Moving to London from Australia: visa, flat, bank, done

Sort the visa first. Every other step in London, from renting a flat to getting paid, asks to see it.

The short version

• Most Australians under 36 come on the Youth Mobility Scheme visa. It costs £340 plus the health surcharge, and you need £2,530 in savings [1].
• If a grandparent was born in the UK, the UK Ancestry visa gives you five years instead of two or three [2].
• The £20 ETA is for visits only. It does not let you live or work in London [3].
• Budget for rent first. The average London rent was £2,338 a month in September 2026, the highest of any English region [7].
• Once you land: share code, National Insurance number, GP, bank account, then a flat. In roughly that order.

Step one: pick the visa that fits you

London is easy to love and hard to stay in without the right paperwork. Australians mostly use one of three doors.

Youth Mobility is the classic. You can work in most jobs, study and even run a small business with no employees [1]. The catch: no dependants, and you cannot apply if you have children under 18 living with you [1].

Ancestry is the long game. It needs proof of a grandparent born in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or in Ireland before 31 March 1922 [2]. We cover both in detail in our visa guide.

If you hold a British passport through a parent, you skip all of this. Check before you pay for a visa you don't need.

Step two: what to sort before you fly

The three months before you leave matter more than the first three weeks in London. Here is the order we suggest.

1. Build the savings proof. For Youth Mobility, the £2,530 must sit in your account for 28 days in a row, and day 28 must fall within 31 days of applying [1]. Don't move it around.
2. Apply for the visa. Youth Mobility opens six months before travel. Ancestry opens three months before. Both usually take about three weeks from outside the UK [1][2].
3. Pay the health surcharge. It is paid with the application and gives you access to the NHS once you arrive [1].
4. Set up your UKVI account. Your visa is an eVisa, a digital record, so the account is how you prove your status later [5].
5. Tidy up Australia. Tax residency, super, Medicare, the phone number and your bank. Our leaving Australia checklist runs through it.
6. Line up a soft landing. Book two to four weeks of short-stay accommodation. Most landlords want to meet you, see your share code and check references before handing over keys.

Your first fortnight in London

Get your share code

A share code lets an employer or landlord check your right to work or rent online. You generate it through GOV.UK using your UKVI account [5]. You'll use it more often than you'd think, so save it somewhere handy.

Apply for a National Insurance number

You need an NI number to pay tax and National Insurance properly. Check your eVisa first, as some people already have one. If you don't, apply online once you're in the UK. It can take up to four weeks, and you can start work in the meantime if you can prove your right to work [4].

Register with a GP

This one catches people out because it is so easy. In England you don't need ID, proof of address or proof of immigration status to register with a GP, and it's free. The online form takes about 15 minutes [6]. Do it in week one, before you need a doctor.

Open a bank account

High-street banks often ask for proof of address, which you won't have yet. App-based banks tend to be quicker to open with a passport and a temporary address. Have a UK account ready before your first payday.

Get moving on transport

Tap a contactless card or phone on the Tube, buses and most trains. Pay-as-you-go caps stop you overspending. In 2026 a bus fare is £1.75, a zone 1 Tube trip is £3.10 at peak, and the daily cap for zones 1 and 2 is £8.90 [8]. You don't need to buy an Oyster card unless you want one.

Where Australians tend to land

London is 32 boroughs plus the City, and each part has its own personality. A few patterns for newcomers:

• South-west (Clapham, Balham, Wandsworth, Fulham): long the default for young Australians. Good transport, plenty of pubs, parks for weekend sport.
• West (Shepherd's Bush, Hammersmith, Ealing, Acton): handy for Heathrow and the Elizabeth line, a little calmer.
• North and east (Islington, Hackney, Stratford, Walthamstow): creative, younger crowds, strong food scenes.
• South-east (Greenwich, Brockley, Peckham): more space for your money, good overground links.

Commute time beats postcode prestige. Check your door-to-door journey before you sign anything. Our renting guide covers the paperwork.

The money you'll need on arrival

Most of the pain is upfront. A rough first-month list for one person sharing a flat:

That's why the £2,530 Youth Mobility minimum is a floor, not a budget. Most people arrive with a fair bit more. For the full picture, read cost of living in London.

Finding work

Australians are well regarded in London, especially in hospitality, teaching, nursing, construction, finance and tech. A few practical tips:

• Translate your CV. Use UK spelling, drop the photo and keep it to two pages.
• Register with recruiters early. Many London jobs are filled through agencies, especially temp and contract roles.
• Check registration rules. Teachers, nurses, accountants, lawyers and tradies often need UK registration or recognition before they can work in their field. Start this before you leave.
• Understand tax on both sides. You'll pay UK tax on UK wages, and you need to tell the ATO when you stop being an Australian resident. Our tax residency guide explains the tests.

Settling in without losing your Aussie side

Homesickness usually hits around month three, when the novelty fades and the days get short. Plan for it. Join a sports team, find your local, and keep a routine.

The Australian High Commission is in Australia House on the Strand, and handles passports and consular help [10]. Save its number before you need it.

And find your people early. Join Cooee UK, our Facebook group for Australians in the UK. It's where newcomers ask about flatshares, footy and where to find a decent meat pie.

Sources

1. Youth Mobility Scheme visa – GOV.UK
2. UK Ancestry visa – GOV.UK
3. Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK – GOV.UK
4. Apply for a National Insurance number – GOV.UK
5. Prove your right to work to an employer: get a share code – GOV.UK
6. How to register with a GP surgery – NHS
7. Private rent and house prices, UK: October 2026 – Office for National Statistics
8. MD3464 March 2026 Transport for London fare changes – Mayor of London
9. Rent payments and deposits – GOV.UK guidance for landlords and letting agents
10. Contact details – Australian High Commission, United Kingdom

Keep reading

• UK Youth Mobility and Ancestry visas for Australians
• Renting in London as an Australian
• Aussie life in London
• Are you still an Australian tax resident once you move?