The flight landed. You are through immigration. Someone picked you up or you found your way to your accommodation. You sit down and suddenly realise you have no idea what to do next.
Most japa content covers getting there. Almost none of it covers what happens in the hours and days immediately after you arrive. And that first week is genuinely important. Some tasks are time-sensitive. Some have knock-on effects that affect your employment, your healthcare access, and your financial setup. Miss them and you are firefighting for weeks.
The first week is also the week you are most disoriented. Everything is new. The cold, the pace, the food, the silence of the streets at night, the way people do not make eye contact on the tube. Your brain is processing a huge amount of unfamiliar information. Having a checklist means you do not have to also be thinking about what needs to happen and in what order.
This checklist is built for the UK, Canada, and Australia contexts, the three most common destinations for Nigerian japa. Where steps differ by country, that is noted. Work through it in order. Everything here earns its place.
Quick Summary
- The first 48 hours are for safety and orientation. The rest of the first week is for administration.
- Collecting your BRP (UK), SIN (Canada), or TFN (Australia) is your most urgent administrative task in your first days. These numbers unlock employment, banking, and services.
- Do not wait until week two to register with a GP in the UK. The queue can be long and you need to be on a patient list before you need a doctor.
- Your Nigerian bank cards may have international transaction limits. Have a plan for accessing money on day one before your local bank account is open.
- The first week will be hard regardless of how well you prepared. That is normal. Keep moving through the checklist.
Day 1 to 2: Immediate Safety and Orientation
Before any administration, your first 48 hours should focus on three things: getting safe, getting oriented, and getting rest.
[ ] Confirm your accommodation is as expected Check that the property matches what you agreed. If something is significantly wrong, contact your landlord or accommodation provider immediately while you are still in the first days. Do not wait and hope it sorts itself out.
[ ] Get a local SIM card or activate an eSIM Your Nigerian number will roam at significant cost. Get a local prepaid SIM or activate a local eSIM on your phone within your first 24 hours. In the UK, Giffgaff, EE, and Lebara are commonly used by Nigerian arrivals before they commit to a contract. In Canada, Koodo and Public Mobile have affordable prepaid options. In Australia, Aldi Mobile and Boost Mobile are popular starting points. Having a local number is also required for many administrative registrations.
[ ] Locate your nearest pharmacy, supermarket, and public transport links Know where these are before you need them urgently. A 10-minute walk around your neighbourhood on day one saves you significant stress later.
[ ] Contact your family in Nigeria to confirm you arrived safely Simple but important. Do it.
[ ] Rest You have just completed an international flight, possibly with a long layover, after months of high-stress preparation. Your body and brain need recovery time. The administration starts in earnest from day 2 or 3. Give yourself permission to sleep.
Day 2 to 3: Your Identity Document in the New Country
This is the most urgent administrative task of your first week because almost everything else depends on it.
[ ] Collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) (UK only) If you are in the UK on a visa of more than 6 months, you were given a collection location for your BRP when your visa was approved. You typically have 10 days from arrival to collect it. Your BRP is your proof of immigration status in the UK. You will need it to open a bank account, register with a GP, start work, and access most services. Do not delay collection.
Check your visa approval documentation for the exact collection post office or location. Bring your passport and your visa vignette.
[ ] Apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) (Canada only) Your SIN is your identifier for employment, taxes, and government services in Canada. You can apply online through Service Canada or in person at a Service Canada Centre. The process is relatively quick (online applications can be done on arrival day if you have your documents). You need your SIN before you can legally work and before your employer can process your payroll.
[ ] Apply for a Tax File Number (TFN) (Australia only) Your TFN is required for employment and tax purposes in Australia. Apply through the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) website. Processing takes approximately 10 to 28 days but you can start the application from your first days. Your employer can employ you without a TFN but will withhold tax at the highest rate until your TFN is provided.
Day 3 to 4: Banking
You need a local bank account to receive salary, pay rent by direct debit, and manage daily finances. Your Nigerian cards work but with fees and limits. Getting a local account set up in the first week is important.
[ ] Open a local bank account In the UK, challenger banks like Monzo or Starling allow you to open an account with just your passport and a selfie, without a fixed UK address. These are widely used by Nigerian arrivals in the first weeks before they have a permanent address established. Traditional UK banks (Barclays, HSBC, NatWest) generally require proof of address, which is harder to provide immediately on arrival.
In Canada, the major banks (RBC, TD, Scotiabank) offer New to Canada banking packages specifically for new immigrants. Some allow you to open an account before you arrive if you set it up through their international banking programme. Visit a branch in your first week if you have not set it up pre-arrival.
In Australia, ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, and NAB all have processes for new arrivals. You can open an account online or in branch with your passport.
[ ] Set up your international money transfer If you set up Wise or another regulated transfer service before you left Nigeria, confirm it is working and linked to your new local account. You will need to send and receive money between Nigeria and your new country. Test a small transaction early so you know the system works before you need it for something important.
[ ] Notify your Nigerian bank of your arrived status and local contact details Update your contact information with your Nigerian bank. You will still need access to naira for Nigerian obligations, and you want to make sure your account is accessible and your contact details are current.
Day 4 to 5: Healthcare Registration
[ ] Register with a local GP (UK only) In the UK, your right to use the NHS comes with your visa and your IHS payment. But you cannot access GP services until you are registered with a practice. GP registration is done at the practice level, and some practices have waiting lists or catchment area restrictions.
Find the GP practices nearest to your accommodation using the NHS website (nhs.uk/service-search). Visit or contact 2 to 3 in your first week to register. You will typically need your passport, your BRP, and your address. Registration is free.
Do not wait until you are sick to register. Do it in your first week when it is not urgent.
[ ] Register with a doctor or find a walk-in clinic (Canada and Australia) In Canada, GP registration varies by province and demand. In Ontario, many family doctors are not accepting new patients. Research walk-in clinics in your area as a starting point while you look for a permanent family doctor. In Australia, bulk-billing GP clinics (where the government pays most of the cost) are available and worth locating in your first week.
[ ] Fill your medication supply and confirm local prescription access If you brought medication from Nigeria, confirm what the equivalent is in your new country’s pharmacy system using the generic (international non-proprietary) name your Nigerian doctor wrote for you. Establish a relationship with a local pharmacist in your first week.
Day 5 to 6: Employment and Tax
[ ] Confirm your employment start details If you have a job starting soon, confirm your start date, location, and what to bring on your first day. Many UK employers need to see your BRP and your right to work documents before your first day. Confirm what your specific employer requires.
[ ] Understand your tax code or deductions (UK) In the UK, your tax code determines how much income tax is deducted from your salary. New arrivals are sometimes put on an emergency tax code (typically 1257L but sometimes a higher deduction code) until HMRC has your full information. This can mean you pay more tax than you should in your first month. It is usually corrected automatically, but knowing about it means you are not shocked by a smaller-than-expected first paycheck.
[ ] Register for National Insurance (UK) If you do not already have a National Insurance (NI) number (it should have been assigned when your visa was approved), contact HMRC. You need an NI number for employment and benefits. Your employer can start paying you before you have one but needs it as soon as you receive it.
Day 6 to 7: Practical Settlement
[ ] Set up essential utilities and services at your accommodation If you are renting a room or flat, confirm which utilities you are responsible for and how they are managed. In the UK, council tax registration may be required. Confirm your tenancy terms around utilities.
[ ] Get an Oyster card or local transit pass If you are in London, load an Oyster card for the tube and buses. In other UK cities, get the relevant transit app or pass. In Toronto, get a Presto card. In Sydney, get an Opal card. These are small things that make daily life immediately easier.
[ ] Connect with your Nigerian community locally The Facebook groups and WhatsApp communities you joined before you left are now useful in a different way. Post an introduction. Ask the specific questions that your first week has generated. People who arrived 6 months before you have already solved the problems you are currently facing.
[ ] Write down what you still need to do After 7 days, you will have completed most of the urgent items. You will also have discovered things you did not anticipate. Write them down. Some will need to be handled in week two. The goal of week one is not to solve everything; it is to handle the time-sensitive items so nothing falls through the cracks.
Two Arrivals, Different First Weeks
Kemi and Tunde both arrive in Manchester on the same day for jobs at the same NHS Trust.
Kemi collects her BRP on day 2, opens a Monzo account on day 3, registers with a GP on day 4, and confirms her right to work documents with HR by day 5. By the end of the week she has her local number, local bank account, GP registration, and employment paperwork in order.
Tunde decides to “settle in” first. He spends the first week exploring the city, eating jollof from a Nigerian food shop he found, and watching football. He tells himself the admin can wait until week two.
In week two, Tunde discovers the GP practice nearest him has a 3-week waiting list for new registrations. His employer needs his BRP urgently and he collected it on day 9 (he had 10 days). His first payroll run has been processed without his NI number, so his tax deduction is on the emergency code.
None of Tunde’s problems are catastrophic. But they are all stress he created for himself. Kemi has none of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I arrive and my accommodation falls through? Contact your university, employer, or a Nigerian community group immediately. Universities often have emergency accommodation support for students. Your employer’s HR department may be able to point you to temporary options. Most major UK, Canadian, and Australian cities have Nigerian diaspora groups that can help with emergency accommodation referrals. Do not sleep rough. Ask for help immediately.
How do I get around in my first few days without a local bank card? Have some local currency cash before you leave Nigeria, or exchange at the airport. Alternatively, use your Nigerian Visa or Mastercard debit card for contactless payments (most transport systems accept these) while you open your local account. Be aware of your Nigerian bank’s international transaction limits. Wise’s debit card, if you set it up before leaving, also works internationally.
Do I need to register my arrival with the Nigerian High Commission? It is advisable, though not mandatory. Registering with the Nigerian High Commission or Embassy in your destination country means you are on their records as a Nigerian national in that country. This is useful in emergencies, for assistance with lost passports, and for accessing consular services. The registration process varies by High Commission. Check the website of the Nigerian diplomatic mission in your destination country.
When should I start looking for a more permanent place to live if I am in temporary accommodation? Start looking within your first 2 weeks if your temporary accommodation has a short lease. The rental market in London, Toronto, and Sydney is competitive. The earlier you start searching with a local bank account, a local number, and your right to work document, the better positioned you are. Many landlords require proof of employment or a guarantor for international tenants. Understand the requirements of the specific market you are entering.
The First Week Sets the Foundation
Week one is not the time to relax fully or to panic. It is a transition week with a specific set of tasks that make every subsequent week easier.
Work through this checklist in order. Prioritise the items marked as day 1 to 3 above everything else. The rest follows in sequence.
DeyWithMe has country-specific arrival guides for Nigeria to UK, Nigeria to Canada, and Nigeria to Australia that go deeper on each of the items in this checklist, including how to navigate NHS registration, Canadian provincial healthcare, Australian bulk-billing, and local banking setup in each destination. Use them as your reference for the specific country you are in.
