If you’re currently in Italy and want to explore more opportunities, may it come to work, school, or just personal experiences, what do you think about moving to the UK? Because of its great economy, as well as the fairly little cultural gap, there’s no doubt that this is definitely one of your best choices around.
Immigrating to the UK, however, is easier said than done. Apart from the long process that you have to go through, you also have to manage your finances. After all, moving to another country is never cheap.
So, how much does it really cost to migrate from Italy to the UK? Let us give you a clear overview and an estimate in the following sections.
Factors that Will Affect Migration Expenses
First, let’s talk about the factors that will affect your overall migration expenses. This is important since the total cost won’t be the same for everyone.
That said, below are the top three factors you should consider:
Visa Type
The type of visa you will apply for will play a big part in your expenditures. Various types have various fees, the costliest reaching more than £1,000. If you want to start with an affordable one, however, then you may want to try a visitor visa. A six-month duration for this amounts to about £100 only. Still, it will be best if you depend on your needs.
Number of Travelers
Of course, the more travellers or immigrants that will go through the process, the more money that you will need. Being a solo immigrant is evidently cheaper than moving to the UK as a family of four.
National Surcharge Fees
The UK has certain national surcharge fees that will be charged to its residents. This applies to immigrants as well, but it will still be a case-to-case basis depending on what you’re qualified for. Some things under this include healthcare fees and taxes.
Visa Processing Fees and Requirements
Previously, we said that visas play a big part in expenses because of the corresponding fees. Here is an overview for your reference:
- Visitor Visa: £100 to £837
- Study Visa: £200 to £490
- Leave to Remain: £1,048
Note that the above list only includes regular visa application costs. These may still increase depending on your certain goal, e.g. renewal, extension, transfer, and more. The duration will also affect the cost.
Of course, if you don’t have a passport yet, you will also have to pay its application fee.
You will also have to allot a specific budget for your requirements. This includes applying for certain documents, making photocopies, applying for authentication, and likes. It will depend on your application type, but it’s unlikely that this aspect will reach £100. This is unless your certain visa requires a certain amount of show money.
Flight-Related Expenses
Once you have your visa and other travel documents, the next things that you have to pay for are your flight-related expenses, that is, if you’re taking the plane. This mainly includes expenses, such as your flight ticket, baggage fees, and other services that you will opt for. On average, you will need £141.
You have other options for transportation, of course. You can take the train or the bus, both of which are cheaper but will last longer. The former will cost around £100, and the latter can be about £50.
Cost You’ll Need to Settle In the UK
The last thing that you have to pay attention to involves your living expenses. This is the money that you will use to sustain your needs once you arrive in the UK. Experts recommend preparing at least £1,000 to survive a whole month, but it will be better if you can stretch this from £1,200 to £1,300. If you want to live a comfortable life, then, of course, you need to prepare a much higher amount.
Summary
To sum it up, you should have at least £3,000 to fully process your immigration papers. The amount can be higher or lower depending on factors, such as the type of visa that you will apply for and other immigration-related factors.
The said amount does not yet include your future living expenses once you arrive in the UK. For this, you will need to prepare at least £1,000 depending on your lifestyle.
Keep in mind that processing immigration isn’t easy. This applies no matter if you’re looking into immigration to Italy from the UK or vice versa. Hence, if you don’t do things right, you may end up spending more money and time in the long run. To avoid this, we highly recommend working with professional immigration lawyers to ensure success and convenience throughout the process.
