and your passport then you will be able to open a bank account with an overdraft no bother. A letter of introduction from your old bank will help too.

If you can only bring your proof of ID (ie passport, utility bills, etc) then be prepared to have an account with no cheque book or switch card for about six months whilst you prove you are trustworthy. Please do not be offended if this happens, as it is standard procudeure in the UK. (Or at least it was in 1999 when I last worked in a bank).

You can apply for a national INsurance number (which you need to start work ) through the Inland Revenue (http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/nic/ynino.htm#4)

Good luck with your move

Mel

FaceSanity

Thank you for your advices bromelygirl and Mel.
Any other tips folks?