Tips On Things To Do Before Moving Abroad

If you are going to move abroad there are a hundred and one things to do before you go. One of the most important ones is to ensure that you have enough money to live on for the first few months, even if you already have a job waiting for you. This is because there are certain to be things that you have not allowed for, and you don't want to be caught out in a foreign country and find yourself short of money. Standard advice is to have enough to live on for six months. However, this doesn't have to be at UK prices, because many countries are considerably cheaper to live in. Do your homework and find out roughly what it costs to live in your destination country for food, accommodation, and so on.

Transferring money from a UK bank can be expensive. Banks charge a fee upfront, and most also add a mark-up to the exchange rate – usually without telling you. However, there is a new service called TransferWise which charges fair fees and works on the mid-market rate shown by Reuters. Opening a bank account in your destination country may be more complicated than you think. However, most high street banks have expat divisions, so you should contact them for advice on how to proceed. You may want to keep your bank account for making ongoing payments on loans or, for example, support payments to children, and also to maintain your credit score. You could also consider applying for an international credit card to avoid foreign transaction fees.

You may need to apply for or renew your passport before you can apply for a visa, because some countries require that your passport is valid for at least six months after you arrive. When applying for a visa, different countries have different regulations, so you should check on their government website.

You definitely need to check on healthcare arrangements. If you move abroad permanently you will no longer be entitled to NHS healthcare in the UK. However, if you are working in the new country and paying taxes there you should be entitled to state healthcare in the same way as a local. However, some countries require that you join their national health insurance scheme or make other contributions, so check that out before you go. You may also need to get certain vaccinations depending on where you are going. In addition, you may have prescription medicines which are not available or not permitted in the country, so you may need to take a large supply with you.

If you are taking pets with you the rules differ quite widely. You may need to have your pet microchipped, it may need certain vaccinations, and in some countries may have to be put in quarantine for a period. If you are moving elsewhere in Europe that is not a problem at the moment, but if it is after March next year there is no knowing at present what the situation may be.

Are you going to ship all your belongings with you, put them into storage, or perhaps sell them and buy new when you arrive? If you are going to ship them you need to contact international shipping companies in order to get quotes. Rates can vary quite considerably, so you need to shop around. A good international shipping company will be able to give you a lot of advice on what you can and can't take. Many countries won't allow you to take plants, for instance.

If you are going to take your own car you need to have all the right documents including proof of ownership, the vehicle identification number (VIN), an up to date driving licence, and a form of photo ID. Some countries charge import duties. If you don't have an export certificate, customs may check whether any finance is owed on the vehicle, especially if it is high end and expensive. If you owe any finance, you may need written approval from your loan company before the car can be shipped.

Make sure that you do all the small things like stopping the papers and paying the newsagent up to date.

Finally, throw a big leaving party for all your friends and relations!

Movers International of Preston is one of the international shipping companies with over 30 years experience of shipping worldwide. They can help you with a lot of advice for the country to which you are going.