Reasons WHY you should choose UK to do Business

18 May 2010

1. Easy to set up and run: The World Bank claims that it takes just 13 days to set up a business in the UK compared to the rest of Europe average which is 15 days.

2. Competitive Tax Environment for foreigner investors. The UK has lowered its corporate tax rate from over 50%in the 1980's to an extremely internationally compared lower rate.

3. Comparably less barriers for entrepreneurs The Organisation for Economic CO-operation and Development OECD commented that the UK is fifth in the World for Product market regulation.

4. The UK is one of the easiest places to register a property, in fact it is ranked above the USA, France, Japan, Italy, Germany and Canada according to the world bank.

5. Excellent communications network. The UK has the most extensively developed Broadband market compared to other G7 countries

6. Proximity to Europe allowing easy access to the EU countries, which is ranked as 1 of the, if not the biggest single markets in the world.

7. Excellent transport network links- air, sea and rail.

8. High Quality of Living people in the UK enjoy a high standard of living, education, publicly funded health

9. English is the international language of business.

10. London is hosting the 2012 Olympics and the total budget of contracts available should run into the billions

Birth Marriage and Death Registration - WHY?

17 May 2010- Since about 1837 there has been a requirement to register KEY LIFE EVENTS (births, deaths, marriages, adoption and civil partnership). Obviously the process has undergone some changes but the basic approach used today remains in place.

Registration of such key life events is a vital part of identity documentation and allows the applicant to receive a certificate that supports any further personal applications (e.g. Passports or Driving Licenses)

The General Register Office controls the administration of the registration process in England and Wales. The GRO maintains a national archive of all births, deaths and marriages as well as adoptions and civil partnerships since 2005.

THe GRO may also be able to assist with adopted persons looking to find birth relatives

Birth Registration Process - What Documents You need to Provide

If you live abroad you may apply for consular birth registration at your nearest British Consulate or the Foreign Commonwealth Office if you live in the UK. The application should be sent to the UK Embassy or High Commission in the country your child was born and they will assess the child's claim to British Nationality. Once this has been proven the birth will be registered.

Documents to send:

• child's overseas birth certificate

• mother's full length British birth certificate ( Or Naturalisation Certificate)

• father/second parent's full British Birth Certificate (Or Naturlisation Papers if born outside the UK)

• parents marriage certificate or civil partnership registration

• One Current British Passport
  

If one parent was born overseas you will still need to supply the overseas birth certificate or passport copy. All original documents must be sent plus two clear copies of each. It is possible to to use a certified copy of the passport but the bio data page MUST BE certified by a UK solicitor or notary public registered with the law society.

Unmarried Partner Process

If you are a British male and your child's mother is a foreigner you may ONLY apply for a consular birth registration of a child who was born on or after 1st July 2006. If you are an unmarried woman who has given birth abroad and you would want the father's details to be printed on the certificate- both you and the father will need to swear Statutory Paternity Declarations in front of a UK Solicitor/Commissioner of Oaths. This can be sworn in front of a consular officer if you are resident overseas

Cost

Registration costs £100.80 whether in London or overseas consulate and each certificate costs £64.80. You can pay by Postal Order or Bankers Draft.

Duration of Application

Inside the UK with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office most applications take about 20 days or 4 weeks to process.

Pakistan
India
Bangladesh
Philippines
Nigeria

If you are in one of the above countries then at present they are experiencing longer waiting times (Usually up to six months) for applications to be processed.

NEW UK GOVT

12.05.2010-After the 6 May 2010 Elections the UK Border Agency Website has been changed.

- News Stories, strategies and goals under the previous government have been removed from the web site however this content can be seen on the UK govt web archive.

Guidance and application forms can still be found on the UKBA web site though.

Lets hope the new govt can handle the challenges ahead.