Moving Abroad
Moving Overseas: The Next Steps
iStockphotoHave you considered selling or renting out your property while you're abroad?
Sell or Rent
It is completely up to you to decide if you want to sell your property or simply rent it out when moving overseas. If you decide to sell your flat or house, you’ll get your hands on additional liquid assets, which you may need for moving overseas, particularly if you are preparing for a long-term assignment or even emigration.
Finding a tenant for your property may sometimes be easier than putting it on the market, and letting it provide you with an additional regular income while you hold on to your assets. However, there is no guarantee that you’ll always find a reliable person to rent to, and you also need someone to look after your tenants and your property for you while you are gone.
Inventory List
The sooner you start on your inventory list before moving overseas, the better. Go through your house and make a list of all the items you want to take with you, leave in storage, sell or throw away.
Please consider carefully whether you actually need to pack or ship certain things, or if it might save you time (and even money) to buy them after moving overseas. In expat circles, it is fairly easy to buy second-hand furniture and kitchen appliances after your arrival.
You can also stick notes to each item to avoid forgetting (or reconsidering) what you wanted to do with it. If you would like to ship valuables or put them in storage, we recommend you estimate their current value for insurance purposes.
Unfortunately, even the best insurance premium covers only the material and not emotional value. So, you should think extra carefully what you would like to do with family heirlooms you are unable to part with when moving overseas.
Paperwork
Apart from your visa and work permit, there is a lot of other paperwork that needs completing before moving overseas. First of all, your family members may need a valid passport of their own for moving overseas. You should also get your medical records from your doctor and dentist as well as your children’s school records.
In addition, if you plan on driving a car abroad, you should look into your host country’s legal requirements for driving licenses. Often, having an international driver’s license is of great help when moving overseas.
Flight Tickets and Temporary Accommodation
Once you know you are moving overseas, you should get a flight ticket. The sooner you book a flight, the cheaper the tickets will be. In addition to the financial considerations, booking your flight will also set a date for moving overseas: This will give you something to look forward to.
If you don’t already have a place where you can stay, you also have to find temporary accommodation for yourself and your family. Short-term furnished lodging, such as serviced apartments, might be a good idea to start with when moving overseas.
If you have the time and money, it is often recommendable to take a short trip to your new home before actually moving overseas. This way you can go house-hunting, or find a trustworthy local estate agent to take care of your housing situation for you. It will give you peace of mind to know where you and your family will sleep upon arrival before you start moving overseas.
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