There’s a lot to consider before moving overseas. From your packing list to documents and other important stuff, it’s best to start preparing well in advance.
Are you well-prepared, did you think about everything? To help you out, we’ve created a list of essentials that you’ll need to think about when making a move overseas:
1. Go on a holiday to your chosen destination
Although is rather uncommon to simply move to another country because the weather seems nice and you like the beaches and palm trees, yet it’s important to experience the daily life in your new country. It’s best to book at least one-holiday trip in order to go around and check out different neighborhoods, restaurants, schools, etc. Meet the people there and perhaps make some friends who might be able to give you some advice as well.
2. Property and housing
When you have kids, you want to be somewhat close to the school. If possible, close to your own job as well. When you buy or rent a place, you want to have someone with knowledge about contracts to take a look at the agreement. Especially in Asian countries, legal advice is well-recommended in most situations when buying or renting property.
Don’t fall for the oldest tricks in the book from real estate agents - don’t blindly go for their ‘recommended option’ if you don’t feel like it.
3. Financial buffer
Moving to another country is costly. Although some countries might seem to be cheap compared your own, the cost of moving never is. I can almost guarantee there will be expenses you didn’t anticipate on.
Being financially ready is important. You want to have a financial buffer for emergencies. Calculate your weekly and monthly expenses are accurately as you can and then calculate in some room for unforeseen expenses.
4. Family
This topic is only applicable if you have kids. However, it’s important to involve everyone single family member and have everyone prepare their own stuff. Kids experience such a move very different per age group. Try to anticipate on what’s best for your kid(s) and support them from start to finish.
Make your kid(s) feel important and involved and let her/him pack their own stuff and decide what they want to bring.
Lastly, consider when to move. Ideally, you want to move during the school holiday season before the start of the new curriculum.
5. Health
Regardless of your new destination, health is always the number one priority of yourself and, if applicable, your family. If you suffer from any pre-existing conditions, make sure to get all medical documentation from your doctor or hospital, prescription(s) included.
Also, make sure to check with the local health institute whether you need any vaccines for the area you’re moving to. It’s important to start early with vaccines because some require a few months in between before receiving the 2nd or 3rd vaccine injection.
It’s also recommended to explore international health insurance plans. Local health insurance won’t cover most medical expenses while living abroad, especially after a certain period. International or expatriate health insurances cover any medical bills and treatments abroad and if needed, medical evacuation. In addition, most insurance providers have extensive lists of hospitals and other trusted medical facilities and clinics near you.
6. Notify authorities
Before you fly out, you need to officially file the documents at the local authorities, health institution, tax departments, etc about your move to another country. Also, if your country of origin has some kind of pension regulation in place, make sure to find out what will change when you move abroad.
While dealing with the government in your country of origin, you’ll also need to deal with the government in your chosen destination. It’s best to take in hand a visa agency that will assist you throughout the entire process, making sure everything is done accordingly.
7. Network building
You can already start doing this when planning a first trip to your new chosen destination as a holiday. Try to integrate with the people in the neighborhood and local communities. Get familiar with things around you and find out what kind of organisations you can become a member.
The life of an expat is unique and it’s the perfect opportunity to learn about new cultures and meet new people. Also your kids will benefit greatly from moving overseas in regards to personal development, social skills, and language.
Lastly, study the new language and put in the effort to speak. Don’t worry if you think you’re a slow learner, your kids will most likely pick up the new language 10 times faster than you, so they will teach you!
