Q: Can I bring my family with me to the UK?

The short answer to the question is 'Yes, you can'. Once Health Professionals have obtained a work permit for you, then your spouse and children are, under normal circumstances, eligible for what is called a dependency visa. This type of visa enables your spouse to work in the UK, and allows your children to enrol in schools.

It is very important to keep in mind that relocating your whole family to a new country is a huge project and will require a lot of planning and research. Health Professionals is of course here to lend you advice and guidance as you go along.

Here are a few of the most important points that you should consider:

1. Although Health Professionals is able to arrange for our nurses to stay in subsidized hospital accommodation, this type of accommodation is normally for a single nurse does not allow for families. Because of this, many nurses chose to arrive in the UK alone at first, and use the first month or so to settle in to the UK, their new job, and to find accommodation that would suit their family. However, if arriving without your family is not an option, please be aware that you will have to arrange accommodation for yourself until you do secure a flat. This may involve staying in a bed and breakfast, or with friends (if possible). Health Professionals will be able to advise you on affordable B&B's, and nice areas of town, but you must ensure that you have enough financial recourses to last you and your family until you are settled in a flat.

2. If you do have schooling aged children, you will also need to ensure that they have been registered in a school. This can take some time, especially in London, so be sure to get started on this as early as possible. Information on registering your kids in school can be found at www.gov.uk. If you click on 'Your Life' on the menu at the top of the screen, you will be directed to a page that gives you information about schools and enrolment procedures.

3. Depending on your salary and your spending habits, you may find it quite difficult to rent a flat and support children on a nurse's salary alone.

Some other points to consider…relocating your family will require financial resources and planning. Make sure that you have a financial cushion to sit on until you are settled in. Also, if you have ever had any problems regarding immigration or visas in the past (whether in the UK or any other country), this could present problems for your family when applying for their dependency visas. Be sure to mention if you have had any problems in the past your Health Professionals consultant to avoid any last-minute hassles.