Want to Move Abroad: where do you start

Moving abroad to a new country can be an intimidating process. Knowing certain tips can help make it easier by helping you to prepare for the changeover.

19 Questions to ask yourself such as; will you be moving permanently? Planning is key!

• What will your living arrangements be over there
• Do you have a job that you are going to?
• Are your funds sufficient to sustain you while you move
• When you have emigrated on a long-term basis, especially if you are retiring, how long will your funds last
• How do you move your money overseas
• Travel and Medical insurance to cover you while you move
• What is the healthcare like in that country and at what expense
• Is your passport and documents up to date
• What type of visa do you require to enter the country of choice and for what period of time
• Has the country a different culture and language
• Do you need to sell your home prior to emigrating
• Your home contents are you sending over
• Your precious pets! Will you be rehoming them or sending them over
• Is the location safe
• Do you have friends or family in the community
• Clothing requirements to cater for
• Driving requirements and licences you will need
• Turn off your utility bills and pay whatever is outstanding before you leave
• As the new waves of COVID keep reappearing can you actually leave your country of present residency?

You’re never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. – C.S. Lewis

Contents

What will your Living Arrangements be?

It is instinct to immediately want to buy a home and a vehicle as soon as you get over. Wait for at least a year before you plan to buy a home. You need to climatize yourself to the culture, taxes and costs prior to investing. Rent for at least a year so before you leave the country you are currently residing in, make plans for accommodation when you arrive. Preferable fully furnished so you have no obligations to run around on arrival to furnish a home. Have a look at Google Maps of the area you have chosen to stay.

Do research into crime within that area to secure your safety. How far is that residence from where you will be working or shopping? Is there good public transport close by? Are you required to pay a deposit and what about the utilities and services? Is there any payment required?

Do you Have a Job Where You are Planning to Migrate to?

Often the job will define where you will be relocating to. Everyone needs money to exist. If you have retired and have a comfortable retirement package, including monies from the sale of your home, the urgency to find a job before you leave will not be on the top of your priority list. On the other hand, even if you have a cash base, more often than not, you will need more income to secure your future going forward. Finding that job first will give you peace of mind.

The occupation will allow you to not dip into your savings when you have relocated. Expenses for rent, transport and food can be covered. If you know how much you will be earning, plans can be made on where to live once you arrive there. You will know your budget. Get an idea by browsing through www.indeed.com or Zety for seniors!

If you are interested in a company or occupation, look on social media. Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram. You can also ask questions and get some positive answers to your concerns.

Find out if you are allowed to work in the country you are going to. Even if you have a 6-month visa for that country, it does not mean you are allowed or have a right to work full-time.

Are your Funds Sufficient to Sustain you while you Move?

Moving abroad does not normally occur overnight. Costs can add up quickly. Do a budget. How long do you have before you move? Will you need to spend your own money? If you sell your home or cancel your rental agreement, you will need to stay somewhere. Either an Airbnb or hotel prior to your flight.

How much does it cost for your flight to your destination? Getting to the airport? Taxi, Uber, train or rental vehicle? Your possessions to send over? Have you got an evaluation and can you afford it?

Work out how long you need to save prior to going over. Always cater for 6 months of savings. Consider the cost of a passport, currency, and foreign exchange rate. Often certain visas require you to provide proof of how much money you have in your bank account before they grant a visa.

Before leaving, if you have a retirement fund or provident fund and these are before the normal retirement date you will need to cancel all these.

How Long will your Funds Last?

Money will be required as soon as you arrive at the destination you have chosen, even if you will be starting a new job. What is the cost of living like in your new paradise? The first job will only be paid after the first week or month.

A great indicator to know how much money you will need in your new destination is to multiple what you spent this year by 25. That will give you an indicator of how much you will need to retire in a new country, taking only 4% annually from your savings. Not many achieve this goal.

How do you Move your Money Overseas when Moving Abroad?

Each country has a limit on how much you can move abroad without complications. This is a specialist field and not one I can even comment on. I would suggest however that you go and chat with your bank and an advisor to see the best way you can do this. Most transactions will require you to have a tax clearance certificate first. A tax clearance will be required at any rate before you can emigrate.

The Expats Manual is wise to go through. Keep your bank accounts open, in case there are expenses that still need to come off. Contact your bank and let them know you are moving abroad. Getting an international card helps cut down on costs and open your cards up for international transactions.

Do research into the banks of the country you are moving to. Do they have internet banking (some countries still do not)? What are their banking fees? What paperwork do they require before you can open up a savings or checking account? Can they communicate in English? It does take a lengthy period to set up a new account, but having all your paperwork and documents ready, will save time.

Travel Insurance with Medical Coverage 

Today this is extremely important, especially with a pandemic in our world. Flights are cancelled because where you are going the country may close its borders at the last minute. So your designated accommodation may also need to be cancelled. Your insurance must cover these issues.

Some companies such as International Medical Group® (IMG®) will cover both medical travel insurance and travel insurance. They offer long-term health insurance which is fabulous if you are moving abroad. “International Health Insurance provides long-term coverage to people living or working outside of their home country, typically for one year or longer. These plans are ideal for ex-pats and their families.”

If you have a credit card and pay for your flights and accommodation, and rental cars, you often have built-in insurance already on your card.  “Travel insurance is a common benefit for credit cards that often comes at no additional cost to the cardholder,” says Francis Hondal, president of loyalty and engagement with MasterCard. “It can also be extremely easy to take advantage of it—the key is knowing what coverage you have so you don’t waste money on the additional coverage you don’t need.”

Checklist for standard coverage

Your Medical expenses – to also include hospitalization

If your trip is interrupted – eg. someone is ill and you have to return

Your trip is cancelled – eg. if you fall ill, there is a death, natural disaster, war, civil unrest

Luggage is somehow lost

Emergency evacuation – eg. act of God (earthquake coming or hurricane)

If the trip is cancelled – eg travel supplier stops all flights due to natural disaster

What is the Healthcare like in the Country you are Going to?

Do research into the national healthcare of your destination country. You will not be a citizen when you arrive therefore you will need to contribute for a period of time. How much will this work out to be on an annual basis?

Some countries require an upfront payment for health care. Get from your dentist and doctor a record of your current health care. Having these records will assist the doctor or dentist in the new country to know your history.

If you or your family have health issues, is the country you are emigrating to have a more cost-effective healthcare system? The condition of the government hospitals? I suggest detailed research into this. Join groups on social media and ask questions to those ex-pats already residing there.

Are your Passport and Documents up to Date?

Remember it can take between 8 to 11 weeks to get your passport. and in some countries even longer. Generally, your passport will last up to 10 years. If you already have a passport, see how many years you have left. Keep your passport, other documents and ID in a safe place. Not too safe that you cannot even find them. I have also scanned each document and filed them under Important Documents on my Google Drive.

You will more than likely have to apply for an Unabridged Birth Certificate from your Home Affairs Office and do a Police Clearance from your local police station. All your taxes must be paid and you will also need a Tax Clearance. Your Driver’s Licence validity depends on which country you are coming from. Some last for 4 years, others 5 and some countries 8. Most countries allow you to drive with a foreign driver’s licence, but you do need to confirm this.

What Type of Visa will you require if you are Moving Abroad?

To travel to most countries you will require a visa before you are allowed in. Every country has its own set of regulations. In some countries, you may not need a visa at all. This can be a lengthy and complicated process. Have a look at the Consulate Office website and Embassy of where you will be going. They will indicate how long their visas take. Also, you would need to have booked your flight ticket, and accommodation and secured health and travel insurance before applying as they will need that information.

If you are going to stay initially with your family, a letter from the family will be required. If you have a job abroad, letters will be required from that company. An informative site to have a look through is International Citizens.

The visa you will be applying for will be relative to your purpose. For example ” Expats looking to make a permanent move“. Every visa has an expiration date, whether for a few months or years. Make sure you have all the relevant documentation secured before you book your air ticket and then apply for the visa you require.

Has the Country a Different Culture and Language?

Everyone smiles in the same language. – George Carlin

This can be the most challenging of all! In our situation, we are moving to Montenegro, a Balkan country where the predominant language is Montenegrin, Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian and Albanian. English is spoken sporadically and is the second language at schools. But for us to eventually become citizens we have to learn this language and be tested on our fluency 5 years from arrival.

Start learning the language of your chosen abroad destination as soon as possible. Both verbally and written. There are numerous different apps that allow you to do so.

Cultures of any abroad country will be different from yours. Research as much as you can about the culture of your chosen future.

Learn certain differences in the meaning of different words. Where I live we say jerseys, but in the UK they say jumpers. Beach shoes we call flip-flops but in Australia, they say thongs or pluggers. In the Philippines they say tsinelas. Knowing these differences will make your life much easier when you arrive.

What foods do they eat? Your favourite dishes, can you purchase from the supermarkets. How do the locals socialize? How do they greet one another? What habits or jesters are regarded as rude? Some countries do not even allow chewing gum. Will your way of dressing offend anyone? In South Africa, it is tribal culture for the man to enter a room first before the woman. In other countries, this could be regarded as rude.

Do you need to Sell your Home before moving Abroad?

By selling you receive a substantial amount of capital which can assist you going into the future, but you must give yourself enough time. The consensus is 3 months but I say longer. This is from personal experience. You need to see what you have to repair prior to selling. If you still have a mortgage, this needs to be settled first. Choose a well-known reliable estate agent who has their recommended lawyer to do the transfer. Don’t try to sell yourself!

Many people do not sell their homes prior to moving abroad. They appoint a solicitor, rent out their home (receive income which assists them in their new country) and consider selling later on.

Do you Need to Sell your Home Contents prior to Moving?

Selling home content does take a bit of organizing and time. There are numerous different ways to do so. You can place items on Facebook Marketplace, take all your items to a second-hand dealer, or sell them through friends.

You need to do this in steps. Go through the whole home (including the garage) and get rid of all the clutter. Throw away whatever you can that has no value. Old notebooks, a collection of cards. Take any books to the second-hand store. Clothing which has not been worn in a year is given to a charity.

Once this is done, make a master spreadsheet and take pictures of the saleable items. On the spread have a column to allocate the name of what item is promised to whom and another for telephone numbers. Also a column for the price and one for notes. Walk from room to room itemizing everything. Remember to look in every drawer and cupboard. Itemize what you can sell and what you can give away. Get them out there! Social media is a great place to start. A garage sale is also an option.

Of course, you will need “stuff” while you are still using the home. Make a note of what not to sell immediately.

Or do what we are doing. A friend of ours owns an auction house. They are going to come a week before we have to move and have an in-house auction. This lasts for two days. They send out invitations and do the advertising. Or they will come and collect and take all your “stuff” to the auction house.

Are you Sending Over your Home Contents?

The most cost-effective way to do this is to send it over via sea freight. This will take a few weeks before you receive your goods in the next country. Obtain a reputable name-brand company that will ship over for you. They will bring the correct containers, and even boxes and will do an inventory count. Get a quote from two or three companies so you can obtain a price comparison.

Will you be sending your Pets Abroad with you?

This is a difficult one. We had to face a very difficult decision. One has to consider a couple of things. Coming from a smallholding with so much space and animals that had so much freedom, we had to examine where we will be moving to. The space in our new country will be confined in comparison. Another thing we had to consider is the weather. In South Africa where we currently live, the weather rarely ever goes below freezing point, whereas Montenegro can be freezing in winter. Our aim is to travel around Europe, so having animals, all in all, would be impractical and very unfair to them. The age of our animals also needed to be weighed up.

Prior to coming to this conclusion, we did research on how to send our beloved animals over. Moving your animals internationally cannot be done at the last minute. It does take a great deal of planning, and money.

• what are the pet import rules of the country you are moving to. Each country has it’s own rules
• speak to your vet and discuss with them the import rules of that country
• the veterinarian will examine your pet and see if it is in a physical condition to cope with such a big move
• your pet will need be vaccinated from rabies and other required blood tests and vaccines. Probably also needing a rabies titer test
• the preparation period can take up to 4 to 6 months to get your pet ready, depending where you are going. Any missing documentation can cause delays
• contact the airline that you will be travelling on to see if they will transport the animal or animals
• does the country require your pet to be microchipped? Even if they do not we suggest they do have one
• contact your destination country’s consulate and embassy to make sure you do not miss anything out
• if you do not have an airline crate, get one immediately remembering to cater for a means for the animal to obtain water and food while in transit. Get the pet used to the crate before it has to travel
• certain animals such as birds or reptiles will require different requirements or may not be allowed into the country at all. Find out all the facts before preparing
• contact an international pet relocation specialist in your country to make the move simpler for both you and the pet

Is the Location you are Moving to, Safe?

This applies to two issues. Is the country safe politically and what is the crime rate of that country?

To see if the country is politically stable, look at the government’s foreign department’s official website. Contact your insurance company and see if they will cover you in that country. They may alert you to political unrest and refuse to cover you at that destination. Research the online newspapers of that country. Join ex-pats’ Facebook groups and ask questions.

In relation to the crime rate of that country. Look for crime stats on the internet. Ask questions such as “How many murders occurred in ……. last year ” Pose the same search for robberies, walking alone at night, car theft, vandalism rape and drugs. Search the location where you will be going.

Also, do research into law enforcement agencies. Are they totally corrupt or believe in the law?

Do you have Friends or Family in the Community?

It makes life so much simpler and easier if you have friends or family in the location you are moving to. They already know all the difficulties they have incurred and the pleasures. They can guide and advise on all the dos and do not.

Join Facebook ex-pat groups and ask questions in relation to your concerns. Have a look at the Apps I have suggested on my blog Non-Touristy Things to do on Vacation: curious about culture which will help you to connect with people in that country. By connecting you can learn so much about the banking system, renting, currency, jobs and so much more.

Clothing Requirements

Firstly, have a look at the temperatures and climate conditions of your destination. If you are moving to a country with -20 degrees from a country that never goes below 0 degrees, then make sure you have layered clothing when you arrive. And visa versa if you are moving from freezing to warm. Often the country that you are moving from is advertising one season’s clothing, but you actually need the contra season on arrival.

When you arrive and you have catered for the initial stage, go shopping and purchase what is necessary there. Don’t overpack from one side and find that you can not even wear the clothing to your destination.

Driving Requirements and Licences You Need in Your New Destination

If you have a driver’s licence in your current country, make sure it is not about to expire. In most countries, you are allowed to drive with your same driver’s licence until the expiry date. You will then need to apply for the destination country’s licence. Find this out for a fact!

Another factor to consider is which side of the road do they drive on. In South Africa, we drive on the left. In Montenegro, they drive on the right. This can be scary all on its own.

Turn off your Utility Bills and Pay whatever is Outstanding before you Leave

Prior to leaving make sure you have paid your utility bills and turned them off. You do not want to owe money in the country you are leaving. Go through everything, make a list and see what you need to cancel. For example clothing accounts, credit cards and any debt you may have.

Does a New Wave of COVID allow you to Leave?

If the pandemic flares up again and a new wave comes swooping in, and you cannot fly out, what will you do? Provision financially should be made, just in case, and alternative plans for a period also be catered for.

This has happened to us, so we have planned to go with a caravan around the country until countries open up and we can get our visas. We do not want to be forced to go into quarantine at an expensive hotel for 14 days or have to make plans at the last moment.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive”. – Howard Thurman

Are you planning to move to another country? Share your planning with us in the comments below, so your ideas can benefit others.