Challenges of moving from the Ireland 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 Ireland 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:
"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!"
"I am extremely pleased with the exceptional service provided by them. From the beginning of my visa application process, they were professional, attentive, and thorough in addressing every detail. Their expertise and guidance made the experience smooth and stress-free, leading to a successful outcome. I highly recommend Mehak for anyone seeking reliable and knowledgeable legal assistance."
"Super helpful and candid services. Amy, Jay & James have been very prompt in answering all queries and supporting through the process professionally. Highly recommend their services."
"A Y & J Solicitors was referred to me by one of my Colleagues (they had been assisted by A Y & J Solicitors on their ILR applications) for processing the ILR Application for me and my spouse. My experience with A Y & J Solicitors was outstanding. From the beginning, I was properly onboarded on the process followed and was introduced to Mrs. Rajvinder Kaur to handle my application. Raj was very professional and attentive, guiding me through every step of the UK ILR process. She diligently ensured that everything was captured correctly on the application and all the necessary documentation was covered, which would have been a stressful experience if done by myself. After submission, she followed through all the process till our ILR was granted. I’m very appreciative of her support and highly recommend A Y & J Solicitors for anyone seeking ILR/Visa assistance. They truly deliver excellent service!"
"Spoke to Nicola, who advised me and was very helpful."
"My experience with A Y & J Solicitors was outstanding. From the beginning, Ms. Mehak was not only professional but also patient and attentive, guiding me through each step of the UK visa process with great care. Her thorough approach and commitment to ensuring everything was completed on time made what could have been a stressful experience much easier. I’m very appreciative of her support and highly recommend A Y & J Solicitors for anyone seeking visa assistance—they truly deliver excellent service!"
From a career perspective, the UK offers a wide range of job opportunities across various industries. In particular, cities like London, Manchester, Leeds and Edinburgh are renowned for their vibrant job markets and the potential they provide for career growth. This is also assisted by the fact that salaries here tend to be higher compared to those in Ireland; this is especially the case in the fields of finance, technology, and healthcare.
From an educational standpoint, the UK is home to some of the world’s top schools, colleges, and universities. If you have children, they will benefit from the enormous educational opportunities here. Likewise, if you plan to study at university in the UK, the sky truly is the limit.
Another key benefit of from Ireland to the UK is the level of cultural diversity. The UK is well known for its rich cultural diversity, offering opportunities to experience different cuisines, traditions, and lifestyles. Cities like London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bath and Leeds are genuine ‘cultural melting pots’. A related benefit is the opportunity to travel within Europe and beyond due to the ease of access and vast transport links available in the UK.
And finally, there are the cultural and entertainment opportunities in the UK, which are almost limitless. From world-class museums and galleries to theatres, music venues, and sports events, the UK offers a wealth of cultural and entertainment options.
If you are considering moving from Ireland to the UK as an Irish citizen, there is no need for a visa. This is because of the Common Travel Area (CTA). The CTA is a common travel zone that incorporates the Republic of Ireland, the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Under the CTA, British and Irish citizens are able to travel freely and live in either jurisdiction. They also enjoy certain associated rights and privileges, including the right to work, study and even vote in some elections. Irish nationals can even access social welfare benefits and health services in the UK.
The fact that Ireland is in the Common Travel Area means that Irish nationals are not impacted by Brexit to the same degree that other EU nationals have been. If you want to live and study or work in the UK, there is nothing to stop you from doing so, even Brexit!
If you need to open a UK bank account before you leave, it may be easier to make an application through an Irish bank with a presence in Northern Ireland, such as the Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish Bank. Depending on their rules, they may require you to go in person or allow you to make an application by post. Alternatively, you can open a bank account in the UK when you arrive. You will normally need a UK address before you can open a UK bank account.
If you live in Ireland but are not an Irish citizen and you want to live in the UK, how you do this will depend on your unique circumstances. If you don’t have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme because you lived in the UK in the past, it is most likely that you may need to apply for a visa before coming to the UK (e.g. work or study). If you plan to travel to the UK as a non-Irish national for more than 6 months, you will need to apply for a travel visa. We recommend speaking to an immigration Solicitor who can explain your immigration options before coming to the UK from Ireland.
If you are a non-Irish national living in Ireland and you wish to join your family in the UK, it is important to understand the immigration routes that apply to you. If you are married to an Irish or British citizen, or you have EU family members in the UK, it may be possible for you to gain pre-settled or settled status in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).
One of the key benefits of moving to the UK from Ireland is that you do not need to apply for a work visa or be sponsored by your employer here. As Ireland is a member of the Common Travel Area, Irish nationals are free to work in the UK without restriction.
Each year, thousands of Irish nationals make the decision to relocate from Ireland to the UK. From April 2023, it is estimated that 14,600 people moved from Ireland to the UK, up from 13,400 in the previous year. Irish nationals move to the UK for a wide range of reasons, including studying and working, and because of their family connections here. In this article, we will explain all you need to know about emigrating to the UK from Ireland in 2024, including the legal requirements, cost of living, steps you will need to take, benefits, post-Brexit considerations, setting up your finances in the UK, coming here to work, and provide some useful moving from Ireland to the UK tips.
The overall cost of living in the UK is lower relative to that in Ireland, and you may find that some prices are much lower in the UK. Here are how some of the most common costs compare between the UK and Ireland:
To make sure that your move from Italy to the UK is as smooth and seamless as possible, we recommend taking the following steps as early as possible in the relocation process:
So while some costs may be higher in the UK, on the whole, the cost of living is, on balance, lower compared to Ireland. Irish citizens who wish to study at a UK University are also only required to pay domestic study fees (as opposed to full international fees).
There are factors to consider when moving to a new country. We recommend ensuring that you have considered all of the following items before you leave and when you arrive:
Moving to the UK from Ireland is extremely straightforward. The language is the same, the distance is small, and the cultures are very similar. If you are unsure of your rights to live in the UK (e.g. if you are a non-Irish national), it is advisable to speak to an immigration Solicitor. They will be able to recommend the easiest way for you to emigrate from Ireland to the UK in the shortest possible time and with the least cost and administrative overhead.
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!
