A guide to the entry of new immigrants to Britain
There are three kinds of ports of entry in Britain: British passport, European passport and other passports. China citizens should generally choose other countries' citizen channels for entry formalities. Generally, immigration officers will first check their identity or reasons (such as students, business, visiting relatives, etc.). ), and then ask for relevant documents (such as admission notice, invitation letter, etc. ).
When you claim your baggage, you should pick it up on the baggage conveyor belt of your flight. If you find that your luggage is lost, you should report it to the airline with the baggage consignment note, and you can go through customs formalities and enter the country only after you get the declaration document for loss reporting.
When you enter the country, you should also exchange pounds for consumption at some foreign currency exchange points in airports, banks or big cities. Pound coins are divided into: 2 pounds, 1 pound, 50p, 20p, 1 0p, 5p, 2p and1penny; Paper money is divided into 50 pounds, 20 pounds, 10 pounds and 5 pounds.
British customs, like other countries, is divided into red and green customs channels. Those who need to declare taxes take the red channel, and those who don't need to pay customs duties take the green channel.
duty-free goods
Personal belongings and travel expenses brought into China are generally not limited within a reasonable range.
Non-British citizens can bring the following items into the country duty-free: 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 500 grams of tobacco; One or two bottles of wine with an alcohol content of no more than 22%; 50 ml of perfume and 250 ml of toilet water, as well as some valuable souvenirs. /kloc-people under the age of 0/7 are not allowed to bring tobacco and alcohol products into the country. If the quantity or variety exceeds the above limit, it is necessary to take the red channel and pay customs duties according to regulations.
restricted article
Dogs, cats and other animals, including rabbits, mice and gerbils. You can bring it into this country unless you have a British import license.
Resident birds, including family pets, must have a British health import license to be brought into the country.
Whether endangered species, including birds and plants, are alive or dead; In addition, fur, ivory or leather (or articles made from them) of endangered species.
Meat and poultry, most of their products include bacon, ham, sausage, head, eggs, milk and cream. Each person is allowed to carry 1 kg of fully cooked and sealed meat.
Certain plants and their products, including trees, shrubs, potatoes, certain fruits, bulbs and seeds.
Wireless devices that are not allowed to be used in Britain.
Articles prohibited from being brought in
Illegal drugs such as heroin, morphine, cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, barbiturates and ecstasy.
Offensive weapons.
Articles containing obscene and obscene content, including books, magazines, movies, videos, CDs, software, etc.
Forging and illegally copying goods that damage patents.
When traveling in Britain, while enjoying yourself, you should also pay attention to personal and property safety and take the following preventive and self-protection measures:
After arriving in Britain, first understand the public security environment of your surrounding residence; Generally don't make friends at will; Don't let people know your living habits easily; Don't stay too long in secluded or poor security areas at night; Do not let strangers ride in your car or walk with strangers; Don't take a taxi in the dark.
Pay attention to take good care of your passport, ID card and other important identity documents, generally do not carry them with you, make more copies and store them separately; Don't carry a lot of cash with you, and don't store a lot of cash in your place of residence; Don't put valuables in an empty place in the car; Don't change money on the black market (often cheated or robbed), try to change money at banks or other official exchange points; It is suggested that special attention should be paid to keeping valuables such as money and things with you in business districts or crowded places.
If there is a problem, be calm and don't panic; Call for help loudly and attract others to help; It is necessary to call the police in time, actively cooperate with the police and provide relevant clues to the police. At the same time, take the initiative to contact the nearest China embassy or consulate in the UK, and the embassy or consulate will provide you with assistance and protection as required, such as urging the British police and other competent departments to solve the case as soon as possible, enforce the law fairly and handle the case efficiently, or recommending a friendly lawyer to you, who will help you or act as your agent to carry out criminal proceedings or file civil claims.
As long as you obey the traffic rules in Britain, you will avoid or reduce the possibility of accidents. If you must cross the road at various crosswalks, don't cross the road at will; Britain implements "left lane driving". When crossing the road, you must look to the right first. Get on the bus in order, don't get on the bus, subway or taxi; Be sure to fasten your seat belt when riding in other people's vehicles, especially in the first row.
The determination of responsibility for traffic accidents in Britain is complicated, but generally speaking, observing traffic rules will get relatively favorable results. After a traffic accident, don't panic, call the police as soon as possible, and leave personal information of witnesses as much as possible for the police to testify for you. At the same time, take the initiative to contact the China Embassy and Consulate in Britain, and the China Embassy and Consulate will provide you with assistance or services as required, such as urging the police and other competent departments to solve the case as soon as possible, enforce the law fairly, handle the case efficiently, or recommend a lawyer for you, who will help you or represent you in criminal proceedings or civil claims.
When traveling in Britain, we should also pay attention to three taboos. First, don't ask about other people's private affairs. Never ask them "Where have you been" or "Have you eaten?" People in China think you are enthusiastic, while people in Britain think you are rude. It is even more taboo to inquire about men's wages and women's ages; Second, you can't get stuck. British people have the habit of queuing, queuing for buses, trains or buying newspapers. Interference is disgusting. Third, you can't bargain. When shopping in Britain, the most taboo is bargaining. The British don't like bargaining and think it's a shame. If they think the price of the goods is right, they will buy them, and if the price is not right, they will leave.
New immigrants need to deal with the following matters as soon as possible after landing:
First, buy land.
British immigrants must pay attention to the fact that buying a house in Britain is a troublesome thing, which often requires you to find a house for a long time, submit relevant information and handle official documents. So you'd better start doing this a few months in advance, and before buying a house, you'd better know what procedures you need to go through so that you won't be too flustered when you act.
Second, children's education.
A large number of people go to Britain to give their children a better education, so it is important to find a suitable school, but it is not a simple matter. You need to look for every school carefully, find the one that suits your child best, and pass the examination of this school, so it is best to choose a school six months in advance. If the child is over 4 years old, it is best to choose a school according to the child's specialty. After all, the languages of the two countries are very different, and if children enter local public schools, it may not be so easy to adapt. However, the enrollment of private schools is also very strict, so we must make plans in advance.
Third, how to adjust your mentality.
Arriving in a brand-new country must be a strange feeling, but don't be discouraged by strangeness. You must face a new life with a positive attitude, and know in advance what untouchable treaties you have and what activities around your life can promote the scope of communication. English people prefer to make friends, so you can communicate with them boldly, and you won't be shy when you speak. This will not only help your oral practice, but also help you in a short time. Then your daily life will not be derailed with them.
Fourth, the principle of giving priority to women.
English men are relatively gentlemen. For them, women are worthy of respect. They always adhere to the concept of "ladies first". In public places, women line up first. When sitting down, men will also help women pull the stool first, and men will sit down after women sit down.