Moving abroad comes with a long task list of things to organize, purchase, or transfer. Almost every aspect of your daily living will need adjusting to ensure your transition into ex-pat life is smooth and seamless.
Despite being a complicated process, millions of people successfully move abroad and become ex-pats every year. Provided you organize the most important things before you make your move to a foreign country, you will be successful, too.
To ensure you don’t miss any of the essential steps before your transition into ex-pat life, we’ve covered the key things you absolutely cannot forget when you’re planning to move abroad. Think of this article as your ultimate international travel checklist!
Health Insurance
The majority of countries require ex-pats to acquire health insurance before moving there. Health insurance enables you to access healthcare services in your chosen country and, in most cases, at a subsidized price. Even if the country you’re moving to offers free national healthcare, such as the UK, you may still need a health insurance policy to access hospitals and General Practice surgeries.
Purchasing health insurance is particularly important for those of you who already receive regular treatments, therapies, or medications so you can continue to access the medical care you need. However, you never know when you might need to receive emergency surgeries or medical therapies, so having health insurance coverage is essential even if you’re young, fit, and healthy.
When choosing a health insurance policy, make sure to choose a plan that offers the level and type of coverage you need. For example, if you usually require specialized treatments for a chronic health condition, double-check that your chosen policy offers coverage for these specific treatments.
Work
This section won’t apply to you if you are retiring abroad. However, if you plan on working in your destination country, it’s best to organize this well in advance of your moving date.
If you work for an international company, ask your manager whether you can transfer to a branch in the country you’re moving to and continue your current role. Alternatively, you can take moving to a foreign country as an opportunity to switch career paths and try something completely new.
For those of you choosing the latter, start your job, search nice and early. Interviews and recruitment processes can take several weeks or even months to complete. Successfully gaining a new job in your chosen ex-pat country will ease your worries and ensure you have a steady flow of income from the day you move.
If you are self-employed or want to become a digital nomad, you may not need to worry about searching for new work. However, you will need to organize your tax documentation and submit your tax returns accordingly.
The tax rules and regulations in different countries can vary drastically, and things can get confusing pretty quickly if you don’t do your research. In some cases, you may need to pay taxes in your home country and ex-pat country if you want to maintain residency in the former.
Location
This might sound like an obvious thing to point out, but when you’re moving to another country, you need to take your time when choosing a location. It’s easy to rush this decision and choose the country’s capital city or the most popular destination for tourists. However, they aren’t always the best choices for ex-pats.
Spend plenty of time researching your options and figuring out the most suitable location for your needs and preferences. Take a look at what each city or town offers and whether it has the amenities and facilities you’ll need. For example, if you’re moving with young children, you’ll need to find an area that has top-quality education facilities and is family-friendly.
Consider the local crime rates, weather conditions, and local amenities before coming to a final decision. If possible, read people’s unbiased reviews online about the locations you’re considering and look at local or national government websites to get factual information about each one.
Utility Providers
It’s best to organize your utilities before you move to your chosen ex-pat country. Arrange them such that your suppliers activate your account on your moving day, so you aren’t paying standing charges for the days you’re not in your new home.
Search online to discover the available utility providers for the area you want to move to and compare prices and plans. If you’re unsure which company to go for, consider contacting them directly to explore their options in more detail.
Make sure to organize electricity, gas, water, and Wi-Fi to ensure you can access basic necessities from the day you move into your new home.
You will also need to cancel your existing policies and direct debits with your current suppliers before selling your home. If you plan on keeping a property in your home country, contact your suppliers to see if they can offer some sort of discount during the times of the year when this property will be empty.
