Whether it’s you and your partner, family or business, crossing continents to relocate somewhere new may seem daunting.
As with anywhere else, the Isle of Man has some bureaucracy regarding immigration. Even though you will find the authorities to be a lot more pragmatic and helpful than in most other places, seeking professional legal advice is still a wise investment. The return on that investment is the peace of mind which comes from knowing you will be guided through red tape at every stage of the process so your journey is as stress free as possible.
BridsonHalsall is a leading Isle of Man law practice. Their well respected and experienced team deal with all aspects of Isle of Man law and offer the best advice on all matters relating to relocating, including immigration issues, property, employment, plus setting up and running a business. Thanks to many years of working with international clients, the practice has excellent connections to a range of specialists in the Isle of Man and across other jurisdictions who can assist to ensure a joined up approach whatever your needs.
Johannesburg to IOM: A case study
Out of all the BridsonHalsall team, Bernadette Arlow (who is BridsonHalsall’s property lawyer and a South African qualified Attorney, Conveyancer and Notary) is best placed to offer an insight into what it’s really like to make the SA-IOM move. In 2020 she and her husband were living and working in Johannesburg with their 10 year old daughter and thinking of their future career and life plans.
The couple were considering emigration options like Australia, New Zealand and England until they found out about the Isle of Man, the hidden gem at the heart of the British Isles. An English-speaking jurisdiction openly welcoming new arrivals from overseas and offering security and safety, beautiful countryside and opportunities to obtain permanent residency and a full British passport. It almost seemed too good to the true until they learned that nearly 10,000 other South African’s had already made the move and the opportunity was as good as it sounded.
Bernadette and her family made the move in August 2021 and are now happy to be part of the BridsonHalsall team and Island’s growing South African ex-pat community – so she understands better than most the concerns in the minds of compatriots who are thinking about making the same journey.
She has no doubts about the value of seeking professional legal advice from a practice with local and international expertise. “The most important lesson I have learnt from my experience of moving here from South Africa is that it’s essential to choose a local immigration lawyer to complete your visa application,” says Bernadette. “Applying for a visa is a stressful, complicated process and each case is different. One small mistake and you run the risk of having to start again and losing your application fees. You need an expert with local knowledge and experience to ensure that the application is completed as smoothly as possible.”
BridsonHalsall’s team are migration experts. Their understanding of South Africans and the ex-pat community mean they can help with the little things too. Whether it’s signposting removal companies or pet transportation, or recommending the best places to watch live TV coverage of rugby, cricket, football matches and cheer on South Africa alongside other ex-pats, contacting BridsonHalsall should be at the top of your ‘to do’ list 😊
Click here for a video in which Bernadette share’s more insights about her SA to IOM journey.
Or click here for information about BridsonHalsall.