Challenges of moving from the Turkey 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 Turkey 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 many clients navigate the Skilled Worker visa process with ease. The application is full of intricate details, and we're here to make sure your application meets all requirements so you avoid unnecessary delays. Our lawyers will guide you through the entire immigration process so that you can feel confident in your submission and your future in the UK.
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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.
At A Y & J Solicitors, we’ll assign you a UK immigration expert to assist you with your ILR application, advising you all the way from beginning to end. Should we identify any weaknesses in your case – if, for example, you have spent many months outside of the UK – we will ensure that this is addressed in our legal representations. This will greatly enhance your chance of having your ILR application approved.
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:
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The UK offers enormous benefits for Turkish nationals who wish to relocate here, including:
As a Turkish national, you will need to apply for a visa to emigrate to the UK. The exact legal requirements that you will need to meet as a Turkish national moving to the UK will depend on the type of visa you apply for, as set out below.
The UK Skilled Worker visa is the most popular visa for Turkish nationals wishing to work in the UK. The Skilled Worker visa enables citizens of Turkey to live and work in the UK for up to five years, at which point it is possible to apply for an extension or permanent settlement. To get permanent settlement in the UK, applicants must have spent 5 continuous years in the UK on a work visa.
In terms of the requirements for a Skilled Worker visa, you must have a job offer for an eligible occupation from a UK employer who holds a valid sponsor licence. You must also meet the minimum salary requirement of £38,700 per year (or the ‘going rate’ for your occupation) for your new job. This salary threshold may be lower if you have a PhD, a job on the UK government’s immigration salary list, or you are a new entrant to the job market. Finally, you must also meet the English Language requirements, normally by passing an approved English language exam.
To apply for a Student visa to attend a British university, college, or school as a national of Turkey, you must be 16 years or older and have been offered a place on a course by an educational provider who can sponsor you in the UK. You must also have enough funds to support yourself and meet the English language requirements.
If you want to continue your education (e.g. a masters degree), you can apply to further extend your Student visa. If you plan to stay in the UK once your course ends to find employment, you can then apply for a Graduate visa, which will allow you to remain in the UK for a further 2 years. If you secure employment, you can then switch to a work visa, or if you get married or enter into a civil partnership, you can apply for a UK family visa.
The UK Innovator Founder visa is a great option for Turkish entrepreneurs who wish to establish a new business venture in the UK. Holders of an Innovator Founder visa can gain permanent settlement in the UK after just 3 years, as opposed to the more normal 5 years. To apply, you must be 18 years or older, have a plan for a new, unique, viable, and scalable business, and have this endorsed by an approved endorsing body in the UK.
If you have a close family member who is a permanent resident of the UK, you can apply for a family visa. Your family member must be your partner or spouse, parent, or child. You must meet the income requirement (e.g. combined income of £29,000 if applying to join your spouse). In addition, you must meet the English language requirement. If your family visa is granted, you will be able to stay for up to 5 years and then gain British citizenship.
One of the first steps in setting up your finances in the UK is opening a UK bank account. UK banks will require proof of your identity and your permanent UK address, so it is easier to open a new account when you get here. When it comes to transferring funds from Turkey to the United Kingdom, you can do this through your UK bank or by using specialist money transfer services such as OFX and Wise. It is vital that you use a reputable money transfer service and check that any fees and the exchange rate are competitive.
Once in the UK, you will also need to apply for a National Insurance (NI) number before you start working. And in terms of tax, if you are employed, you simply need to provide your NI number to your employer. With this information, they will then make sure that any tax you owe is automatically collected and paid to the government through the ‘Pay As You Earn’ (PAYE) system.
According to data from the Office for National Statistics, around 127,000 Turkish nationals live permanently in the UK. Turks from other parts of Europe have also moved to the UK, including from Cyprus, Algeria, and Germany. Many Turkish nationals choose to come to the UK to join family members, find work and study at a British university. In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about moving from Turkey to the UK, including the legal requirements, the cost of living, the steps to take before making the move to the UK, and answers to many of the most frequently asked questions about moving as a Turkey citizen to the UK.
The cost of living in the UK is around 45% more than in Turkey, according to the cost of living comparison website Numbeo. When rent is taken into account, this difference rises to 50%. Restaurant prices in Turkey are 54.4% lower than in the United Kingdom, and grocery prices are 44.1% lower.
While prices may be higher in the UK, remember that the wages on offer may be higher than in Turkey. In addition, the cost of living differs considerably depending on where you live. Rent prices in central London can be extremely expensive, whereas living in a small village or town is generally much more affordable. This is why it is essential to properly research where you would like to live and the cost of living in each area before you move to the UK.
As experts in UK immigration, we understand just how daunting it can be to move to another country with a different language and culture. However, by taking the following important steps, you can make the whole process as simple and straightforward as possible:
The UK Self-sponsorship route allows Turkish nationals to move to the UK without the need to apply for and secure a job. Being self-sponsored means you set up and run your own business in the UK and then sponsor yourself. At AY&J, our expert team of immigration law specialists can explain how to make a successful self-sponsorship application and guide you through the process, from the application to securing your visa. Self-sponsorship also allows you to settle indefinitely in the UK after a number of continuous years in the UK and later gain British citizenship.
If you are a non-Turkish national living in Turkey, you will need to apply for a visa to live, work, study or join family members in the UK. Our friendly and knowledgeable UK Immigration Solicitors can explain the immigration routes available to you based on your unique circumstances and those of your immediate family.
If you are a non-Turkish national and wish to join your partner, spouse, parent, or child living here in the UK, you will need to apply for a Family visa. To apply, your family member in the UK must be 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 is granted, you will be able to join your family member/s in the UK and gain permanent settlement after 5 years of continuous residence. Furthermore, you can apply for British citizenship one year after securing permanent residency.
The documents you need to move to the UK from Turkey will depend on the type of visa you apply for. For example, to relocate from Turkey to the UK for work, you will need:
These are just some of the documents that you may need to relocate from Turkey to the UK. Your immigration advisor will provide you with a complete list of all the documents that you will need based on your chosen visa type. You may also need to have your documents translated into English.
Yes, to work in the UK as a Turkish national, you must be sponsored by a UK employer. Alternatively, you may be able to consider the self-sponsorship route as explained above.
What should I consider before moving back to the UK from Turkey?
If you are a British ex-pat moving back to the UK from Turkey, consider your employment, banking arrangements, and credit rating. You may have lost some of your credit rating if you have been outside the UK for many years, making it harder to borrow money or get a mortgage. We also advise speaking to an accountant about your tax arrangements. If you have lived in Turkey for more than 5 years, you may need to meet different rules for income and capital gains tax. Finally, check whether you will need to ‘top up’ your national insurance contributions so that you are eligible for a UK state pension.
Please see the legal requirements for moving from Turkey to the UK above.
Yes, however, Turkish citizens and their family members normally require a visa to live in the UK. Please see the visa options explained above.
Yes, you can work in the UK as a Turkish national, 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. Alternatively, you can come here on a family visa, which will also allow you to work.
As a citizen of Turkey, you can apply for a 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 law specialist based in the UK can handle all of this on your behalf.
The length of time you can spend in the UK will depend on the type of visa you hold:
Most UK visas offer a route to permanent settlement after 5 years.
Please see the cost of living section above.
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!
