Leaving the life you’ve known so far and starting over can be very exciting – only if you know how to move to another country. This doesn’t have to be a stressful process, but it will definitely require a lot of research and serious preparations. If you want everything to go smoothly, make sure you follow our guide.
You can move to another country by following some specific rules that depend mostly on the place you choose for your next home. You’ll need to prepare all the necessary documentation, and usually, a visa will be required. You’ll also need to think carefully through finances and figure out the logistics of how you are actually going to move there.
Is It Difficult to Move to Another Country?
There is no one simple answer to this question, and the difficulty of your move will depend on various different factors – some of them will depend on you personally, and many others will depend on the rules and regulations of the place you’re relocating to. For example, moving for a job will be much easier than relocating without one because this can make the process of getting a visa more complicated. However, this doesn’t always have to be the case and will depend on the place you’ve chosen. Check out this video to find out what countries you can move to easily.
Do a Proper Research About the Foreign Nation You’re Relocating To
If you’re moving out for the first time and want to learn how to live abroad and avoid common relocation mistakes, you’ll have to do proper research about the place you’re going to. Depending on the culture and lifestyle, there can be significant differences in the way people behave, what they usually do, and find important. For example, transportation can significantly vary depending on your final destination. In the Netherlands, it is very common for people to drive around with bicycles, and it is very unusual to drive their own car, especially for daily commutes.
This is a recognizable part of their culture, so you’ll find that they have the best biking trails that make this way of transportation very smooth and comfortable. Language also plays a significant role, so learning a new language will help you adapt to new culture more easily. You can also consider looking for an expat community, as this will allow you to find plenty of useful information and perhaps even meet new friends.
Start Saving on Time and Learn How to Move to Another Country Without Financial Issues
How much money should you have before moving to another country? The lack of resources is one of the main things that can affect the difficulty of your move is your finances. You need to be sure you saved enough money because every place on Earth has different incomes and expenses regarding the cost of living.
After doing proper research on the cost of living in a specific location you’re targeting, you can compare this to your savings and see if this would be an issue or not. There are many convenient websites you can check and see a detailed listing of potential expenses in various categories, such as:
- Food,
- Utilities,
- Transportation,
- Real estate.
Some of the popular websites like Numbeo and Nerdwallet will allow you to find all the necessary information about the housing, not only in the specific country but also in different towns and neighborhoods.
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Always Have Additional Funds Just In Case Something Doesn’t Go As Planned Once You Become an Expat
How much money do you need to start a new life abroad? In case of relocation, especially if you would like to move on your own, it is essential to have a backup plan if something goes wrong. During the time of the Coronavirus pandemic, when everything was uncertain, many learned the hard way that you should always have a financial cushion in cases of emergency. This is also important when you move somewhere far away from your home. This should be one of your relocation essentials.
Even if you move with a job, you can’t know for sure if the new workplace suits you or how you are going to adapt to a completely strange atmosphere. Therefore, it is essential that you have something to live off from, even if you don’t like this workplace, and start looking for something else. How do I move to another country with nothing? This isn’t impossible, and you can hear many incredible stories from people that started with nothing, but this is usually a long and very unpleasant experience, so it’s highly recommended that you plan this more carefully.
Look for a Suitable Job Before You Move and Check the Current Employment Situation
Can you move to a country without a job? This will be possible, but in most cases having a job will make the transition much easier, especially when it comes to financial stability and getting a visa. This is why most people will recommend you to look for a job before relocating and making final decisions.
Even if you think that living abroad will be much better, you can find out that you’ll be much less paid than at your current workplace, so this might not be the best change for you. Getting a good job before you move is one of the best reasons to move – you will experience something new and different by knowing you’ll be financially stable and fulfilled.
Make Sure Your Travel Documents Are Up to Date
How can I legally move to another country? You need to have all the necessary travel documents, and the passport is the first thing you have to check. If your passport is about to expire soon, you need to get new travel documents before doing anything else.
Some countries will require that you have a valid passport for a minimum of six months beyond the final travel date. If that’s not the case and your passport expires while you are in a foreign nation, there is a possibility to renew your passport at the local U.S. Embassy or consulate where you find yourself to be at that moment.
Apply for a Visa – This Might Be One of the Most Challenging Steps
Unfortunately, getting a visa is the part that can cause a lot of relocation stress because it won’t always be simple to get it. On the other hand, if you want to move efficiently, this will also be the most important step to handle, so ensure to be very careful and concentrate on it before you travel. What causes all the stress is mostly the fact that some countries can deny your application at any moment, but you can find a way to prevent this by going to the government’s official website and following the required process. On the official government websites, you can see what supporting documents are required for a specific application.
Check Out Local Information Because This Usually Vary Depending on Specific Place
Just as an example, we’ll pretend that you’re a student that’s applying for a study visa in the United Kingdom. This will require that you have proof of financial stability enough to support yourself during the course of your studies. Another thing you’ll have to do is to set up a meeting at Homeland Security’s application support center, where you should submit your biometrics. This can sometimes be a very long process, and it will require a lot of patience, so ensure you start with all the preparations at least six months before you plan to move.
How to Move to Another Country Permanently?
If you want to become a permanent resident of some territory, this will also require many legal regulations. For starters, you’ll have to live there for some period (every place has a different rule for the length of this period). You can also invest in some local businesses or become a residence owner as an additional step.
Getting married to a person that is a permanent resident of a specific place will sometimes be enough, but it will frequently require some of the previously mentioned steps as well. Once you become a permanent resident, you’ll receive that country’s passport and live there without having to apply for the same documents as before.
Consider Hiring an International Moving Company and Get Some Services
Moving internationally is definitely a challenging task, even if you know all the right moving tips and follow previously mentioned relocation hacks. In order to experience only the benefits of relocation and avoid unpleasant surprises, getting international moving services is highly recommended. Moving abroad alone will definitely be much more simple if you have a trained overseas moving company by your side to pack our inventory and help you with various tasks from your to-do list. Just make sure to learn how to avoid potential relocation scams and find out what items movers won’t move to avoid potential accidents when shipping overseas.
Applying for Healthcare Is Also Very Important
Healthcare is the next important step to plan when you’re researching how to move to another country and start over. Maybe you didn’t acknowledge this before, but healthcare varies significantly around the world, and your access to local healthcare in the nation you move to will mostly depend on the type of visa you get.
One of the important things to do is to check whether your current providers can cover you abroad. You should also visit professionals and get your medical records as well as all the necessary immunizations (this might also depend on the place you’re going to, so ensure to find out if they have any special requirements when it comes to this).
You should also inform yourself about your current medications – are they available in foreign countries, and can you get them with current prescriptions? If you find out that they are not easily accessible, ensure you bring some extra doses that will help you until you decide how to get them there or get the prescriptions from local doctors.
After Relocating to a New Place, Check if Your Healthcare Was Automatically Updated
When you find yourself moving overseas, you should learn if you’re automatically getting access to the healthcare programs through your visa or if there is an extra step you have to take after your arrival. For example, if you choose to move to Portugal before getting access to their healthcare program, you’ll need a residency card to acquire a heath number which will later allow you to have access to the nation’s healthcare system. Getting this residency card will require that you make some extra steps after your arrival.
Hire the Best Professional International Movers and Enjoy a Careless Move
If you want to ensure you’ll have enough time and energy to focus on all of your tasks, hiring professionals for assistance can be an excellent way to help yourself. Once you find a reliable overseas shipping company, you can get a free quote and calculate potential expenses. Getting packing services is a perfect option if you have to move some fragile belongings and want to ensure nothing breaks during overseas shipping.