Moving to the UK from Singapore? Our Complete How to Move to the UK from Singapore Checklist is a foolproof list of easy-to-follow, chronologically ordered tasks designed to help ensure you and your family enjoy a smooth, stress-free move to the UK.
Follow our comprehensive step-by-step checklist, which starts from six months prior to your move, right through to once you have arrived in the UK, to avoid the logistical and legal pitfalls of moving to the UK from Singapore.
Our moving to the UK checklist includes over 60 detailed steps, from applying for a visa and organising your move, right through to connecting your utilities and opening a bank account. Tick off each item in our moving to the UK from Singapore checklist for the most efficient, well-planned, and hassle-free international move possible.
As the largest removals company in the world, with over 1,000 service centres across 180 countries, UniGroup Worldwide International Movers will help make your move to the UK as smooth and stress-free as possible.
With over 85 years' experience, successfully delivering 48,000 international shipments annually, our overseas removals experts can help ensure your safe, seamless stress-free move to the UK from Singapore.
UniGroup moving Singaporeans to the UK carefully and hassle-free
For your convenience, you may:
Checking your passport's expiry date
When moving from Singapore To The UK, you must hold a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the period of your intended stay. So, if you intend to stay in the United Kingdom for 12 months, your passport must be valid for 18 months, considering the time required to process your visa (which could be upwards of six months).
To be on the safe side, ensure your passport is valid for a minimum of 12 months (preferably longer) after your intended stay.
If your passport is not valid for a minimum of 12 months beyond the period of your intended stay, you may need to apply for a new passport.
Singapore citizens can apply for passports from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). New passports are valid for five years.
You can apply for a passport or renew your existing passport using the Application for Passport On-line Electronic System (APPLES) e-Service, although a SingPass is required. You will need the following to complete your application:
Applying for your the UK visa
Singaporeans need to obtain a visa before relocating To The UK for employment. Dependents will also require visas if they plan on staying in the UK for more than six months.
To apply for a UK visa, you will need to select the most appropriate UK visa category. This short questionnaire is designed to help Singaporeans determine the visa category that best applies to their situation.
You’ll then need to compile the necessary documentation, complete and lodge all necessary forms and collect Biometric Residence Permits (BRP) within 10 days of your arrival in the UK.
You can help expedite the visa application process by compiling the necessary documentation as early as possible, including:
For further information, visit How to Apply for a UK Visa in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
If you're not moving from Singapore To The UK to a specific location for work, you’ll need to decide where to live. From low crime rates to superior quality local hospitals and schools, there are many variables to consider when choosing the perfect place for you and your family to call home.
For further information on factors to consider when deciding where to live, visit How to Decide Where to Live in the UK in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
When it comes to knowing how to move To The UK, an important step is establishing approximately when you need to move, considering:
For further information, visit the When is the Best Time to Move To The UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
If you're not moving To The UK from Singapore permanently, you’ll need to decide what to do with your current home:
There are several factors that you’ll need to consider when making this decision, particularly if you own your home. Some of the most important factors include:
Choosing a real estate agent is an important decision in selling or renting out your home. If you opt to sell, your real estate agent will handle advertising, inspections, the auction and negotiating private offers. If you choose to rent out your home, your real estate agent will manage the property on your behalf, handling repairs and liaising with your tenants long-term. So, you need to choose carefully.
To shortlist real estate agents:
If possible, take an exploratory trip To The UK to better understand what lies ahead. During the trip:
Putting your current home on the market
If you’ve decided to sell or rent out your current home, as soon as your visa is approved, engage the services of your preferred real estate agent. It is at this stage that you’ll sign a contract with your agent. This contract should outline items such as fees, advertising costs, the process if your home is passed in at auction, property management protocols and much more. It is recommended that you seek legal advice to ensure you are happy with the terms of the contract.
If you're selling or renting out your current home, you’ll need to put it on the market. Some of the steps involved in this process include:
If you're selling or renting out your home, you’ll want to do everything you can to secure the best possible price. As such, you’ll need to undertake some preparations to ensure that your property looks the best it possibly can, in both advertising photos and during inspections. Consider:
Decide which of your belongings you’ll be shipping To The UK, leaving in your current home, storing, selling, donating and/or disposing of. (And make sure you speak to your UniGroup expert if you require short or long-term secure storage .)
Create a detailed inventory of all the items that you want to move To The UK to obtain accurate removals quotes and to determine how much would it cost to move To The UK. Your UniGroup moving expert can assist you with an easy-to-fill-out form.
For further information, visit How Much Does It Cost to Move To The UK? and How to Ship Household Goods To The UK in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
If you will be shipping most of your belongings by sea freight To The UK (which may take weeks or months to arrive), you may want to consider a small air freight consignment for essential items that you would like to have immediately on arrival.
Obtaining a quote from an experienced international removalist
Container ships move in six different directions, often travelling over 20m (65ft) with each roll, as often as seven to 10 times per minute. So, with your belongings being tossed about for weeks on end, it’s essential that you entrust your move to an exceptionally experienced international removals company such as UniGroup Worldwide.
If you obtain a quote from another international removalist, ensure they exhibit the same level of experience and capabilities as UniGroup Worldwide, including:
For further information, visit How Much Does It Cost to Move To The UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
Given the extensive movement of sea freight and potential for damage if belongings are not properly packed, combined with the introduction of strict anti-terrorism laws and significant tightening of customs clearance processes for all personal effects shipments, UniGroup strongly recommends that you do not ship items To The UK that have not been packed by a professional moving company. The significantly higher potential for loss and damage of ‘owner-packed’ items, as well as attracting stringent inspection by customs officials, often results in additional charges and long delays.
Once you’ve decided on where, when, and what you want to move, book in:
For further information, visit When is the Best Time to Move To The UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
If you are storing any of your belongings while overseas, make sure you store them properly, safely and securely with a trusted and experienced short and long-term storage provider such as UniGroup Worldwide.
To help ensure your belongings are stored properly and safely, so they remain in their best condition, insist on the following criteria when selecting a storage provider:
Once you’ve decided on a secure storage provider, book in:
Review the contents of your freezer and pantry and create meal plans that will empty them prior to moving.
Making travel arrangements To The UK
To save money on your travel arrangements:
If you plan on searching for your home once you arrive in the UK, book temporary accommodation for when you first arrive. Depending on where you plan to live, you may also want to book a hire car.
Where possible, book temporary accommodation that is within walking distance to your work, or public transport. This way, all members of your family will have access to transportation.
At your child’s current school in Singapore:
For your child’s education in the UK, you’ll need to:
To assist you in finding the most appropriate school for your children, visit:
For further information, visit What is the Education and Schooling System Like in the UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
Used vehicles can be imported inTo The UK duty and tax-free so long as they meet all customs requirements and you apply online for permission to import your car duty free. In addition, the vehicle cannot arrive any more than six months before your own arrival date, nor more than 12 months after your own arrival date.
You may also need to complete Moving to the United Kingdom Customs Form Importation of a Private Motor Vehicle into the United Kingdom on Transfer of Residence from Outside the European Community.
To avoid unnecessary headaches and expenses, speak to a UniGroup Worldwide international removals expert for all your vehicle transportation requirements.
For further information, visit How to Import Vehicles inTo The UK in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide and our United Kingdom Customs Forms & Guides for Moving Overseas.
Confirming Pet Transportation To The UK
Most pets can be relocated To The UK, so long as they satisfy the requirements of the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS). Animals that don’t meet the necessary requirements will be quarantined for four months at your own cost. To satisfy the requirements, the animal must be:
Airlines may have separate and additional requirements for the transportation of pets. Be sure to check with your airline to determine what requirements they may have.
To ensure a stress-free relocation To The UK for your pet, speak to a UniGroup Worldwide international removals professional about all your pet transportation requirements.
For more information, visit How to Import Pets inTo The UK in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide and our United Kingdom Customs Forms & Guides for Moving Overseas.
Ensure all your pet’s vaccinations and health-checks are up-to-date and obtain a copy of your pet’s medical records or a signed letter from your veterinarian.
With Border Force working in conjunction with other UK Government agencies to control the import of weapons into the United Kingdom, weapons and firearms are subject to complicated customs clearance procedures and can be difficult to import. Weapons can delay customs clearances and result in additional charges. It is worth considering whether to import weapons at all.
For more information, visit How to Import Weapons inTo The UK in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide and our United Kingdom Customs Forms & Guides for Moving Overseas.
You may import wines and other alcoholic beverages into the United Kingdom as part of your household goods shipment. However, as Singapore is outside the European Union, alcohol imported into the United Kingdom is subject to UK excise duty upon arrival unless hand-carried by the importer. Rates of duty and tax are high (typically 10% to 20% duty, plus 20% VAT). As such, in most cases, it is cheaper to buy the same product in the UK.
For more information, visit How to Import Alcohol inTo The UK in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide and our United Kingdom Customs Forms & Guides for Moving Overseas.
Importing plants inTo The UK is difficult from Singapore, due to the country being outside the European Union. Many plants are either completely banned from importation or have significant weight and size restrictions.
For more information, visit How to Import Plants inTo The UK in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide and our United Kingdom Customs Forms & Guides for Moving Overseas.
If you’ve already secured a new role (or are moving To The UK for a specific employment opportunity), now is the time to investigate employment options for your partner (if needed). Or, if you haven’t secured a role, to investigate employment options for yourself.
For more information, visit How to Find Employment in the UK and What is Working in the UK Like? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
If you're an British moving To The UK, you should investigate local customs and common cultural differences to help you assimilate more easily into British culture on arrival.
For more information on some of the common cultural differences, visit our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide:
A cluttered house will make moving To The UK unnecessarily stressful; packing will take longer and the cost of your removal and storage will be more expensive (as fees are based on the volume of items). If you're not selling or renting out your home (in which case you will have already completed this step), now is the time to declutter your home, determining which items you will:
How can I move To The UK with minimal stress? Engage experienced, professional international packers, like the team at UniGroup Worldwide. Not only will it reduce, if not eliminate, the most stressful part of moving, it will also help ensure your belongings are packed safely for their long journey To The UK.
If you're not using a professional packing service, make sure you start packing as early as possible:
For more information visit our Ultimate How to Pack for Moving Tips & Guide.
Complete your customs declaration forms as you pack. This will help ensure the forms are completed as accurately as possible. The information you’ll need includes:
You must also submit an online application to UK Customs to apply for relief from duty and tax when importing your household goods into the United Kingdom. Customs will process this application and, if successful, issue you with a Unique Reference Number, which you must pass onto your moving company.
For more information, visit our United Kingdom Customs Forms & Guides for Moving Overseas.
For more information, visit What is a Credit Rating? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
Investigating housing in the UK
If you're not moving To The UK from Singapore for work, or your employer hasn’t organised housing for you, investigate potential properties to buy or rent in the UK.
For more information, visit What is Housing Like in the UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
When cancelling your insurance or other services where you may have prepaid for the year, check whether you're entitled to a refund for the period after the cancellation. Plus, if you have one, obtain a copy of your ‘good driving record’ or ‘no claims status’ from your vehicle insurer, as it may be beneficial for a new policy in the UK.
If your current home lease or contract of sale includes any repair work prior to you vacating the premises, book in a handyman now. (UniGroup Worldwide can assist you with this if needed.)
If you're ending a lease, now is the time to notify your landlord. Make sure you understand any requirements, including:
If you’ve decided to rent out your current home, touch base with your property manager to confirm:
If you’ve decided to sell your current home, touch base with your real estate agent to confirm:
For more information, visit What is the Healthcare System Like in the UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
Attending to your medical needs prior to moving To The UK
There are three potential compatibility issues when it comes to using British appliances and electronics in the UK: the plug, the voltage and the frequency. You should therefore thoroughly check the power labels or manuals of all your appliances and electronics to ensure they are compatible with British standards before incurring the cost of shipping over what might be useless upon arrival. Buying new or secondhand appliances and electronics once you arrive may not only be more cost-effective, but your only solution.
For more information, visit Will British Appliances and Electronics Work in the UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
As a rule, your standard house and contents insurance won’t cover your personal possessions while in transit. An experienced international removalist like UniGroup will offer a comprehensive range of cost-effective removals insurance options. Speak to your UniGroup expert to arrange transit and storage insurance that suits your needs and budget.
If you’ve decided to rent out your current home, you’ll need to inform the company responsible for your home and contents insurance that you are no longer living there. You may also want to arrange landlord’s insurance. This protects against financial losses that may be suffered because of owning a rental property. You can opt for insurance that covers the building only, as well as specific items that you may have left on the premises.
When moving To The UK from Singapore, you may need an International Driving Permit (IDP) in addition to a valid British drivers’ licence. If you intend on obtaining an IDP, you must do so in advance. IDPs are issued by British motor vehicle departments, not the British Government.
For more information, visit Can You Drive in the UK with a Foreign Licence? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
Most road rules in the UK are the same as those in Singapore (given the two-country's shared British heritage). However, to be on the safe side, it's best to familiarise yourself with any minor differences.
For more information about driving in the UK and road rules, visit What are the Road Rules when Driving in the UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
Safely dispose of any dangerous or prohibited goods that cannot be shipped To The UK or stored. People attempting to import prohibited items inTo The UK may be subject to a penalty, and the items may be seized by customs officials.
For more information, visit What Items are Prohibited When Shipping Goods To The UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide and our United Kingdom Customs Forms & Guides for Moving Overseas.
Shipping some items To The UK (such as rough diamonds, money, trademarked items and food) is subject to restrictions and will require additional precautions, special customs clearance, or permits. Be sure you're aware of these requirements and apply for any permits as early as possible.
For more information, visit What Items are Restricted when Shipping Goods To The UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide and our United Kingdom Customs Forms & Guides for Moving Overseas.
Packing your suitcases for your move To The UK
Start packing your suitcases now, while making a detailed inventory list as you go. Your suitcase should contain all the essential items that you and your family members will need as soon as you arrive in the UK, including:
For more information, visit our United Kingdom Customs Forms & Guides for Moving Overseas.
Confirm any of your removalists’ access requirements at your existing home, such as parking and building access and restrictions, traffic management and lift protocols. Remember to check street signage and the requirements of your local council, building manager or body corporate.
Reconfirm all your UK move details with your international removalists, including:
If you're renting, or your contract of sale requires it, book in a ‘vacate clean’ at your current home for the day after your belongings are picked up. (UniGroup Worldwide can assist you with this if needed.)
Now is the time to back-up all your computers, tablets, mobile phones and other storage devices that are being shipped To The UK, placed into storage and will accompany you on the plane. Be sure to safely store the back-ups separately to the original devices.
Covering off any incidentals before departing for the UK
There will always be last-minute odd jobs when moving overseas, including:
Completing odd jobs before your move To The UK
With just one week before your move To The UK, you should be just about ready to go, bar a few odd jobs:
Completing last-minute jobs relocating To The UK
If you’ve followed this checklist, the day before moving day should just include a few last-minute jobs:
To help ensure mould doesn’t grow on your belongings while in transit or storage, it is essential that all water is removed from your belongings and all items are completely dry before pickup.
Managing a stress-free moving day To The UK
On moving day, you need to make sure you separate and carry with you:
Before you leave your existing property ensure:
If you're in the UK to take delivery of your shipment:
To open a bank account, visit the local branch of your chosen bank with:
Some of the biggest banks in the UK include:
When choosing which bank to use, shop around for the fee structure that suits you best. In the UK, banks often charge customers for the use of their services or have a minimum monthly deposit requirement. Several banks offer introductory deals or rates, so be sure to confirm exactly how long these deals last and what sort of charges apply long-term. You don’t want to be surprised by a huge increase in fees.
While medical care and services in the UK are among the most advanced in the world, they are also among the most expensive.
As such, it is vital that you take out health insurance, particularly as all medical treatment (even a trip to your local doctor for the flu) must be paid for.
For more information, visit What is the Healthcare System Like in the UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
Depending on your provider, your British health insurance company may offer international cover when moving To The UK. This will help ease the pressure when you first arrive—you can shop around for the best health insurance provider once you're settled in the UK, while still having the peace of mind that you're covered in the interim.
Once you’ve found a property to rent or buy, you’ll need to organise the connection of your electricity, water and gas utilities.
For more information, visit How Do Electricity, Water and Gas Utilities Work in the UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
Organising a mobile phone and internet once you arrive in the UK
There are many mobile phone and internet providers in the UK, all of which offer a range of different packages at various price points. Be sure to do your research into which package best suits your needs before signing a contract.
For more information, visit How Do Mobile Phones and the Internet Work in the UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
Enrolling your children in a the UK school
When residing in the UK, you’ll need to enrol your children at your preferred school. To do so, you’ll need:
For more information, visit What is the Education and Schooling System Like in the UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
If your children will attend university in the UK, you’ll need to enrol them as soon as possible. Universities will also consider your child’s grades and what sort of subjects they’ve chosen to study. For specific entry requirements for international students, it’s best to consult individual universities.
For more information, visit What is the Education and Schooling System Like in the UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
As with any developed nation, there are several taxes that you’ll be required to pay when living in the UK. These may include:
For more information, visit What Tax Do I Pay in the UK? in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
Once all the logistics of moving To The UK from Singapore are finalised, it’s time to enjoy your new home! Get out, discover your new neighbourhood, see the local sights, make some new friends and enjoy your next big adventure.
For more information, visit What to See and Do in the UK in our Ultimate How to Move to the UK from Singapore Guide.
We have been furnished with the above information, however, UniGroup Worldwide Moving gives no guarantees or undertakings concerning the accuracy, completeness, or up-to-date nature of the information provided. It is essential that users verify all information contained here before taking any action, or relying upon it. UniGroup Worldwide cannot be held liable for any actions taken based on the information contained within this Checklist.
