The Canadian has Landed (Visa)
As the first Canadian blogger on the site, I am here to help you Canucks get to London! Because this city is fantastic and you need to see it!
Most of us without the British passport are here on the Tier 5 YMS as it is the easiest to get. So, my first post will be about the basics to getting started on your big move!
Just in case the Worldbridge website isn't clear, here's what you're going to need to do:
- Fill in your application online - it is savable so don't worry if you can't finish it in one sitting. Once the application is complete you must print it.
- Pay your visa fee at the end (currently at $219 CAD) - save the receipt they email you and print that as well for your records.
- Set up your biometrics appointment at your nearest Visa Application Centre (VAC). You don't need to print out their confirmation email as long as you remember the appt.
The appointment is where you're going to submit all your papers. Here is what you will need to take with you (NO EXCEPTIONS!):
- A printed copy of the application. It will have a page saying you have paid your visa fees as well.
- Appendix 7 filled out by you (I forgot this the first time and they told me to come back. Really.)
- A recent photograph that measures 35mm x 45mm (any passport photo place can do this for you)
- A bank letter stating your available funds (as you need the equivalent of 1600 GBP). This letter must be on original letterhead (no faxes or photocopies). A note: I was with PC Financial and their letters come with a digital signature not an original one in pen. The VAC stated it may not work but, in the end, it did because the letter was on original letterhead.
- Your passport and (if you want) your citizenship card. Your passport is obviously the important thing here as it is where they will paste your visa. So don't make travel plans while this is being processed.
And that's it! When you get there, hand it all in and if everything looks right, they'll scan your fingerprints, take a digital picture and send it to Ottawa to be processed. It shouldn't take more than a few days for you to hear back!
Best of luck!
Next time: Booking the plane ticket and packing!
Comments (5)
Thanks so much for taking the time to write this for the rest of us. I'm looking to move to London from Toronto by Jan 2012 and a lot of the information out there is very impersonal and can be overwhelming so to find this - first from a Canadian perspective - is a huge boon!
I agree, thanks so much for this break down. I just filled out my online application this afternoon and have my appointment set for to weeks from now. Reading over your post helped reassure me that I filled it in correctly. I'm also getting a letter from PC Financial, so I hope the electronic signature isn't a problem for me.
hello! good luck to the both of you with your move. if you have any questions, i can be reached via email: http://www.moving2london.com/zaira/
Hi! Does this information apply for Americans as well? Is it harder for a US Citizen to get a UK Visa?
Hello. I'm a Canadian citizen living in Detroit on a Permanent Residency. I'm looking to move to London in January. I don't have a job and I plan on moving to London as a musician. I'm moving with my girlfriend and will have money saved up but I only plan on working a part time job (maybe), but I'd really like to pursue music. What kind of visa do you suggest?