Houston, we have a problem...

Enjoy your mini-moon first and foremost Getting the NIN is relatively easy from what I remember and you should be able to apply for jobs without a NIN (as I got hired before I had mine fully sorted out I believe). Not sure if it's the same in every workplace or if I just got really lucky (as my first company didn't even need me to have a NIN right away...They supplied me with one and then I gave them the update information as soon as I received it in the post.) Worked out well! Don't discount applying before you have a NIN if possible (not sure if you were, but just in case)

HMS Seahorse made a good suggestion to join that museum association link. If they have networking events, it might be a really good idea to network as much as possible as it could really pay off! You give off a very good impression of yourself (at least on here, from what I can see) so I'm sure it would totally work to your benefit to get involved as much as possible in that community. Even though his sister is a 2 hour drive a way, is there a chance that she has connections that might have connections elsewhere (such as in London?). Are there any online forums you could look to join to become active in outside of the one HMS linked? You never know where you might meet somebody who you can network with job-wise so it's a numbers game really and best to get out there as much as possible (kind of like dating haha)

I have no doubt that the two of you will be able to effectively communicate your way through this as you both sound like you've been going through all the right motions thus far. I don't know how far away from the train station you are in Swindon and driving would be a pain (but driving ANYWHERE in London is a pain - total exaggeration LOL), but if you're nearby to the train station and hour commute isn't tooooo bad depending on how close to Paddington your work will be. It can be extra sh*tty on bad days or train strike days, but it should hopefully be manageable if you had to do it.

best of luck!

Yes, I want to actually leave and get there before I start throwing myself into applications. Honestly, it's all a little overwhelming. I am definitely going to follow @hms_seahorse 's advice and register with that museum association. Any events I can attend or people I can meet is a plus. I did that here, and ended up finding a wonderful full time job in my field. Thanks for the compliment! I try to be as rational and professional as possible but I am also in an emotion craze right now and I'm honestly not thinking straight. I need to just....take a moment for myself.

London is the most likely, but I think someone mentioned in this thread that I have no idea if London is where I'm going (I just keep using that as an example as when I've done job searches in the past they ALL come up in London!!) We will be living directly across the street from the train/bus station, SCORE!

The NIN issue is actually do-able, because even if I don't have it in a couple weeks time when I start applying, I can still apply and that helps. I also want to scope out some museums locally in person (though I've realized that most of them are run by volunteers. If I have to volunteer at first, I will!!)

Thank you all for the sound advice. I'm doing my best to get my emotions sorted and I would like to finish out my job here before I start applying in the UK. I've hardly said goodbye here. I really did not want to apply from the US-I just need a minute to breathe. We will be doing our mini-moon and then traveling back to Kent the week after. I don't think 2 weeks will set me back too much if the process is as long as you all say (which I believe it is, I trust ya'll!)  I need to be in a good mental state too before I start actively searching for my career job in this new country! I think I'm going to just gather my bearings, polish my CV this week, move and get my BRP, go on our mini moon, take a second to breathe in Swindon, go to Kent and finish our wedding details, then begin applying. This will all happen in the next couple weeks. I don't want to wait months to begin looking, honestly, I would get bored anyway. 1-2 weeks tops. I just need a moment to gather my emotions. I hardly know how I'm feeling right now, and stressing about the job search is making it worse.

You guys are awesome, and I appreciate ya'll not sugar coating things! Me and Tom have discussed it, and we both think this is a good way to go. Thankfully, since we just signed onto another 6 months we've got time to think about it, and we can afford the current apartment, so we aren't absolutely desperate for me to find a job the day I arrive. That being said, I'm going to start looking now, applying in a couple weeks.

Thanks again for all of the advice everyone <3

Good luck to you!

I do recommend calling for the NIN application the day you pick up your BRP. It could take several weeks to get your NIN issued so having the application sent to you before you leave on holiday is a little bit of jump start.

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Good luck to you!

I do recommend calling for the NIN application the day you pick up your BRP. It could take several weeks to get your NIN issued so having the application sent to you before you leave on holiday is a little bit of jump start.

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Do I need to send off my BRP for that? I am getting my BRP the day I land, but we're going to France literally the day after (I know, we're nuts) And I need my BRP to travel into France (Or so I've been told!) That being said, I wouldn't even be able to apply for the NIN until after we return from France. We won't be there long, but we'll be away from Swindon until the 10 September (I will be getting my BRP on the 5th or 6th depending on what time we arrive in Swindon on the 5th)

Thank you all for the sound advice. I'm doing my best to get my emotions sorted and I would like to finish out my job here before I start applying in the UK. I've hardly said goodbye here. I really did not want to apply from the US-I just need a minute to breathe. We will be doing our mini-moon and then traveling back to Kent the week after. I don't think 2 weeks will set me back too much if the process is as long as you all say (which I believe it is, I trust ya'll!)  I need to be in a good mental state too before I start actively searching for my career job in this new country! I think I'm going to just gather my bearings, polish my CV this week, move and get my BRP, go on our mini moon, take a second to breathe in Swindon, go to Kent and finish our wedding details, then begin applying. This will all happen in the next couple weeks. I don't want to wait months to begin looking, honestly, I would get bored anyway. 1-2 weeks tops. I just need a moment to gather my emotions. I hardly know how I'm feeling right now, and stressing about the job search is making it worse.

You guys are awesome, and I appreciate ya'll not sugar coating things! Me and Tom have discussed it, and we both think this is a good way to go. Thankfully, since we just signed onto another 6 months we've got time to think about it, and we can afford the current apartment, so we aren't absolutely desperate for me to find a job the day I arrive. That being said, I'm going to start looking now, applying in a couple weeks.

Thanks again for all of the advice everyone <3

Do whatever feels right for you. 

And I need my BRP to travel into France (Or so I've been told!)

You don’t need a BRP to travel INTO France because a BRP is a visa for the U.K., not for France.

What you need the BRP for is to get back into the U.K. again when you leave France.

You must carry both your passport and BRP with you whenever you leave the U.K., because you won’t get back in without both of them.

When you aren’t travelling you should keep your passport and BRP in a safe place - do not carry them around with you. There is no requirement to carry ID in the UK




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Yes, I want to actually leave and get there before I start throwing myself into applications. Honestly, it's all a little overwhelming. I am definitely going to follow @hms_seahorse 's advice and register with that museum association. Any events I can attend or people I can meet is a plus. I did that here, and ended up finding a wonderful full time job in my field. Thanks for the compliment! I try to be as rational and professional as possible but I am also in an emotion craze right now and I'm honestly not thinking straight. I need to just....take a moment for myself.

London is the most likely, but I think someone mentioned in this thread that I have no idea if London is where I'm going (I just keep using that as an example as when I've done job searches in the past they ALL come up in London!!) We will be living directly across the street from the train/bus station, SCORE!

The NIN issue is actually do-able, because even if I don't have it in a couple weeks time when I start applying, I can still apply and that helps. I also want to scope out some museums locally in person (though I've realized that most of them are run by volunteers. If I have to volunteer at first, I will!!)

Yeah it's definitely a roller coaster of emotions at this point in the transition from US to UK. Definitely just try to relax, take in everything you can back in the US, get over here and take your mini-moon, settle in to a routine with your partner and enjoy the first few weeks you're finally together for good (one of the best parts is just stopping to think for a second and realising that you don't have to have a final parting cry at the airport as one of you leaves to return to your own country again!), and THENNN apply.  It does take a long time, but I don't see anything wrong with you getting your prospects in line, so-to-speak, but holding off on actually applying until you're here and have had a moment to breathe

Do I need to send off my BRP for that? I am getting my BRP the day I land, but we're going to France literally the day after (I know, we're nuts) And I need my BRP to travel into France (Or so I've been told!) That being said, I wouldn't even be able to apply for the NIN until after we return from France. We won't be there long, but we'll be away from Swindon until the 10 September (I will be getting my BRP on the 5th or 6th depending on what time we arrive in Swindon on the 5th)

No. They have to send you an application through the post so you will just give them a call, give them your information and then you wait for the application to arrive.

You are just getting a jump start on waiting for the application to get sent to you so you will be ready to apply when you get back.

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No. They have to send you an application through the post so you will just give them a call, give them your information and then you wait for the application to arrive.

You are just getting a jump start on waiting for the application to get sent to you so you will be ready to apply when you get back.

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Wonderful! Then I'll do that the day I land!!!

You don’t need a BRP to travel INTO France because a BRP is a visa for the U.K., not for France.

What you need the BRP for is to get back into the U.K. again when you leave France.

You must carry both your passport and BRP with you whenever you leave the U.K., because you won’t get back in without both of them.

When you aren’t travelling you should keep your passport and BRP in a safe place - do not carry them around with you. There is no requirement to carry ID in the UK




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Right, that's what I thought. The BRP is the actual "visa" right?

Do I need to send off my BRP for that? I am getting my BRP the day I land, but we're going to France literally the day after (I know, we're nuts) And I need my BRP to travel into France (Or so I've been told!) That being said, I wouldn't even be able to apply for the NIN until after we return from France. We won't be there long, but we'll be away from Swindon until the 10 September (I will be getting my BRP on the 5th or 6th depending on what time we arrive in Swindon on the 5th)

Not to start a panic... Isn't it possible that the BRP won't be at the post office immediately or have they been good about this lately? I remember that BRPs weren't always there immediately and sometimes took a few days. I can't remember if it was people who were in smaller towns who had this provlem or it was just random.

Not to start a panic... Isn't it possible that the BRP won't be at the post office immediately or have they been good about this lately? I remember that BRPs weren't always there immediately and sometimes took a few days. I can't remember if it was people who were in smaller towns who had this provlem or it was just random.

I saw someone post just today in an expat group that her husband's BRP wasn't there but her kids' were. So it can still be a problem.

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Not to start a panic... Isn't it possible that the BRP won't be at the post office immediately or have they been good about this lately? I remember that BRPs weren't always there immediately and sometimes took a few days. I can't remember if it was people who were in smaller towns who had this provlem or it was just random.

The letter in my passport said my BRP would be ready starting August 18. It should be there, right?

The letter in my passport said my BRP would be ready starting August 18. It should be there, right?

Technically it should be but it isn't always on time.

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Technically it should be but it isn't always on time.

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Ugh, fantastic. I'll just have to wait and see I guess.

Technically it should be but it isn't always on time.

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Good to know it's still happening occasionally if someone asks. I remember it had caused a few people problems.