When it comes to making life changing decisions, moving to another country is one of the biggest choices you can make.
It may be that you discovered a place while you were on your travels that won’t leave your mind. Or it could be that you’ve found your dream job with a great relocation package deal.
Whatever your reasons for wanting to relocate, there are a number of things that you should do in order to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Go on Another Trip
When you fall in love with a city or country when you visit it, you are filled with a lot of excitement. But remember, you’re seeing the place at its best as a tourist–not a local.
That romantic feeling of entering a new country can lose its spark pretty quickly. This is especially true if you visited in a particular season. Winter markets in Germany and Austria undeniably host all of the magic of the Christmas season, but the charm may well be gone as you walk through those same streets in September in the rain.
Go another trip during a different season to see if you could imagine yourself living in this new country when the weather changes. It’s also your opportunity to immerse yourself into the local community–so maybe this time stay in an airBnB instead of a nice hotel- shop and cook like a local to seeif you can really imagine yourself living there in the longer term.
Check Legal Requirements
Some countries will allow you to visit them for up to three of six months at a time with no visa. Others will require you to apply for a visa to even visit. Plus with the pandemic, many countries have closed their borders to visitors.
It is key for you to become well versed in these requirements before throwing all of your money away to move overseas.
Visas require a lot of paperwork and expense, and are often not very easy processes to go through of you want to have the same legal rights as locals.
Make sure you have things available such as bank statements, references, and tax bills organised as your evidence.
You also need to ensure that there is enough time on your passport to travel to your potential new country. Be aware that you will also need at least 6 months left on it for when or if you plan to return to your home country at any point.
Organise Your Shipping
It’s not often that people will start completely afresh when relocating. Personal items and larger belongings will be making the journey with you. When it comes to shipping you need to find the option that is best for you. Shop around to get the best quotes, and then read reviews online from confirmed customers. You wouldn’t want to fly out using a dodgy airline, so why shouldn’t the same level of care be taken with your belongings?
Moving overseas is a very big decision that can be costly as well as emotionally straining. But for those ready to take the plunge, it’s a very exciting decision indeed.