NiHao

MrMuffin, great update Sounds like so far so good!

Really appreciate all the info you are sharing re phones, amex cards etc. it is so helpful for those of us hoping to follow in your footsteps!

not2old

First off, congrats on the trip & the easy first steps. Best wishes to you & your family on your new life in the UK

I'm really interested in this, especially the steps because it could be important for several other actions such as renting, getting utilities, Cable TV etc.... thanks

Wouldn't mind knowing which cell phone provider you went with, as well as the plan name/type & whether its a locked in contract plan?

Do you know how they actually did the approval/credit check seeing that you are new & only that you had a UK address without a UK credit history or without being on the electoral roll?

Or did you do the AMEX card transfer first?

did you do this in the US before leaving or after you arrived in the UK & what steps were involved?

Perth

We have Amex too and were wondering how we were going to get credit cards over there. Can you give a brief run down of how you arranged the transfer? A BIG congratulations to you and best wishes for your new life

MrMuffin

OK so on the Amex thing... my wife (principal cardholder) called them in the US before we left and told them what we were up to. She told them she needed an account in the UK for work expenses etc. They said she'd have to apply for a somewhat new account in the UK but obviously with the US history (some 16 years or so of perfect billings and payments). She did that and had to jump through a few hoops including sending copies of her entry clearance and passport. We were approved within a few days and then they're sending new UK account cards to us at our address in the UK.

As for the phone... I have had a AT&T wireless account for about 10 years I suppose. I last got a new iPhone about 4 years ago. I called them from the airport after we had cleared security and were waiting to board. I was month to month and contract free. I told them to cancel the account as of 24 hours or so after we had flown to the UK. Then once I received conformation emails and texts I turned off the phone.

Once we had been back in Cornwall for a few days I looked online and went to a few of the local retail stores for mobiles. I went to EE first and left because it was busy with a customer bitching about his bill. I then went to Vodaphone and they had a good and inexpensive SIM only contract plan that looked very reasonable and comprehensive. I asked about the plan and checked a few questions and after being satisfied with the answers, went ahead and signed up. I got a Barclays account back in September during a reconnaissance mission visit and have been making deposits into it since. The main part of the credit check was having a bank account with activity. The second main part was proof of address and they actually checked my last US address and the fact we'd owned a home for 10 years plus. So the check went through immediately and actually the Vodaphone guy seemed a bit surprised.

So my AT&T phone was supposed to be unlocked when the account was turned off. Not true. I had to contact AT&T via live chat and they walked me through the steps to properly unlock it using the original SIM (don't dispose of it!!) and then backup and restore the phone through iTunes which properly unlocked the phone. Then I was all set!

We signed our rental agreement yesterday and so I have all the utilities and county council tax stuff to sort out next. But I guess my advice is be totally honest in any communications and just go one step at a time.

I'm a Brit anyway and my wife has official entry clearance through her ICT Tier 2 so we're about board and just trying to get things sorted as we go. The biggest hurdle so far has been adding her to the bank account. I opened the account in early September 2014 and according to the local bank manager, in late September 2014 the regs changed and now we couldn't just add her to the account with a passport... we needed a verified address too and the list of possible and verifiable sources for that proof was extensive but also tough at the same time. We figured out that if she could get a copy of her job contract on official letterhead from her firm AND it was mailed to our new UK address (not our previous USA address as my wife's was) then that would suffice. So she's getting her firm to send that. Also her firm needed to be on the official sponsor list (firms that are approved to sponsor overseas employees to work in the UK... hers is one of them).

OK off to bed... I hope some of this helps. Cheers. M

daisy09

I was living in the UK as of last September, and had a phone plan with Tesco's. It cost me 10 pounds 50 per month, for 2 GB data, loads of texts and minutes, and was a 30 day contract, (i.e. direct debit each month, but only 30 day commitment to cancel.) They use O2 so lots of reception and good customer service. Once had to call them from Kenya re a lost phone (we thought) and it was a free call (from the other phone we hadn't misplaced), very helpful. It wouldn't have been much more for unlimited. I also discovered (too late for me) that you can lease an iPhone from O2, with unlimited package, for about 30 quuid a month, years contract, and return the phone at the end of the year, and start again

Bnet36

This is really helpful MrMuffin. It looks like you are checking off that list pretty quickly. Good for you!