So you have decided to move abroad? Congratulations, it’s a wonderful, life changing decision! But moving abroad is not as easy as it looks in the movies.
It takes a lot of planning, hours of paperwork, attempts to integrate into the new country, and the list goes on and on. No, we are not lecturing you – trust us, we know what we are talking about!
Moving abroad is a great challenge, an adventure and it may be the best time of your life. It helps if you plan all the necessary steps in advance. Here are some of our tips for moving abroad.
Belongings – sell, donate or ship?
This may be one of the hardest decisions on the list. All the belongings you have collected over the years – what should you do with them?
Make lists of items you want to donate, sell or take with you. You can take small and most valuable items with you in a suitcase but bigger things need other types of shipment. Get quotes from several shipping companies and buy or hire a storage container for your furniture and appliances. Check the storage container you use – it’s important that it be in good condition. If not, ask for storage container repairs in port container services.
Sometimes it’s cheaper to buy new things when arriving at your destination than to take your old belongings with you. Study all the options well!
Another thing you might consider is to arrange insurance for the move. If in the end, you have decided to ship your belongings, it’s better that they arrive safe and sound.
Learn the language
It’s not so easy to pick up a new language and assimilate to the new country. That’s why you have to learn the language or at least try to do it. Knowing the language makes your transition easier and those first days in a new country more manageable.
Before I moved to Spain, I took a Spanish beginners course and when I arrived in Spain I studied a semester in a private language school. I still don’t speak Spanish fluently, but I speak it well enough to get by.
Check Ronnie’s great post “How to Learn a New Language” for additional language learning tips!
Revise your documents
For me, this is the most important thing to do: ensure that you have all necessary documents in order. Passport and visa are not enough! There are so many additional papers that you had no idea existed. So do your homework well and make a list of all the documents you need – birth and marriage certificates, medical reports, proof of no criminal record, university diplomas, etc., are just some of the documentation you may need in your new country. For security, scan all the documents and send yourself an email with the information.
I have spent hours writing emails to get the missing documents to validate my university diplomas in Spain. Who would have guessed that I need my high school records after 10 years? Or that I have to travel to Estonia just to get a document saying that I’m not previously married?
To avoid these kinds of problems, to save your time and money, be smart and think ahead of all the situations you might have to deal with in the future.
Know your embassy
It’s not obligatory to let your embassy know that you will be moving out of the country but I would recommend you to register with them. That way, the embassy can forward you much-needed information in case of an emergency.
The Estonian Embassy in Madrid has helped me a lot with all kind of paperwork needed to live in Spain. They even have a translation service, so whenever I have needed any documents translated, they have done it for me. As you see, the embassy is not just for consular information; they may help you in other aspects, too.
If you wish to not register, at least find the direction of your nearest embassy and their telephone numbers. You never know when you might need them.
Do you have tips for moving abroad? Or any moving tips in general?
Our other posts on traveling: http://www.homelifeabroad.com/category/travel-leisure/
Unedited image by Billy / CC BY
Scanning important documents and emailing them to yourself is a really good idea! I don’t have plans to move abroad, but this is something I have now put on my to do list just so I have an accessible copy of those important papers. Great tip!
Moving continents is the most difficult. Between shipping, flying, documents, visas, approvals, insurance, etc it can become overwhelming. Staying organized and keeping everything in writing is key. Otherwise, you’ll lose things, get lost, and worse!
I have never left America, but I never realized just how much paperwork was involved!
These are great tips. I have never lived abroad but I definitely think it is important to think about these things before moving.
I have never moved abroad but can appreciate these great tips!!
wow you may have to go that far for documentation that you aren’t married! wow!! that’s just crazy. friends of ours moved to ireland and did a container. man was that thing FULL
I’ve never moved abroad, although my dream is to move to Costa Rica when we retire. But these are good tips for any move, especially making lists of what to pack, donate, and buy new.
These are such wonderful tips! Someday I think it would be a great experience to move abroad!
There are days when I daydream of moving to a different country. I never thought of all the stuff that would be involved.
Those are some great tips. I’m actually contemplating moving to the UK or Australia, although there isn’t a language barrier, the culture is slightly different so I need to do my research before I move. Thanks for sharing.
I grew up in a military family and moved for my entire youth! I never thought about moving abroad, but these are great tips if I do. We often talk about retirement in Italy.
No plans for moving abroad right now. However, these are great tips even if you are just traveling abroad. Thanks for the tips.
Great tips– thanks for sharing 🙂
I don’t plan to move abroad, but these are great tips for extended travel too. I’ve been on a few trips, but none longer than 14 days.
Learning the language can be challenging but I think people will have more respect for you if they know you’re at least trying. These are great tips.
Awesome tips. I would imagine learning the language would be really helpful. I’d be lost in a country where I couldn’t communicate with the natives LOL.
We have been there when my husband was still in the Navy. Glad he is retired now and we don’t have to mover overseas anymore. These are great tips!
great tips, you definitely want to do your homework. Learn the country, language and their culture.
Absolutely great tips! I moved from Jamaica to the US several years ago. I brought nothing but my clothes.
I have never lived abroad, so no tips there! But moving in general…ugg. I dont like it!
If I came into a large sum of money, I would live abroad for part of the year, I have no doubts about it! 🙂
Great tips! LEarning the language is very important.
I always wanted to – but is so hard a lot of things has to get done and to consider… plus the language is also important and expenses too.
I agree with learning the language. That would definitely make the move go a lot smoother!
I would love to move abroad…maybe when the kids grow up and i can run away.
I love visiting new places and being able to stay for a longer period than just vacationing. Thanks for all the great tips. How do you like the Canary Islands? On my bucket list to go see!
We have traveled to many countries but I have never lived over seas. Quite a bit to think about!
Moving into another country is quite a feat. I recomend not transporting much of your belongings but buying new things when you get there. You won’t know what your house or apartment looks like beforehand, for instance. Another thing is that many countries have tax issues and your old belongings may become more expensive to you than buying everything new. Also electrical apliances may not work.
So, I really recomend just taking the things that make you feel like at home. For instance, pictures, few decorative items, a pillow and cushions you really love, maybe a blanket that reminds you of someone and you can throw over the sofa or an armchair.
I have never traveled overseas and my husband thinks I am crazy because I would love to pack up and move anyway. He wants to visit and check out areas first. These are great tips, thank you and I hope to need them one day.
These are great tips! I moved to Japan for two years. I took pretty much nothing more than two suitcases and a few boxes. I came back with a ton more, lol. But the military shipped us back, so it wasn’t bad. My tip: while you’re overseas, if you’re planning to go back home eventually, don’t accumulate junk. Get meaningful pieces to remind you of your time there and leave the random junk for when you move back.
Fantastic tips – I have to admit I have dreamed about upping and moving abroad I’m not sure I could actually do it though I would miss my home land to much x
We moved abroad last year – you make some good points. we haven’t been to the embassy but i know where it is 🙂
Moving abroad can be such a hard task if you are not prepared,done it before but will not be doing it again i love my country and no where is quite like it well for me anyway lol.
these are great tips for moving and will come in handy in a few years when son goes off to college
As a former military spouse, these are great tips! Making the most of your time in a foreign country rather than being mopey about being far away from home makes a huge difference! I’m thankful for the exposure I and my children had to other cultures while my husband served our country.
I’m planning to go abroad after graduation, so these are awesome tips! Very helpful
My family recently moved states away and it was so stressful. I could not imagine getting my life packed up to move abroad! That makes me feel stress… but these are some awesome tips!
I’ve actually lived abroad and I know the stresses involved with relocating. These are some great tips for anyone who is experiencing this.