Thinking About Moving To England For A Year, Need Help!

Member since 22 July 2009

slick-leg rayMember22 July 2009 01:22:04

I've been thinking about this for a while, and now I'm really wanting to take the giant step and get out of the US for a bit and head to the UK. I am only wanting to visit for about a year...I'm not ridiculously wealthy so I will have to work. I've been a bartender here in America for about 4 years, I figure that will be an easy money-maker and will allow me to meet a lot of people while working.

My questions are:
1. What is the best and cheapest option for a place to stay in such a short amount of time? Considering I won't be a UK citizen, I don't think I'd be eligible to rent a flat--or would I? Hostels I know are one, but I think I'd get tired of sharing a room. A friend suggested a host family, but that's for students I believe..unless they want to support a 24 y.o.

2. Do I need a work visa for bartending, and if so, can I even get one? It isn't a high demand/important job. If I can't get a visa for it, and I know this is horrible to say, can I work under the table as a bartender?

3. Best places to live in England? I was thinking Manchester...I need something lively with lots to do. I'm not interested in London...it is a little on the pricey side, and a few friends said it isn't all that people make it out to be.

I know this is long, and I'm sure someone else has posted an inquiry similar to this, but there are so many posts on this site I got tired of looking through all of them! Any help would be appreciated!!

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snapper Member

Member since 26 July 2009

snapperMember26 July 2009 21:25:05

Hi!

Answer to your questions:

1. Share house, go to gumtree.com
2. There is a very high turnaround of bartenders and since the minimum wage was introduced, 'cash jobs' are harder to get. Best have a visa
3. Brighton, Leeds and Manchester are all fun

Have a look at universalwelcome.com it has a lot of good basic advice to get you started

thaumata Guest

thaumataGuest08 September 2009 09:54:15

1.聽 I'd imagine some kind of shared housing situation, like renting a room from someone.聽 Gumtree.com is like craigslist here but it's not as busy in many cities.

2.聽 You MUST get a visa to enter the UK.聽 Most people don't realize that even if you just come for a week's holiday, you are technically in on a tourist visa.聽 It's just that there is a waiver program between the US and UK which means you don't have to actually apply for it;聽 it's auto-granted.聽 However, you may NOT work on a tourist visa and you may not actually stay more than 90 days, every six months.聽 So, even if you landed an under the table job, you would be overstaying your tourist visa, making it pretty impossible for you to ever return to the UK legally.

Bottom line is that you're better off getting the right visa to begin with.聽 Illegal immigrants aren't any better loved here than anywhere else in the world.

3.聽 I like Manchester a lot.聽 I lived in Leeds for a while and it was kind of lame, the way cities like Indianapolis have potential to be cool but get very overshadowed by the bigger and cooler neighbors.

sousou8 Member

Member since 19 January 2010

sousou8Member19 January 2010 13:20:48

how can i get via s茅jour lnguistique 脿 londre

ptrjakson New member

Member since 31 December 2009

ptrjaksonNew member19 January 2010 19:17:08

Thanks for choosing England ,you are most welcome.
It's really cool there in London.you could appreciate its woundrous beauty.its really a best band safest place to stay.