Dear all .......every couple of weeks, I receive an email which says something like the following:
*****starts "Hi ! Am planning to relocate to London and hence would like to know if there are school, job and residence facilities for people with Portuguese passports." *****ends As I receive these queries often, I developed a standard response - which I will Copy and re-Post here ( I have modified it since I sent out the last response -added a quote from Quora of this evening). I must say that I am quite surprised that ALL of the Goans who have written asking about relocating to London....started the letter with just a 'Hi' and also asked about 'Passport' and not 'Nationality'. I was tempted NOT to respond to these individuals who do not know HOW to address letters to others and who "talk" in terms of 'passport' (sounds so opportunistic) but then I say to myself ....'they probably are just unaware' ...and so I responded. As an aside, a couple of folks rowed me for the delays they were facing with their papers and even proceeded to 'cuss' the Portuguese. I must be the lawyer or middleman they paid funds to or an agent of the Portuguese govt.....Right? ANYWAY ..........Am posting it here to reduce the number of similar queries from others. PN: the generic guidance contained in this post is by No means complete and is subject to change So .....here goes......... jc ****** Dear _______ 1: Please get over talking about 'Portuguese Passport' and start thinking about being a 'Portuguese National' ie European National. BTW: This applies ONLY to individuals who have affirmed/reaffirmed their Portuguese Nationality via the official channels and not to those who have pseudo-affirmed it and gotten hold of a fraudulently issued ID and travel document / passport. Please do not present a fraudulent passport at Immigration in Lisbon, London.....or anywhere. 2: As an European national, you have the right to enter any EU country (say the UK) from another EU country (say Portugal).....though because of Fraud....questions may be asked of you at UK Border Control. 3: IF you enter from a non-EU country, you may face the usual questions eg Where do you plan to stay? & How do you plan to support yourself and your family while in the UK? Who will look after your minor children when they are not at school and you are at work? etc 4: Please be advised that the UK is a very expensive place to live in. So, please have sufficient funds to cover your initial expenses....unless you have relatives who can 'board and lodge' you temporarily. Please understand too, that there are strict regulations as to how many individuals can reside (except for a very short time) at any accommodation. 5: As an EU national, you also have the right to Enter and Seek employment in an EU member country. There is quite a bit of unemployment in the UK, so depending upon your qualifications and experience, your ability to secure initial employment may vary. Besides your CV, your interviewing skills might be important. 6: Application for jobs is always a tedious and sometimes frustrating experience. BUT, if you are committed to your goal, you will NOT allow hurdles to discourage you. Please remember to travel with all the original certificates of your qualifications, letters of recommendation and also (if you are traveling with children) school transcripts, diplomas etc. 7: You are advised to take whatever job you can get initially and work very hard and honestly at it. It may not be a great job and may not pay very well BUT it will give you some funds and work experience in the UK and references too. 8: Important to know that - while some discrimination occurs, a good deal of it is in our minds. Please remind yourself that you are in the UK as a right - presently accorded to ALL EU nationals. 9: Also understand that your host-family might get tired of you 'overstaying' at their home......even if you pay them 'an agreed amount' as rent. 10: Above all, Do NOT EVER react sharply at Immigration, with the Police or at Work - Instead to be polite and proper without appearing to be Grovelling, AND Remember too ( at least till you are fully stabilized ) to stay clear of local politics and political discussion. 11: Whatever your field of expertise, look to constantly upgrade your skills and qualifications. There are unlimited educational opportunities in the UK. You just got to tap into them. Important that you train your children to study and work very hard and achieve the best they can. It will be easier to do that IF you lead by example. It might be worth ascertaining the fields in which vacancies exist, and retrain ( if need be) in those fields - part time. 12: In conclusion: Remember that most of the Asians who now OWN businesses are first generation descendants of those who worked difficult ( even menial ) jobs at Heathrow and other places., and lived frugal lives, often in poor and cold accommodations. They sacrificed a lot for their kids and did not waste time and money in Pubs and Fancy Restaurants. REMEMBER: Even £ 5 every day expended on a non-essential visit to a pub equals £ 150 a month; and it hardly will end at £ 5 a day. I am not suggesting that you don't occasionally treat yourself and your family to a treat. All I am suggesting is that London can blow a hole in your wallet. So, be watchful. Spend on the essentials, Save and even invest into your OWN business venture......not someone else's! I hope your path to success will be less of a struggle than that of those early Asian immigrants to the UK. Addendum from a Quora User, "Doing Life in Beijing" Chant the mantra, "Don't be a whiny little bitch." Don't surround yourself with complainers. Steel yourself to the fact that people will crowd you, will spit, will cut queues, will stare at you at least outside of first-tier cities if you look foreign, will ask you direct questions that in your home country might seem wildly inappropriate. Don't be a douche. Be courteous and respectful and people will consistently reciprocate.
