Settling in · Dumfries and Galloway
Landing in Dumfries and Galloway? Start here.
The first fortnight in Dumfries and Galloway, in order: the paperwork that has to happen, then the places that make it feel like somewhere you could stay.
Week one and two
The order to do things in
1
Ring your Sama contact when you land
Whoever placed you. Tell them you arrived and that you are all right.
2
Apply for your National Insurance number
You can start work before it arrives, but do not leave it: your tax will be wrong until you have it.
3
Open a bank account
Passport, visa or share code, and proof of address. A letter from your employer usually does it.
4
Get a UK SIM
A local number makes the bank and the GP straightforward.
5
Register with a GP
Free at the point of use. Do it in your first week.
6
Check your tax code with HMRC
Get on the right code early or you will be paying too much for months.
7
Save your share code
You will be asked to prove your right to work and rent more than once.
8
Find the nearest shop, place of worship and club
The part that decides whether you stay, and the part no handbook covers.
Official, and free
Official finders
Run by the State, so they stay current. Search each one for your own town.
Find a GPThe NHS list of GP surgeries, searchable by postcode.Apply for a National Insurance numberYou need one to be taxed correctly. Apply once you are in the UK.Find an NHS dentistHarder than the GP. Start early and ring around.Check your visa and BRP or eVisaView and prove your immigration status online.Find your local police stationEmergency is 999 or 112. Non-emergency is 101.Understand your tax codeCheck what HMRC thinks you earn, so you are not overtaxed for months.Driving on a foreign licenceHow long you may drive on it, and whether it can be exchanged.Renting: know the rulesYour rights as a tenant, deposit protection and what a landlord may and may not do.Citizens AdviceFree, independent help with anything at all.Public transportNational rail and bus times and tickets.
Near you
57 places in Dumfries and Galloway worth knowing in week one
From OpenStreetMap, the map that locals build, plus places our team knows. Every card has a map link. If one has closed or moved, WhatsApp us and it comes down.
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Places of worship
Every faith near you, listed so people can find a community when they arrive. Sama Talent Group is not affiliated with any religion or religious organisation.
Churches
Dumfries Baptist Church
Christian, Baptist
Gillbrae Road, Dumfries, DG1 4EJ
About 20 km away
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Christian, Mormon
36 Edinburgh Road, Dumfries, DG1 1JQ
About 19 km away
St John the Evangelist
Christian, Catholic
Abercromby Road, Castle Douglas, DG7 1BD
About 15 km away
Castle Douglas Parish Church
Christian, Church of scotland
Queen Street, Castle Douglas, DG7 1EH
About 15 km away
The nearest Iglesia ni Cristo to Dumfries and Galloway
Iglesia ni Cristo, Glasgow
About 92 km away
White House Hall, 20 Neilson road, Paisley, Scotland, PA2 6LN
Worship services: Tue 6:00pm · Sat 3:00pm (children) · Sat 5:00pm
Iglesia ni Cristo, Isle of Man
About 109 km away
Farrant street Isle of Man, IM2 3HG
Worship services: Thu 6:00pm · Sun 10:45am · Sun 11:00am (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Edinburgh
About 109 km away
RCCG-Edinburgh Tabernacle Hall 41-42 Inverleith Gardens Ferry Road Edinburgh, Scotland EH3 5PR
Worship services: Wed 6:00pm · Sat 11:00am
Addresses and worship service times from the Iglesia ni Cristo directory, checked October 2026. Times can change, so check the locale's own page before you go. directory.iglesianicristo.net
Food and takeaways
Moore's Chip Shop
Fish and chips, pizza, burger, kebab. restaurant. Hours: Su-Th 11:45-20:00; Fr-Sa 11:45-21:00
254 King Street, Castle Douglas, DG7 1HA
About 15 km away
Canton Express
Chinese. restaurant
87 St Michael Street, Dumfries, DG1 2PY
About 19 km away
Yangtze River Chinese Takeaway
Chinese. restaurant
132 Brooms Road, Dumfries, DG1 2DZ
About 19 km away
Don Marco's
Fish and chips, pizza, burger, kebab. restaurant
King Street, Castle Douglas, DG7 1DW
About 15 km away
Sports and clubs
Galloway Activity Centre
Sailing, windsurfing, powerboating, kayaking, canoeing, lasertag, climbing, zipline, mountain biking, archery. Sports centre
About 13 km away
King George VI Sports Complex
Sports centre
Maxwelltown Railway Path, Dumfries, DG2 0BU
About 18 km away
Days out and things to do
Community and support groups
Kirkpatrick Durham Village Hall
Community centre
Victoria Street, Kirkpatrick Durham, DG7 3HQ
About 6 km away
Crossmichael Memorial Hall
Community centre
St Michael's Road, Crossmichael, DG7 3AY
About 11 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Barbers and salons
DG1 Barber
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-We 09:00-18:00, Th-Fr 09:00-19:00, Sa 08:30-18:00, Su 10:00-16:00
101 High Street, Dumfries, DG1 2BN
About 18 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Dalry Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Tu 10:30-14:00; Fr 11:00-16:30
81 Main Street, DG7 3UP
About 17 km away
Castle Douglas Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
King Street, Castle Douglas, DG5 4WA
About 14 km away
Ewart Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Catherine Street, Dumfries, DG1 1JB
About 18 km away
Georgetown Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Gillbrae Road, Dumfries, DG1 4EJ
About 20 km away
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. We do not make places up: if the map has it wrong, fix it on openstreetmap.org and it comes through at the next refresh.
Saving money
What locals use to spend less
The shops and sites people here use for cheap clothes, second-hand furniture, a car, and the weekly shop. We are not paid to list any of them.
Facebook Marketplace and GumtreeSecond-hand furniture, bikes, tools and cars, often for very little. Meet in public, and never pay before you see it.Freecycle and OlioThings people give away for free, and food from neighbours and shops that would otherwise go in the bin.Too Good To GoSurprise bags of food from cafes, bakeries and supermarkets at the end of the day, at a fraction of the price.PrimarkCheap everyday clothes, work basics and bedding.Aldi and LidlThe cheapest big supermarkets for the weekly shop.B&M and Home BargainsCleaning products, kitchen kit and household bits for less.Charity shopsClothes, coats and furniture, and the money goes to a good cause.MoneySavingExpertFree guides to cheaper phones, energy, bank accounts and sending money.
Getting around
Getting around from Dumfries and Galloway
TravelineBus, coach and train times for the whole of Great Britain.National RailTrain times, tickets and railcards.Transport for LondonThe Tube, buses and the Oyster and contactless fares.
Driving here on your licence
Once you live in Great Britain you can drive a car or motorcycle on your full, valid licence for 12 months. After that, a licence from a designated country can be exchanged for a GB licence; from other countries you apply for a provisional licence and pass the theory and practical tests. Lorries, minibuses and buses have stricter rules: check before you drive one.
Check your licence on GOV.UK Exchange a licence
Hiring a car
Each rental company sets its own rules on age, how long you have held your licence and which licences it accepts, and young drivers often pay more. Check those rules before you book, and bring your licence and passport to the desk.
Driving rules taken from the official pages linked above, checked October 2026. They change, so the official page is the one to rely on.
While you are here