The world is amazing, which makes moving overseas a wonderful adventure. Relocating to a foreign country gives you the chance to enjoy the delicious cuisine of the local people, explore magnificent places in the country, and interact with new cultures. Moving overseas gives you a new perspective on life and can help you learn to appreciate diversity.
However, relocating to a new country is a big step that requires careful planning. After all, you don’t want to spend your first few months in a foreign country confused and beating yourself up over unpreparedness and poor research about the place.
For this reason, we have prepared a detailed list of essential tips for moving overseas. These tips will help you plan your relocation carefully and make the entire process seamless.
1. Gather Important Documents
Gather essential documents like immunization records, passport, birth certificate, driver’s license and visa information. These documents will be crucial when making residency appointments in your new destination.
Make copies of these documents to ensure you have a backup in case of anything. Store some of the copies in a secure cloud location, like Google Drive and have the remaining with you—in case the physical copies get lost, you will have a backup in the cloud storage. Ensure you work with an expert to handle your visa paperwork and other legal documentation to make the preparation process seamless.
2. Get Essential Medical Information and Checkups
Make an appointment with your doctor at least one month before relocating to a foreign country. Your doctor or travel health specialist will help you get destination-specific medicine, vaccines, and health information. As a result, you will know the medication you may need before moving to a specific destination in the world.
Some diseases are prone in specific countries, and knowing that beforehand ensures you relocate prepared. For example, a malaria vaccine is crucial when relocating to Kenya but not when moving to the United Kingdom, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The idea here is that you need to know the medical information of the area you’re relocating to. That way, you understand the risks and medical concerns.
3. Schedule a Pre-Visit
Pre-siting the place before officially moving is a huge advantage. It gives you a general picture of where you will live for the next months or years to decide whether it fits you. During the pre-visit, practice commutes in the normal commute hours to see what you will experience using public transport.
If you have kids, check whether the specific area you’re planning to relocate to has lots of children that would be potential playmates for your kids. As a parent, be sure to check the conditions of the nearby elementary school; walk around to see if the kids are cheerful and engaged to ensure you only relocate to an area that fits your needs.
In addition, explore places you will mostly run errands; groceries, home depo, gas stations, pharmacies, dental clinics, e.t.c. Most importantly, don’t forget to check out the neighborhood to identify if there are security issues or anything else that might bug you after relocating.
Generally, a pre-visit gives you the real picture of the community you will live in for the next years, and as a result, you will only relocate to areas that suit your needs.
4. Sort Out Your Belongings
Sort out your belongings to separate essentials from things you won’t need after relocating. Doing so ensures you only incur moving costs on things you need—the fewer belongings you ship, the cheaper the shipment cost.
If you’re relocating permanently, consider storing non-essential belongings in a family member’s or friend’s place. If you don’t mind selling them, you can leverage online platforms like eBay and Facebook marketplace. Alternatively, you can sell them to a nearby local store that buys second-hand products. Donating the non-essentials isn’t a bad idea either.
5. Choose a Reliable Moving Company
When relocating to a foreign country, you may decide to move with your belongings to avoid starting from scratch. In that case, you must choose a reliable international moving company that will move your belongings fast and securely. There are multiple moving companies in the industry. Shortlist several of them and narrow down your options based on your needs.
Check customer reviews and testimonials on online platforms to evaluate whether a moving company is right for you. Alternatively, you ask for recommendations from friends or family members who have used international moving services before.
Search for a moving company a few months before the relocation day to give you ample time to compare different service providers. After picking the right company, book their services a month or two in advance. That way, the company will have enough time to assess your moving needs, learn your preferences, and help you identify the best mode of transporting your belongings.
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