Expat Life

Your new year should be in full swing by now. If you haven't completed your 2017 UK tax return by now, you'd better get going with it right away.

They are the pompous type that treat Aussies and Kiwis as though we are Neanderthals with little to no knowledge of history and culture.

When you make the big jump for a stint in the UK, there's a lot in your life that is going to change and you will need to adjust in a major way. Here's some top advice on how, from someone who has taken the leap.

Antipodeans were foremost among more than 75,000 New Years' revellers as Edinburgh's Hogmanay Festival celebrated its 25 year milestone in style. "I've never experienced anything like it!"

Not many people are aware that the UK immigration law allows an intra-company transfer of an employee to the UK branch of the organisation. Here's how...

TAXING MATTERS: An understanding of the local tax system is a must if your non-Australian partner or family are planning to move there, writes Steve Douglas.

If you are relocating overseas for a year or more, there are plenty of things to consider. Try these helpful tips about moving to and working in a new country, to help you settle in and enjoy the experience of a lifetime.

For Australians living in the UK, transferring money back home can become a necessity at some point.

Is it really worth the effort of making new friends with other travellers if they are only about to wave goodbye?

Theresa May’s government is trying to deter migrants from flocking to Britain in search of greener pastures. Unfortunately, this also affects some migrants from Australia. But working in the UK is still a rite of passage

AUSTRALIAN LENDING UPDATE: We continue to see great change in lending conditions in Australia, especially for overseas based borrowers.

LitePay International Payments offers a secure and safe way to transfer money from Australia to family and friends in the UK with a low transaction fee and competitive FX rate.

Get ready for amazing queues, multiple travel adapters and the 'Heathrow injection'. Living in London is a life changing experience in more ways than one.

INTERVIEW: A young French haute couture fashion designer who went to Australia for a working holiday, El returned to Europe with an Aussie passport and a burgeoning acting career.

Many UK Tier 2 visa workers want to undertake additional or charity work, or study further but are not sure whether doing this is in line with their visa terms.

OPINION & ANALYSIS: To end exploitation in Australia, we need to have a zero tolerance to exploitation, rather than a zero tolerance to breaches of visas by migrants.

Sometimes being an alien from Down Under makes you feel like the luckiest person on the planet.

AUSTRALIAN TAX UPDATE: Federal and state taxes have seen some significant developments that you need to know about.

UK Visa rules can often be very complicated, and oftentimes things are not as straightforward as they seem.

OPINION & ANALYSIS: The enlightened global citizen understands that there doesn’t have to be a tension between a nationalistic sense of duty and a moral obligations to the rest of the world.

Taking advantage of technology to work and therefore work from anywhere you like is one of the best sensations.

The Tier 2 Immigration route is one of the most popular ways for non-EU citizens to live and work in the UK.

THE EXPAT MIND: If you have come to London to develop your career and establish a new life, making progress socially or professionally can be tough at first. Living here is rarely boring, though.

COMEDY: Are you guys serious? Pennies and phone boxes - and you call us backwards?

The Arts Club is looking for confident and passionate personalities to join their team.

We’ve all done the pints, fish-n-chips, the Crown Jewels and Pimm’s at Wimbledon. But there’s so much more to London, says expat Aussie author Joy Rhoades.

What Aussies in London really like are also the things they’re too ashamed to admit to friends and family back home, or things they just won't get.. like Primark, Jeremy Kyle and Snakebites.

This can be a complicated area and landlords are often surprised at the expenditure that can and cannot be claimed.

Are the romantic desires you experience when travelling real, or have they been magnified by the endearing surroundings?

You only have till Thursday to update your details as an overseas elector to take part in the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey, the so-called same-sex marriage plebiscite.

Thinking of moving to the UK? Is it best to live where other expat Australians have gone before or would you prefer to trailblaze further afield and leave old London town behind? Find some answers, here...

You think you've been given a hard time at Heathrow immigration? Not as hard (we hope) as these famous people who were at some point, or maybe even still are, not allowed into the UK.

Moving abroad can be challenging, especially if you have to juggle maintaining your home base for when you are ready to return, in addition to setting up your new life in a new place. But that does not mean that you can’t enjoy every minute of the experience.

The newly amended UK Family Migration rules should be a positive change for families and spouses.

Don’t remember what happened last night, or the night before? Or the night before that? Drinking in London is a nightly affair rather than a weekend pastime, which makes attempts to sober up even more difficult.

Finding a room, flat or house to rent in London is mayhem. It doesn't matter who you are, what you offer, or how much you are willing to pay, the entire process sucks.

Having witnessed it happen to many others before me, I decided to prepare well in advance for my return to Australia. But you get lost in the London life and suddenly months become weeks and the last-minute panic sets in.

This Facebook feature is great for when you are travelling in a foreign land, so you can avoid those bankrupting roaming fees while posting those sweet travel-envy inducing selfies.

We have answered some of the most Frequently Asked Questions we receive on the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur route to live and work in the UK. We hope to get the word out on this one!

THE EXPAT MIND: If you fall in love with someone from overseas and the relationship becomes serious, it may create a real dilemma about your future. Why and what should you do about it?

THE EXPAT MIND: Do Aussies who venture overseas to live do so because they don't feel entirely at home in Australia. Are they are looking for something or somewhere different - a place where they feel that they might actually belong?

Have you come to the realisation that you need friends around you who will recognise your altered dreams and understand how differently you see the world?

East London has become the hippest and most happening part of the city and I recently discovered that the best way to get under its skin is from a kayak.

Do you need to know how you can ensure a smooth application for a new visa to live and work in the United Kingdom?

Heading overseas? Immigrating to another country can be an exciting step to develop your education, career or personal interests. Get a reality check before you go...

The so-called 'barista visa' is dividing opinion, but it's pretty clear that the UK will have a big gap to fill in the labour market if it ends EU freedom of movement.

You might know what flip flops are, but do you know what they call undies? LAURENCE DRISCOLL helps us traverse those first few months in the UK when you come from the land down under.

'Culture shock' is the term usually used for an immigrant or tourist becoming disorientated when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life. But could it apply in reverse when you are trying to integrate your way back into life after returning home?

People often think that getting married in the UK is extremely easy. In reality though, for non-EU nationals getting married in the UK the process can be a long one filled with a lot of red-tape.

LONDON'S 10 TOP GREEN SPACES: The concept of ‘going to the park’ in Australia conjures up images of children’s birthday parties and unruly teenagers looking for a place to drink after dark. In London, the park stands for something completely different.