Challenges of moving from the Portugal to the UK involve complex immigration laws and visa applications. Just one misstep — delay or even denial of entry could affect your personal and professional plans. Let an expert team of immigration solicitors help you with your relocation. Leave all your worries behind and rest assured regarding having every aspect of your move managed efficiently and in compliance with UK regulations. From securing an appropriate visa to enter the country to understanding the minutiae of residency in the UK, our services help you to move seamlessly.
The Success Story: Read about how A Y & J Solicitors helped this Portugal client relocate to the UK and made the process easy, ensuring timely entry into the UK.
At A Y & J Solicitors in London, we've helped thousands of new and experienced business owners move to the UK from around the world. We understand the typical challenges that come along with your visa application for self-sponsorship UK and know how to mitigate them. We walk you through step by step, showing you how to self-sponsor a work visa in the UK. Instead of going it alone, let our lawyers take the weight off your shoulders, so you can rest easy knowing you'll be able to bring your business (and family) to the UK.
Kate Corey, Founder of 6 Degrees
We are specialists in immigration law and have supported more than 4,000 business owners and professionals around the globe to successfully navigate the British system. We work quickly, always responding to any queries within 24 working hours. And we work closely with the Home Office to pre-empt issues before they jeopardise sponsorship applications or breach compliance. We manage all United Kingdom immigration matters including visa applications under the new points-based immigration system, Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), Spouse Visas, nationality, and more. We also handle complex cases of appeal, administrative reviews, judicial reviews and the many immigration challenges involving European Union law and human rights.
A Y & J Solicitors has more than 1,200 positive client reviews across Google and Trustpilot and is listed in The Legal top 500 best UK law firms, so you can rest assured your immigration challenges are in safe hands when you take these three simple steps:
"A Y & J my skilled worker visa processing. Their services were very great and professional. Special thanks to purvaja for all the assistance"
"A Y & J assisted me and my spouse with skilled worker visa processing. Their services were very great and professional. Special thanks to purvaja for all the assistance."
"Great service. On point"
"The team is absolutely fantastic!! Ikra & Diana helped me with my citizenship application. They took the time to answer all of my questions, gave me really helpful advice, and made the overall process so smooth and easy - with so much professionalism and kindness all the way. I would highly recommend them."
"They have the best and the most experienced solicitors, I needed to get a Visa for my mother to come over to visit me and my sister, I tried a few times before using a different Solicitor firm, but my application was refused. When I found out about this solicitor firm Ikra and Diana did their best and with one try my application was successful. I'm so happy and grateful for everything they did. Amazing without any hesitation I would recommend them to everyone."
"Two years ago, I had my first consultation with Diana regarding my skilled worker visa, and I was impressed by her service. That is why I chose them again for my ILR application. I had a really great experience with A Y & J Solicitors during my recent ILR application. With Ikra's help, I have managed to get my ILR successfully. She is very professional and knowledgeable, making the whole process easy and straight for me. I highly recommend A Y & J Solicitors!"
There are many benefits of living in the UK as a Portuguese national, including:
The exact legal requirements that you will need to meet as a Portuguese citizen moving to the UK will depend on the visa that you apply for. Here are some of the most popular types of visa available to citizens of Portugal who wish to relocate to the UK:
The UK Skilled Worker visa allows nationals of Portugal to live and work in the UK for up to 60 months (5 years). At this stage, the visa can then either be further extended, or holders can apply to settle permanently and then have British citizenship one year later. To be eligible for a UK Skilled Worker visa as a Portuguese national, you must:
To secure a Student visa to attend a British university, college, or school as a national of Portugal, you must:
If your Student visa is approved by the Home Office, you can remain in the UK for the duration of your course. If you would like to stay once your course finishes, you can then apply for a 2-year UK Graduate visa, allowing you to find employment.
The UK Innovator Founder visa is an excellent route for Portuguese business people and entrepreneurs who would like to move to the UK to set up a business here. By choosing this immigration route, you can settle permanently after just 3 years, rather than the normal 5 years it takes to secure permanent residency. To apply for a UK Innovator Founds visa, you must:
This is just a selection of the many UK visas open to Portuguese nationals. To better understand all of the routes available to you and your family and which are best suited for your needs, please speak to an experienced immigration Solicitor.
The UK has a modern digital banking system, which makes it very easy to set up a new bank account here. We recommend waiting until you get here to open a new bank account, however, as UK banks require proof of identity and a permanent UK address.
You will also need to apply for a National Insurance (NI) number after you arrive in the UK and before you start to work. The tax system is also very straightforward in the UK, with any tax owed automatically deducted by your employer and paid to the government through the ‘Pay As You Earn’ (PAYE) system. If you are self-employed, you will also need to prepare a ‘self-assessment tax return’ each year for submission to HMRC. A UK-based accountant will prepare your tax return on your behalf to make it as easy as possible.
For decades, the UK has been a premier destination for Portuguese citizens looking for a new life. It is estimated that around 286,000 Portuguese nationals currently call the UK home, a substantial increase from 9,000 in 2008, largely driven by the freedom of movement between EU member states. If you have the UK on your horizon for 2024, 2025 or beyond, whether to work, study, or join family members who already live here, it is useful to understand how to make the move here as smooth and seamless as possible. In this guide, we will explain everything that you need to know about moving to the UK from Portugal, including the legal requirements and how much it costs to live here. We also provide a relocation checklist and answer some of the most frequently asked questions about relocating from Portugal to the UK.
The United Kingdom (UK) ceased to be a member of the European Union (EU) at 11pm GMT on the 31st December 2020 (midnight in Brussels), ending the right of free movement for EU and UK citizens. As a result, a new arrangement came into force allowing EU nationals who were living in the UK before the end of 2020 to remain indefinitely under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).
EU nationals who were not living in the UK before the end of 2020 now need to apply for a UK visa to work, study, or join family members. The process of applying for a UK visa is relatively straightforward but with the assistance of a UK immigration specialist,
The overall cost of living in the UK is higher than in Portugal, however, this is offset by the higher average wages on offer here. According to the cost of living comparison website Numbeo, the cost of living in the UK is around one-third more expensive than in Portugal. This is mainly driven by the higher cost of renting property, which is over 33% higher in the UK. It is important to remember that the cost of rental can be significantly reduced by living in an area outside of London and the South East (typically the most expensive areas to buy and rent property).
Before you emigrate from Portugal to the UK, you recommend that you complete the following steps:
Nationals of Portugal can use the Self-sponsorship route to relocate to the UK without needing to apply for a job. Through this route, they can simply set up their own business here and sponsor and employ themselves. We can explain and guide you through the self-sponsorship process, ensuring that you meet all of the legal requirements. The self-sponsorship route also provides a route to permanent settlement in the UK and, ultimately, British citizenship.
Non-Portuguese nationals also need to apply for a visa to emigrate to the UK. As for Portuguese nationals, there are several immigration routes available, the most suitable of which depends on your nationality, family connections to the UK, and your plans for living in the UK. To discuss your immigration options as a non-Portuguese national, please speak to one of our friendly and astute UK Immigration Solicitors.
To move to the UK and live with your partner, spouse, parent, or child as a non-Portuguese national, you will need to apply for a Family visa. You must have a family member who lives in the UK and is a British citizen, a person with indefinite leave to remain, an EU/EEA national who started living in the UK before 1st January 2021 or has refugee status in the UK. If your Family visa application is successful, you will be able to apply for permanent residency after 5 years of continuous residence and British citizenship one year later.
To relocate to the UK for work, you will need:
This is only a small selection of the documents that you may need. Your immigration solicitor will provide you with a complete list of all the documents that you will need based on your chosen visa type.
Yes, if you wish to apply for a work visa in the UK as a Portuguese national, you must be sponsored by a UK employer. Alternatively, you can consider the self-sponsorship route.
Here are just some of the considerations before moving back to the UK from Portugal:
Moving from Portugal to the UK requirements
Please see the legal requirements for moving from Portugal to the UK above.
Yes, however, Portuguese citizens and their family members require a visa to live in the UK. Please see the visa options explained above.
Yes, but you will need a job offer from a sponsoring employer, a certificate of sponsorship, and a work visa granted by the UK Home Office.
As a Portuguese national, you can apply for your UK visa online through the UK’s Home Office website. You will need to fully complete the application form, pay any required fees, and submit any documents required to support your case. You will also need to meet the requirements for the type of visa you are applying for. An immigration Solicitor in the UK can handle this process for you.
UK entry requirements from Portugal
Please see the legal requirements for moving from Portugal to the UK above.
The length of time you can spend in the UK will depend on the type of visa you hold. Portuguese nationals can visit the UK for up to 6 months without a visa. Work visas last up to 5 years and provide a route to permanent settlement. Student visas typically last for the duration of the course, but holders can then apply for a Graduate visa to stay in the UK for a further 2 years to find work.
Please see the cost of living section above.
Many UK nationals are moving back to the UK from Portugal following Brexit and the ending of UK/EU free movement. This is because UK nationals are now restricted to the number of days (90 days in every 180 days) they can spend in the EU. Other UK nationals are returning for work opportunities or to be with family members.
A Y & J Solicitors is a specialist immigration law firm with extensive experience with all types of visa applications. We have an in-depth understanding of immigration law and are professional and results-focused. For assistance with your visa application or any other UK immigration law concerns, please contact us on +44 20 7404 7933 or at contact us today. We’re here to help!
