Your First 30 Days in the UK as a Romanian: What to Do and In What Order (2026)

If you have just moved to the UK, the first 30 days are essential for getting your administrative situation in order. There are several important tasks to complete: applying for a National Insurance number, registering with a GP, opening a bank account, and notifying your local council. Each has its own process and its own right moment. Done in the correct order, they save time and prevent problems that are common precisely because most new arrivals do not know the sequence.

Your first 30 days: the priority checklist

Not everything in your first month is equally urgent. Some tasks must happen in the first week; others have a three-year window. The checklist below separates them by priority so you can work through them in the right order rather than in the order they occur to you.

National Insurance number: apply as soon as you have an address

Your National Insurance number is the reference the UK tax system uses to track your earnings, income tax payments, and National Insurance contributions. Without it on record, your employer will deduct tax on an emergency code — usually higher than your correct rate — and your contributions will sit in a holding account rather than being credited to your National Insurance record.

The application is entirely online via gov.uk and takes around 20 minutes. You will need your passport or BRP and a UK address. There is no fee and no interview. Your NINO is sent by post, typically within three to four weeks of a successful application.

One important nuance: the NINO application asks for your nationality, immigration status, and employer details. Answer accurately. There is no advantage to omitting information, and inaccuracies can delay processing. If you have not yet started work at the time of application, that is fine — you can still apply.

GP registration: do this before your BRP arrives

Registering with a GP is one of the most important things you can do in your first week in the UK, and one of the most commonly delayed — because many Romanians assume they need their BRP card or National Insurance number first. They do not.

Under NHS rules, GP surgeries cannot refuse to register a patient solely because they lack a BRP, NINO, or proof of address. You are entitled to register as soon as you have a UK address. In practice, some surgeries do ask for these documents — this is outside the rules, and if a practice refuses you on this basis, you can report it to NHS England.

To find a GP surgery accepting new patients, use the NHS website (nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-gp) and filter by your postcode. Most practices allow you to register online. You will be asked your name, date of birth, address, and whether you have an NHS number — if you do not have one yet, say so; the surgery will assign one. Your first appointment may take a week or two to come through, which is another reason to register as early as possible.

The Immigration Health Surcharge you paid as part of your visa application gives you full NHS access from the moment you arrive. This covers GP appointments, hospital treatment, mental health services, and maternity care. Prescriptions are charged at a standard flat rate (currently £9.90 per item in England as of 2026) unless you qualify for an exemption. Dental treatment is charged separately on NHS dental bands.

Bank account: which options work on day one

Opening a UK bank account is straightforward if you know which route to take. The mistake most new arrivals make is going to a high street bank first — traditional banks typically require a UK credit history, proof of address (often a utility bill, which you won't have yet), and sometimes a local payslip. For someone who arrived last week, none of these are available.

The faster route is a digital bank. Monzo, Starling, and Wise all offer full UK current accounts that can be opened using a passport and a UK address. No credit history is needed. The application is done through a smartphone app and typically takes 24 to 48 hours. Once open, you receive a debit card by post (usually within three to five working days) and can use the account immediately via the app for contactless payments and transfers.

Each has slightly different strengths. Monzo and Starling function as full current accounts with sort codes and account numbers, making them straightforward for salary payments and direct debits. Wise is particularly strong if you are sending money between the UK and Romania, offering real mid-market exchange rates with low fees. Many Romanians use Wise for international transfers and Monzo or Starling as their primary UK account.

Council tax: register immediately and check your discount

Council tax is a local authority charge that funds services including bin collection, street lighting, local roads, and some social services. It is charged per property, not per person, and liability falls on whoever is the responsible adult occupier — which means you, from the day you move in.

Council tax bands are set by the government based on property value and vary by local authority. To find out what your property is banded at and what your local rate is, search your postcode on the Valuation Office Agency website (voa.gov.uk). Payment is typically made in ten monthly instalments from April to January, though you can request twelve instalments if that suits your budget better.

To register, contact your local council directly — search "[your council name] council tax" and look for the online registration form. You will need your address, move-in date, and your landlord's details if renting. The council will write to you confirming your band and annual charge.

Students in full-time education are fully exempt from council tax. If you live with one full-time student as the only other adult, you still qualify for the 25% discount as the sole non-student adult. A property occupied entirely by full-time students pays no council tax at all.

Getting oriented: SIM, transport, and the first week

Alongside the registrations above, a few practical steps in the first week make everything else significantly easier.

Get a UK SIM card

A UK phone number is required for almost every account verification process — banking apps, council portals, NHS online registration, and employer payroll systems all use SMS verification. Without a UK number, these processes become slower and sometimes impossible. Three, Giffgaff, and EE all sell pay-as-you-go SIMs in supermarkets and high street shops for a few pounds. Activate it the same day you arrive if possible.

Set up your transport

In London, the most efficient way to pay for public transport is contactless — either a bank card or a registered Oyster card. Oyster is worth registering online so that if you lose it, your credit is not also lost. Outside London, transport varies significantly by city. Most major cities have their own apps and smart ticketing systems — in Manchester this is the Bee Network app, in Birmingham the West Midlands Bus app, in Edinburgh Lothian Buses. Download the relevant app in your first week rather than relying on cash or paper tickets.

Register your address with the Romanian Consulate

Romanians living in the UK can register their foreign address with the Romanian Consulate General in London via econsulat.ro. This is not compulsory, but it simplifies later consular services — passport renewals, document apostilles, and absentee voting — significantly. If you intend to remain in the UK for more than a year, it is worth doing in your first month.

This guide is for general informational purposes. NHS rules, council tax rates, and government application processes can change. Always verify current requirements on gov.uk, nhs.uk, and your local council's website before relying on specific details. Last verified: April 2026.