Aberdeen
has supported an international workforce for so
long, it is well-equipped to help you settle in
quickly with the minimum of fuss. With the right
documents in place such as a visa and a work permit,
Aberdeen has the infrastructure and family support
mechanisms that ensure moving is easy.
It might also reassure you to know
that Aberdeen based freight companies have been
successfully moving goods not just for decades -
but for centuries! The Shore Porters Society of
Aberdeen was first established in 1498 and is still
trading today, making it the world's oldest documented
transport company.
Visas
If
you come from a country that is part of the European
Economic Area (EEA) or covered by the EEA Agreement,
then you will not need a visa. If you are a national
of one of the countries listed below, you have
the right to enter, live and work in the UK as
an EU citizen.
Swiss nationals
have been granted the same rights as EEA
citizens and therefore do not require
a work permit or a visa. Other exceptions
may apply, so it is worth checking on
the Home Office website www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk
for up to date information.
If you come
from any other country, you will almost
certainly need a visa before you enter
the UK. Exceptions apply to those who
are able to claim UK ancestry such as
a grandparent born in the UK. Check the
following list to see if you need to arrange
a visa.
.
You
should remember, though, that this list
could change at any time according to prevailing
political circumstances. You should double-check
your visa requirements by contacting the
Home Office direct or by accessing an up
to date list online at www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk.
Bringing
Your Family
If
you are a European Economic Area (EEA) national,
your spouse and any dependent children may accompany
you to the UK whether or not they are EEA nationals.
They also have the right to work in the UK. If
your spouse and children are, indeed, not EEA
nationals, they will need to obtain an EEA family
permit before travelling to the UK.
Non EEA nationals who have obtained
a work permit or other form of clearance are entitled
to bring their spouse and dependent children into
the UK with them. An application to enter the
UK as a spouse or a dependent of a non-EEA national
must be made before the applicant enters the UK.
This clearance (known as prior entry
clearance) can be obtained from the British Embassy
or Consulate in your home country or country of
residence. Both husbands and wives of UK work permit
holders are entitled to work in the UK.
The
Home Office also operates a concession outside
the immigration rules which enables unmarried
partners (including same sex partners) to qualify
for admission to the UK if various requirements
are met.
Useful
contacts
For
information on immigration matters, both the Office
of Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) website
www.oisc.gov.uk
and the Home Office website www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk
give useful immigration advice as well as providing
links and contact information for registered immigration
advisers.
