Expatica
If you’re thinking of moving abroad, then you’re probably aware of the fact that it requires lots of planning. Moving house just down the road is difficult enough, so moving thousands of miles to another country is certainly challenging.
However, if you’re well prepared and have everything in order, then there’s nothing stopping you from making a successful move and enjoying your new life.
Make sure you give yourself as much time as possible to plan your move and remember that however well you plan, there will always be issues that pop up that you never expected. If you’re well prepared though, you’ll find a way to overcome the surprises, and you’ll soon be settled into your new country.
Visa Requirements
Your first step is making sure you have the appropriate permission to live and work (if applicable) in your destination country.
Immigration law is notoriously complex and differs from country to country, so it’s often beneficial to make use of a professional to help you with this part. It can take some time for your visa to be approved, so you should make sure this is one of the first tasks you’ve looked into.
Once your visa has been approved, then you can push on with the rest of your plans, but while you’re still waiting on approval, it’s difficult to take concrete steps. The earlier you can get your visa sorted, the quicker you can relax and start putting your moving plan into action.
Finances
Talking of legal obligations, you’ve also got your finances to think about. If immigration law can be complicated, then tax law isn’t far behind, so it’s very important you understand what your obligations are, both in your home country and the country you’re emigrating to.
Asides from the tax implications, you will also have to think about setting up bank accounts in your destination and how you’re going to transfer your money into local currency.
Transferring money can be expensive, so it’s important you search the market for the option that saves you the most money. When you’re transferring large amounts of money, a tiny difference in the rate can make a big difference, so don’t just go for the first offer you receive.
Making sure your finances are all in order is one of the more technical sides of the move, but once it’s sorted, then at least you know you’ve got your money ready to go when you arrive.
Moving House
This is where you’ve got to decide what you’re going to do with your old house, and whether you’re going to rent or buy in your destination country.
It can be easier to choose to go with renting here, as it’s just a little simpler to work around everything else you’ve got going on. When you’re in a different country, it’s difficult to be around for everything that goes into buying a house, so many people rent their first property before looking to purchase further down the line.
Of course, another consideration is how you’re going to get your belongings across the world to your new home. However, you will find there are lots of experienced international removal services that do an amazing job.
When you go with the right company, they can definitely take a lot of the strain out of the process, and make your life much easier. Again, make sure you look around for the right removal company and go with one that has great reviews.
Sort Your Car
After your house, your car is often your second most expensive possession, so you need to think about what you’re going to do with it.
Some people opt to take their car with them to their new country, and you will find the cost to ship a car overseas is quite reasonable. This means you don’t have to worry about the hassle of selling your old car and buying a new one, but of course, there’s always this option as well.
It’s important that you don’t leave jobs like this to the last minute, because the more you do this, the more your options narrow, and you risk missing out on important cash.
Healthcare
For people from countries with national health, health insurance isn’t necessarily at the forefront of your mind.
However, you do need to think about it because you won’t necessarily have the same rights to free healthcare that you have in your home country. If this is the case, then you will want to make sure you’re investing in a high level of healthcare.
You never know what might happen, and it’s certainly not worth skimping in this area.
If the country you’re moving to does have universal healthcare, then it’s still a good idea to make sure you qualify for it before you turn up needing to use it.
Building Roots
It’s not easy moving to a new country and having to start again (at least partially.) To help you settle in, it’s a good idea to make some plans for how you’re going to get involved in the community and build new relationships.
Leaving your friends and family behind is difficult, but you can at least begin to create new relationships and support networks. You don’t have to plan out everything in perfect detail, but it’s nice to have some idea about how you want to get involved.
Channels of Communication
It’s important to make sure you keep channels of communication open with loved ones back home, and thankfully we have plenty of ways to communicate across long distances.
You need to remember that you might need to set some of your older relatives up with the right technology to communicate effectively. It’s not always easy to work the latest technology, but if you help talk your loved ones through it, then you can make sure you can keep in contact with all of your family.
You want to build new relationships in your new country, but you don’t want to forget about the ones you have at home.
