₦airaland Forum

Thanks

phyl123:
Welcome and good luck for the future.

Forgive my Oga please...Lol

Akorkor:
Do you have to quote the whole thread? Run away..........

Thank you Bro

Ray7878:
God bless you and your family.

My online family, a wonderful day to you all. I feel so blessed and grateful for all the advice, knowledge, support and help i get from this platform directly and indirectly. My family ( wife and 3 kids) arrived safely to join me in the UK 2 weeks ago, and little by little, we have been acclimatizing and trying to settle down as a family. I have been here since October 2021, but based in Coventry as I am doing my Msc in Coventry University. But I rented a place in Birmingham as I preferred to settle there and my extended family (2 brothers) also live there. The whole process of 'japaing' with the entire family, the mental, physical, emotional and financial stress will be story for another day.

This post is to give accolades to all the elders and everyone who regularly give feedback, responses and information on this thread, which i believe might just be the last genuinely world-class level of goodness and humanity left for nigerians to nigerians who despite being strangers are so good and kind to each other. May God continually bless you on here. There are too many people to mention here who have been towering icons of knowledge and help, to both me and hundreds, requiring information for life changing decision, God will continuously richly bless and keep you and your families.

From my experience, and following the give back culture of the elders of this thread, these a a few of what i learnt that might help other people as well;
1. If a family plans to relocate, It helps a great deal if the husband or wife comes alone first, to try to settle things down in terms of accommodation especially, and other arrangements especially if 2 or more kids are involved. I know this isn't possible for all families, but from my personal experience it helps sooo much especially in terms of cutting down initial expenses and ensuring the best decisions are taking without too much pressure.....e.g kids in winter cold..arrrgh.
2. Try as much as possible that you have family or very close friends in your final destination town. The help of people already settled in a place can be invaluable in terms of all the help they can give. I can testify to this. My brothers saved me over and over, from helping me pick up household items that i bought, to helping me install beds and carry couches, standing as rent guarantor, to doing grocery shopping and helping me set up the house before my family arrived. As much as possible, base decisions on where you have a deep prior relationship, it is very very hard when you do not know anybody.
3. The couple should endeavor to save as much as possible, in terms of the partner in UK as well as the one back in Nigeria. Plans for selling properties and possessions should start early enough and be organized for maximum returns. We started a month early, itemized all the things we would sale in a excel table with predicted prices and actual prices to guide us. You will be surprised how much can be done with Jiji website as well as a page called Declutter, as long as you know how to navigate these platforms. Try to avoid selling or listing things to family and friends, you won't get good prices but rather gift them what you can spare and use social media to sell your stuff.
4. Use scale at home to weigh your luggage before going to the airport to avoid some boxes being rejected due to overload.
5. Utilize all the free websites available in UK and ebay used sections when you arrive. You will be amazed the good deals on offer if you are patient and know just where to look.

These are all i can quickly remember for now. I am fully settled now, done inspection for schools for my barely 6 year old(in 2 weeks) who will join Year1 in April for their third term, and my 3 year old who will be in nursery. We are trying to get a healthcare job for my wife while I try to round up my Msc program and and simultaneously look for a sponsored job ( I am construction project management in case anyone can refer...Lol), so I am just looking forward to the next chapter in my family's life.

Thank you all so much, sorry for the long long post, I am just so grateful to God and all of you...especially those that constantly responded to all my constant questions and inquiries here even when searching for accommodation etc. Lol. Long live this thread.

Thanks so much Bro.

jesmond3945:
no she can. It means she cannot work as a sportsman or medical doctor in training

Thank you Bro

rayralph:
This is absolutely fine. She can work full time

Buh she can’t work as sportsperson.

Good evening guys, this thread has been such a great source of information and blessing to me and my family.

My wife and kids visas are out as dependents on my student visa, but on my wife's visa is written restricted work. Does this mean she can't work full time?? @TheGuyFromHR @Lexusgs430

Hello guys, can you transfer money from your dorm account in example first bank to a another dorm or naira account in another bank in Nigeria? Also, can you withdraw from the dorm account through an ATM here in UK or its only payment you can use the card to make

Lol....Na wa oh. I understand sha. But do you have a favorite??

Lexusgs430:
No cheap deals out, get the one you can. Buy long Johns, extra blankets, extra duvet + hot water bottles......

OR

Regulate your usage, as much as you can ....... No Nigerian style of leaving lights unnecessarily on ......

Hello Guys, considering the rising energy costs generally across all providers, I know there would really not be any clear standouts, but who would you recommend as having the best rates for electricity and gas? I am yet to move into my own place and using the comparism website ended up confusing me so much. All pointers will be truly appreciated.

This is also the case now in Nigeria as mine had to obtain their NINs before their passports could be obtained. But I am not sure why the high cost of 40 pounds for registration. You might want to really look into that.

Endlessgrace:
I’m trying to renew my child’s Nigerian passport and was told he’ll need a NIN before he could apply. Please how true is this for children under 16 years old.
Also i was told i have to apply for my NIN first (even though i’m not applying for passport renewal at the moment) before my child could apply for his NIN.

NIN registration is £40 per person. I just don’t understand all these unnecessary costs as a result of passport renewal.

Thanks my Oga, this certainly clears it up. I really appreciate your direct response.

TheGuyFromHR:
[Tell your friend] the YouTuber is talking rubbish, as many of them tend to do.
The previous response you got is correct - your dependants must simply enter the UK any time before your student visa expires, not within six months of that time.

No such thing as a six-month rule regarding application - the only place where the rules state that a six month time limit comes into play is that where your student visa has less than 6 months to run, your dependants will not pay the IHS. However, that means that they might be charged for any hospital treatment.

Madam, please your reply is still not clear on your status oh...so that proper protocols can be adequately maintained.

I will be waiting for your response though. My friend said that he agreed with the lady because of a rule that you must apply for any visa change with 6 months remaining on your current visa I.e student visa dependent to PSW dependent.

My own question to him was now that how does the 6 months rule now apply to the main student himself if he needs to finish his one year program and apply for the post study visa at the end of it which will definitely be at the end of his student visa as well.

The whole thing is just confusing especially as there is no definite statement on these requirements on any official website.

@dubaiprince @chreze @justwise

Aprokodaughter:
Hehehe...God bless me o shey you are reading too lols

I am surprised the lady in the video says family needs to be in the UK six months before applying. I will check for family and get back to you tomorrow.

I know uk govt gave students a deadline to be in the UK (Sept 2020 intake) but not family

Aprokodaughter:
I don't think so they only stated that your family has to be here before applying. (Although I no get dependants).

I don't understand Madam. Se i saw above where they said you are very happily married. I have even been picturing a UK topshot madam with 3 kids in primary school. Lol.

Regards the topic, I couldn't find any reference to 6 months on any government site, but because there was no other time statement, my friend who is very fearful and cautious said he prefers to err on the side of caution.

Thanks. My friend was so sure and confident and had already started making very hasty and drastic moves based on this belief...selling properties and all sorts just to fast track bringing his family over. Na wa oh!!! Sheer damage false or incomplete information can actually cause.
This is the link he believed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHTvXVPVVpY&t=292s

rayralph:
Not true.

Dependants must be in the UK at least 24hours before you apply for POST STUDY. Then, you apply together.

Good Evening Everyone, hope we are all having a wonderful day.

A friend just told me something that I have not been able to confirm officially anywhere and i would appreciate clarity. While I am well aware that your family must be in UK to be eligible to apply for the post study visa route, He said that they must be residing in the UK not less than 6 MONTHS to the planned date of application and sent some youtube videos to back it up.

I haven't seen anything like that in the government sites concerning durations and so I decided to bring it here for more information. How long is officially required as stay period before application?

Much appreciated Bro!!! Thanks

dubaiprince:
EPC rating is a review of a property's energy efficiency that gives you an idea of how much energy you are likely to use based on the structural build of the property. The higher the better (A being the best). Any rating between A and D would be ideal but mind you electricity cost is based on usage no matter the rating. Your would be 6 year old is of school age (Yr 1). Once you get your accomodation and they arrive just visit your council website and full an one-year application (you should have the opportunity to state about 6 preferred schools) he/she would then be offered a space where available. For the would be 3 yr old, he or she would be school age next year but won't start till September 2023. He/she can start nursery and would be entitled to 15 hours weekly free childcare (you will need to apply for it)

Thank you

AirBay:
If you're looking for something nice, you need to increase your budget to £700 at least.

Avoid Aston, Westbrom, Bordesley, Soho Road, Lozells...na mad ppl full these areas.

You can check Erdington, Perry bar, Kings heath, Handsworth

Thanks Bro. I think Erdington is also close to Kingstanding as well. I will take a close look at it definitely. Thanks

captainhoo:
From my little knowledge, this budget may get you a two bed in areas like West brom, Bordesley, aston but these places are famous for security issues( these areas are predominantly Indians, Pakistan, nigerians) . You can try search for accommodation in erdington. Schools for children are determined by the local council I think.
If you want central Birmingham, you may have to add a little more to your budget.

Thanks Bro. I have seen here something concerning the energy rating as A to D was considered good, so that was what I was a bit vague about. Also the 2 older kids will be 3 and 6 by April, will they both have to wait till September to get into school or is there any kind of unofficial school program for such kids that just came into the country. I have heard a lot of good things about catholic schools as well and will check them out based on your recommendations.

dubaiprince:
Happy New Year. If you are expecting them in a couple of months, now is the good time to start searching actively by calling agents. Depending on your kids ages, it may be tough getting a 2 bed with 3 kids (talking from experience with London agents and landlords) and this is because it is competitive. Where you have multiple viewings, Landlords are more inclined to give their houses to the application with lesser number of occupants because of faster wear and tear due to kids. I had to settle for 3 bed and that was after I had to agree to a slightly increased rent from what was advertised as I was running out of time.

I dont know how it is in Birmingham tho but you can go with your chase for a 2 bed. Then if you see it is not working out and you are getting pressed for time, you can consider a 3 bed.

Some of the factors you can consider for choosing good accomodation are;
The condition of the apartment, proximity to schools, bus stops, pharmacy, surgery, shops, parks and other amenities. I for one don't like noise so any apartment by the road where public buses pass or on a high street was a no for me. You can research about crime rates in the area as well.

For the school bit, I have heard a lot of people talk about how Catholic schools are but can't say much about it because my children attend a small school owned by a church and they are loving it. The OFSTED rating and reviews about the school will come handy here.

In all, it shows you already know what you want so go for it and if it needs you slightly adjusting your budget, I can tell you for free that it would be worth it.

@ TheGuyFromHR @Chreze @OSCARTM @dubaiprince

Please just reposting this here more responses to help me take a decision please.

Hi guys, Happy New Year to you all. My spouse and 3 kids are coming to join me in a couple of months and I would deeply appreciate recommendations for decent and affordable areas to get accommodation in Birmingham. Someone told me of King standing and advised that I should go for areas like that as my budget is around £600-£650 for a 2 bedroom. Also really good Christian based primary schools will be a great attraction for me, I get that most of the schools are great and so I am just asking for personal reviews or recommendations based on individual experiences for what I should look out for when narrowing down my choices both for the accommodation and the school.

Hi guys, Happy New Year to you all. My spouse and 3 kids are coming to join me in a couple of months and I would deeply appreciate recommendations for decent and affordable areas to get accommodation in Birmingham. Someone told me of King standing and advised that I should go for areas like that as my budget is around £600-£650 for a 2 bedroom. Also really good Christian based primary schools will be a great attraction for me, I get that most of the schools are great and so I am just asking for personal reviews or recommendations based on individual experiences for what I should look out for when narrowing down my choices both for the accommodation and the school.

jesmond3945:
what is the essence of relocating to uk without anything to show back home. People will deride and curse you. For tier 2, I would not mind but not for tier 4. Imagine taking your last card to do psw for you and your family while hoping for the best. I see it as unwise.

As other people have said, I would advice you seriously to just focus on yourself and completely ignore external comments or opinions. They NEVER matter in the long run.

TheGuyFromHR:
Well said at the bolded.
Lamenting and ranting about the costs of all the numerous visas helps in no way whatsoever to change that fact.

Like every other significant action in life, prospective immigrants should research properly, assess their options and chances realistically and not Nigerian-style (hoping for the best), then make their decisions.

This is my view as well. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy.

Raalsalghul:
There's also the issue of applying for the Post Study visa with a family of four/five.

What are the odds that they will save 8000 to 10000 pounds before the program elapses?

It's very important they factor in that.

All this have to be part of the worst case scenario planning of the couple even before they apply for the student visa. Not when they arrive in UK which will increase the chances of failure.

EmmyKing86:
Hello everyone and compliments of the season.

So, I have observed that there has been a huge increase of mature individuals (not only here in Nairaland) with children applying and coming to the UK under the tier 4 students route. There is nothing wrong with searching for greener pastures however, more thought has to be placed prior to making this huge step under certain conditions. For instance, an applicant with his/her significant other with 3+ children coming via tier4 students visa. The applicant is restricted to 20hrs/week for work (can work full-time during holidays), the significant other will most likely get a minimum wage job with long hours, the children would need childcare (very expensive in the UK), accommodation with a family of 5+ living in a 2 bedroom apartment, the cost of living..............etc. Do you see my point? Here in the UK, the major cause of separation among immigrant families is due to finances.

Coming to the UK on the student route with all the family at once is extremely difficult and not ideal. The ideal scenario is for the applicant to come in first, test the waters and bring in the rest of the family following graduation and securing a job.

The intention of coming to the UK through the student's route may be to acquire permanent status and if this is the case, going to Canada may be the best option as there may be a possibility to get PR before setting foot in the country (I don't know whether this is still available)

Having said all the above, there may be some success story, but before coming via students route with family, think deeply about it.

Some Financial Tips

So, one thing dependants can do to bring extra income is to invest in YOUTUBE content creation (especially during the current pandemic). Yes, this is a good avenue for extra income as you grow your subscribers. The initial stages will be tough but with commitment and dedication, your channel will grow. For instance, your youtube channel can focus on your family settling in the UK, recording your lifestyle, and giving information due to personal experience to other Nigerians/Africans that might be looking to move to the UK under the same route. Another option is photography. Acquire a DSLR camera, start taking casual photos and grow to be professional and set up a business (while being vigilant about the UK immigration rules).

This is just a personal opinion as a lot of families have become financially stranded and later come to Church to ask for assistance.

My whole thing is to think critically before bringing the whole family on a tier4 students visa.

God bless and happy new year in advance.

I think you are right about the increased number of matured people trying to emigrate from Nigeria case in point myself. So I will attempt to address your very candid observations from my own situation. Due to the Covid situation of 2020, as well as the sheer number and strict requirements concerning approval, Canadian PR was always a tall order for me and I am sure a lot of people, so when I made up my mind to move I needed a situation where I could have 90% plus assurance of visa application success i.e. UK student visa.

All the points you made about the financial requirements are extremely spot on, in fact I will go on to add another point which I am not sure many people are aware off, and i only came to know a couple of weeks ago, which is that if you intend to apply for post study, and you came alone like me, your spouse and kids must be in UK 6 months to the time of application for them to benefit as you won't be able to bring them over later unlike the student visa scenario. However, I must remind you that you failed to put into context the current situation in Nigeria. Not only are things not how they were in the 90s/00s, they are not even how they were 2012 -2014. What I mean by this is that if you are looking at the overall picture like me with 3 kids aged 5,3 and 7 months living in Abuja, most of the success indicators of the middle class in terms of land acquisition, building, good schools, holidays etc are gradually moving out of reach year by year. Primary education is the foundation of the child and yet you have to pay anything between 50 -250k per term per child for an standard and acceptable school exclusive of those upper class brands. What now happens at secondary school level which is just 6 years away despite the fact they are not even on the same planet with what the western world can offer? Buying of lands and building of houses are no longer the sensible investments they once was, Nigerian insane inflation has ensured that. I am in that industry and I can guarantee you that, except you can afford going into the proper real estate sector which we all know what that means financially.

I think the main issue is the fact that most people coming out do not plan meticulously, have a complete picture of how both spouses will complement each other through out the first year in terms of monthly expenses and inflow, try and get extra funds to bring to UK to act as buffer/safety net even while studying/working, understand and accept how tough the first few months will be even before stepping foot in UK, target and plan for a white collar job/profession even if for the first year they are doing warehouse or whatever, try to always budget for every target properly using excel or simply writing each line item down in a specific book - don't leave anything to chance or memory.

I got here in October, and I get the fear of not getting a sponsored job in my field here especially as i left a good job back home, but I just try to compare the next 5 years here or in Nigeria with the spread benefits on my family and not just me, and i have to say that the only reason Nigeria is even in the conversation is because I do not have a job here yet. I feel that folks with families that want to emigrate should treat it like how they approached marriage i.e. there is a level of maturity required that would ensure that just making more money here than Nigeria or just for vanity purposes is not the sole main reason why you would take such a huge step. This would ensure a level of wisdom and patience to approach all the endless trials you would face as I having been facing myself as well. Lol. Let me stop for now.

Afmaag123:
Not in all cases. My collegue was charged 1,295 and her kids 951USD for IHS. Her course is for a year and half. It's a Tier 4 Visa

Was a reason given for her case or how did she go about it? or is it because her course is for a year and a half. I though MSc programs in UK were all one year.

cerezo:
For the funds you need to keep in your account, the ECO uses oanda.com. For others such as visa and ihs payments, you have to source for that yourself.

Thanks Bro. If I get you clear, the rates provided by Oanda gives an idea of how much should be in my account as Proof of Funds for my family which is around £1/N551 today right ? While I can just pay straight for the Visa and IHS fees straight from my Dorm account regardless of how i funded it.

dubaiprince:
For tier 2 (not health and care worker visa) the advertised rates are £624 per year for adult and £470 per year for children. In reality, when paying, people pay slightly higher than that due to conversion or how the system is set because the bill is denominated in USD. In my kids case, I paid £1,221 for 2.5 years for each child and £1,621 for 2.5 years for my wife.

Right. Mine is Tier 4 though i.e Student Visa. Maybe that is the reason why the set rates are £470 for everyone and while there was no visible option for discount. Even for PoF it is shown as £680 for 9 months for each person still not stating any discrepancy between adult or infant. What is the safest conversion rates to use for these official payments as i am very sure it cant be black market rate of £1/N750 right?

dubaiprince:
I am on a tier 2 visa. I applied for UK dependent visa for my wife and 3 kids (6,4 and 2) around May this year. Health surcharge for the children was discounted at 25%. The visa fees were the same.

Oh really. That's really good to know. On the official website, it wasnt clear at all because it just stated £470 as the blanket rate for the Health surcharge per person. Was that the same amount that was discounted for you at 25%?

Thanks Bro the clarification. Greatly appreciated. So in essence you are saying the chances of me getting a construction sponsored job before September is very low right?? Also is it possible for my wife to get a care job in a service home when she arrives.

TheGuyFromHR:
1. It's the ages and genders of the children that count in relation to overcrowding - (children of different genders heading towards teenage years and above should not share the same room), so given that you've got children under 5, you can take a 2 bedroom flat.

2. The fee is the same for all children irrespective of their age.

3. Since you asked, if you would like to bring your family over and to have them stay, my advice would be for you to start saving up for the 9,000+ pounds fee, while you continue to offer up prayers and supplications to your preferred supernatural being for the first outcome to eventuate, because my opinion is that it is way more likely that you will have to pay it than not.

@justwise @TheGuyFromHR @fatima04 Please I posted this earlier

Hello Guys, this is my first post on this thread even though i have been following for some weeks now and I have to say it has been very wonderful seeing all the invaluable contributions made here for our benefit. Kudos to you all. I am currently doing my Msc in Construction Project and Cost Management in Coventry University and I got here in October. I am hoping to bring my wife and 3 kids over latest by April hopefully, so I was hoping for responses from the house on the following;
1. Is it true that it is not permitted to get a 2 bedroom if you have 3 kids?
2. Are Visa and Health surcharge same for kids under 5 years old, the last will be one next year May
3. I have around 8 years construction and project management background as I have been based in Abuja, what are the chances of getting a sponsored construction job here before my student visa is up as against the post study visa which i have already calculated as over 9000 pounds for me and my family.
Thank you so much for your anticipated responses. I have a lot more questions but this will suffice for now. Happy holidays everyone!!!