Dave
Honorary Master
2019? It feels like it’s much longer than that since you arrived. Time flies when there’s a pandemic around, I suppose.
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Immigrating to the UK
- Thread starter AchmatK
- Start date
2019? It feels like it’s much longer than that since you arrived. Time flies when there’s a pandemic around, I suppose.
Yeah, will be 4 years at the end of the month.
I believe my wife and I achieved what we set out to. Both got good jobs, bought a house, I even lost some weight and eat healthier now days.
The only struggle I have apart from the short winter days is making new friends, been difficult for me.
Dave
Honorary Master
Socialising wasn’t all that easy for your first couple of years either.
Unless you were a Tory MP or staffer…
Ah, good ol' lockdowns.
Don’t know if you’d be able to claim if you’re not saying in the UK or a EEA member country.
You can buy back additional years up until 2025. Then you can only buy back 6 years.
You can. I'll probably elect to have it paid into my Barclays account back there but there's no telling where I'll be living when I retire.
State Pension if you retire abroad
How to claim State Pension if you're overseas - payment, tax, change of circumstances - contact the International Pension Centre
I also have a gap from 2008 to 2009 I should probably make up. It's only £250ish but it's currently a bit of a pain to do it. I'm waiting for them to change the system.
Topping up state pension to become easier with new online tool
Anyone looking to buy extra National Insurance contributions and boost their state pension currently has to make multiple phone calls - but a new online tool is on its way.
moneyweek.com
Sinbad
Honorary Master
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- Jun 5, 2006
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My parents in SA are getting a UK pension.
They also deferred theirs and got a very pleasant lump sum in return.
Mortymoose
Honorary Master
Know a number of UK pensioners living out here in Africa, living like Kings and Queens down at the local bowling clubs....
How come they're still here out of interest?
Sinbad
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2006
- Messages
- 88,641
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They're very comfortable where they are... They're in a very nice retirement estate in salt rock. Not many years left to be honest, they'll pop off before the country sinks. And they couldn't have the same lifestyle here given the exchange rate, cost of property etc. Two other kids in SA as well, and associated grandkids.
And it's ready for collection. That part of DHA is very efficient.
Good to know for the future when I need to renew it that it's that quick. Will be doing my Son's one in 5 years time.
Are you going to return to SA to renew the passport from there?
Yes, in future when I need to either renew mine or my son's passport I will come back here to do it and make a holiday out of it.
Doing it abroad takes over a year - vs just over a week in SA.
How soon can you renew a passport? Isn't there something about you can only travel with 6months plus on the passport still?
I'd like to do this route for my kids but the logistics of it makes me uneasy.
Well, my old passport expires in 2025. They charged me an extra R600 to do an "early" renewal.
As for only traveling with 6 months or more left; yeah that's generally a requirement for most countries, including SA.
The house is now officially on the market. **** is getting real.
Considering doing my TB and English test next month. Probably will only apply for visa in Feb / March. But I don't want to leave everything for the last minute.
Considering doing my TB and English test next month. Probably will only apply for visa in Feb / March. But I don't want to leave everything for the last minute.
I think TB is only valid for 6months - so just keep that in mind
I think things will be wrapped up by then.
House went on the market yesterday. Within 5 hours - we have three people interested and coming to view it today.
Wife is now concerned we pulled the trugger too early. But I told her it takes 3/4 months to wrap up a sale of a house. So it’s not too early I don’t think.
Place might get sold a lot quicker than I anticipated.
Will be contacting the immigration agents early next year to start visa stuff. Going to use them as the move is stressful enough and I’d rather make sure the application is right the first time.
Things are moving… fml. Not just talk anymore. Not sure how I feel about it all. Will miss our house for sure. Lots of good memories.