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After your visa has been granted

Once your visa has been granted by the Home Office, you can start to plan your move to the UK! You’ll be given access to view your immigration status online and you’ll be able to generate a right to work share code so that, as your employer, we can view and prove your immigration status online.

If you have been granted a Skilled Worker Visa, you’ll need to start work within 28 days of the latest of either:

  • The date your visa becomes valid; or
  • The start date listed on your Certificate of Sponsorship (COS); or
  • The date you are granted permission to enter (stated on your e-visa).

Please bear these timeframes in mind when booking your flights.

Please let us know when you will be arriving in the UK as soon as you can, ensuring that you have checked your eVisa is correct prior to travelling.  Also ensure you enter the UK during the validity period of your visa.  If you enter the UK prior to the ‘valid from’ date on your visa you will not have permission to work for us and you will need to leave the Common Travel Area (UK, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man and Ireland) and re-enter the UK once your visa does become valid. 

Upon your arrival in the UK, we will then need to arrange a face to face meeting at the People Operations Offices to verify your original documents (passport/online share code/qualification certificates) to enable us to finalise your contract of employment, arrange your start date and issue your welcome and sponsorship letters.

You may also find these eVisa support videos useful to help access and use your eVisa as well as updating and recovering your UKVI account.

Cost of living in the UK

There will be various costs associated with living in the UK that you should allow for when preparing for your move. 

  • Accommodation (rent/mortgage): Monthly rental and mortgage costs can vary depending on the area you wish to live in and type of property you are looking at so it is worth exploring all your options. You can contact local estate agents in the city centre for advice and assistance. You would be expected to pay a deposit when you sign a rental agreement. Sometimes, a rental agreement will also include some of the utility bills listed below.
  • Water, gas and electricity: You will need to register an account with Severn Trent, the supplier of water to Leicester. Rates can range from around £100-500 per year depending on usage and you are usually billed twice a year, unless you are on a water meter. Gas and electricity can be provided by one supplier and rates vary. You can compare multiple suppliers using any comparison website.
  • Council Tax: This is a tax paid to the local authorities for the provision of services such as rubbish collection, police, fire services and street maintenance. The cost depends on where you live, the value of the property you are living in and the number of people over 18 years of age living there.
  • Telephone and internet services: Various deals are available with a variety of internet service providers. Packages range in price depending on your requirements. Most companies ask you sign a 12-month contract, so ensure you have the right package for you. Compare broadband, TV and phone deals via approved independent broadband comparison sites.
  • Television licence: You must have a TV licence to watch or record programmes on a TV, computer or other device as they’re broadcast or if you download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer to avoid receiving a fine. A TV licence costs around £175 per year which can be paid in full or in monthly instalments.
  • Insurance: Most people choose to insure their personal belongings and household possessions which is known as Contents Insurance. There are some exceptions to this rule so please check the details of each policy to ensure you have the right level of cover. Some items are required to be listed separately at an extra charge.
  • Car costs: If you wish to run a car in the UK road tax, MOT/service and car insurance are all requirements that you will need. See the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) website for more information.
  • Public transport costs: The university is well served by public transport, including frequent and reliable bus links (including a couple of park and ride sites) to the city centre, railway station and other areas of Leicester.

Comparison websites

There are a few comparison websites which can help you compare prices for some of the aforementioned utility bills and insurance policies such as MoneySuperMarket and Compare the Market.

Your first day

You may find our internal visa and immigration pages on DMU Connect useful for starting life at DMU where you can find information about living in the UK, visa renewals and switches. You will be able to access DMU Connect once your DMU Single Sign-on account is created.

Download our Guide to Getting Started

Download our Guide for New International Employees