11 Things to Do Before Moving to Another Country

So you’re moving abroad? You must be excited! Scared? Maybe a little of both? Can’t blame you there. Maybe you’ve got a team of cheerleaders on your side supporting your move, but maybe you’ve got some naysayers as well, or at the very least some skeptics, who say how much they envy you, or how they could “just never” pick up and move across the globe like you are. Put that all out of your mind — because you’ve got a lot of things to do before moving to another country!

You NEED a moving abroad checklist.

But don’t worry...you can do it. It really is as easy as buying a plane ticket and having the wherewithal to make it happen. Of course, there are lots of little nitty gritty details to iron out that will make the big move go more smoothly, so once you’ve decided to make your dream a reality, get familiar with what to do (and what to bring) when moving to another country.

What to do before moving to another country

To make your life easier and more organized, consult this checklist for moving abroad for a year! There may be a few things you didn’t think of yet.

1. Apply for the visa

This is one of the most important things to do before moving to another country if you ever actually want to get there! You should know your destination by now; maybe you snagged a job or got into a great university overseas, or maybe you just found a sweet working holiday visa exchange program that allows you to galavant around a country for a year with no set plans — yay!

Either way, it’s time to apply for that visa, arguably the longest part in this process, so give yourself plenty of time! Get ready to fill out some forms and then fill them out again; there is no way around the bureaucratic red tape that varies from country to country, which can range from slightly annoying to excessively boring.

Your application will probably ask you for personal details, how you plan to fund your stay, and any travel and housing arrangements you might have made so far — which are all things we’ll cover in this moving abroad checklist.

2. Buy a plane ticket

Having a valid passport is an essential thing to have before moving abroad.

Another important item on your checklist for moving abroad is purchasing your flight well before your departure date, mostly so you can snag a good deal! If you start your travel planning early, you’ll be able to track deals, check multiple websites regularly, and keep your eyes peeled for a good price.

You can also be flexible with your dates, allowing you to get the ultimate lowest price ticket possible. Once you have a fixed departure date, your departure countdown can begin, which will definitely help you check off the rest of your checklist for moving abroad quickly!

Plane ticket prices tend to go up within about 4 weeks of departure, so even if you wait until the “last minute” you should still have about 4 weeks to prepare for your big move.

3. Pick your new home city and research it

You’ve got your visa and your plane ticket, probably to the country’s capital or biggest city, but depending on your situation and how much flexibility you have, you may not need to stay there! If you aren’t tied to a specific school or job, you have your pick of cities to choose from within your country — and where will you even begin?!

Time to pull out your Lonely Planet book, scroll through Trip Advisor, check out some expat Facebook groups, poll your friends who have been there, and of course Google to your heart's content (and maybe check out some articles and blogs on GoAbroad.com too!). This will all help you get a feel for some good spots.

In the end, you're going to have to trust your gut and pick a place potentially sight unseen, but also know that once you get there and have a little time to explore, you can always pick up and move if you feel like it (hey, you did it once already!).

If your final destination is already set in stone, now is the time to research, get excited, and make a list of things to see and do once you’re settled; customizable Google Maps is a great tool for this.

4. Start the packing process early! 

Packing for a trip is difficult enough. Packing for a whole YEAR? Start ASAP.

Depending on how long you’re planning to be out of the country, this step on your moving abroad checklist could be easy or a little more challenging. Maybe you’ve got an obliging family member who will store some stuff for you, or even better, keep your old room just as it is for when you get back? (Okay maybe not, they’ve probably been dreaming of their new fancy home gym since the day you started packing.)

Either way, the best course of action here is to get rid of as much stuff as you can, and also pack as little as possible. Not sure what to bring when moving to another country? You’d be surprised at how little you will need, and also how little you will miss all that stuff back home when you are out exploring the world.

Plus, you’ll need some extra room in that suitcase for any new souvenirs or unique clothing items from that cute boutique around the corner from your new place. A great way to downsize before your departure is to sell stuff online; there are all sorts of websites and apps and even local garage sale sites, so that you can earn a bit of extra cash for your travels. After that you can donate any remaining items to friends or family or Goodwill.

5. Square away your health coverage both at home and abroad

Depending on your home country, you may be responsible for canceling your insurance coverage while you’re away. This point should be highlighted on any American’s moving abroad checklist, as U.S. citizens have complex health insurance requirements and enrollment procedures.

Now’s the perfect time to get all those last minute check-ups in and make use of that insurance to make sure you’re all good to go for your trip. Some visas may even require special medical check-ups before the move. You also might need special vaccines depending on your destination, and you should make sure to get enough of any prescription medications that you take to cover your entire stay, whenever possible.

Don’t neglect to think about your health when moving abroad.

At the very least, get a written prescription for your medications to bring to a doctor or pharmacy overseas for an equivalent once you run out. Most countries will require that you set up a health insurance plan in their country as well, so this is the time to research those options and get that figured out. Some places won’t allow you entry at the border without proof of a plan already in place.

6. Figure out what to do with your car

If you’re from North America, there’s a good chance you have a vehicle, or access to one. So what are you going to do with this while you’re gone? Well you have a few options. The first one is to sell it and pocket that cash for your travel fund — hurray!

This is a great option because you won’t have to worry about insuring the vehicle, or registration bills, or where to store it while you’re gone. Otherwise you can lend your car to a friend who agrees to take over the bills and maintenance, or pay to store it somewhere to avoid paying to insure or register it.

The upsides of these options are that your ride will be waiting for you if and when you return, which will make it easy to reintegrate back into your life in your home country.

7. Money matters

Maybe you’ve been shouting it from the rooftops that you’re so excited to move overseas and you just can’t wait! That’s great, but did you tell your bank? They’re probably one of the first you should inform, just so you can figure out what their overseas transaction fees are, or if they need to be kept informed as to where you are.

This way, they can prevent fraud on your account, and you can potentially shop around for a new account with lower international fees, if necessary. Now is also the time to get a no foreign transaction fee credit card for use abroad, and this can take a little bit of time to get in the mail, so plan well in advance.

There are lots of sites that review good travel credit cards, so you’ll have your pick of options. It’s great to have a few cards at your disposal as well, in case a pesky Italian ATM eats one (or something similar).

8. Set up absentee voting

When you’re away doing your best to represent your country abroad and dispel those crazy stereotypes while you’re at it, don’t forget your civic duty to vote in your local and national elections!

Many countries allow absentee voting, but you will normally need to set it up either in person or by mail before you head out for the most seamless process. There may even be internet options in the future, but for now, it’s slow snail mail — so get your forms and your ballots in well in advance.

9. Get your electronics sorted 

Most electronics have built-in converters now, but you’ll still need a plug adapter.

Don’t forget that just about everywhere outside of North America has both different plugs for electrical devices AND different voltages. So before you plug in your hair straightener, fry it and blow out all the lights in your hostel dorm room, better check what voltages your devices accept. 

The good news is that most things these days are dual voltage, meaning they work both in North America and overseas, and if you don’t have these items yet, maybe it’s time to upgrade the ones you plan on bringing.

Things like computers and cell phone chargers have built-in converters, so those will usually work fine just about anywhere. A plug adapter (ideally one that works all over the world) should be a top item on your international move packing list.

10. Get a jumpstart on housing if possible

Probably one of the more daunting and time-consuming tasks of your move abroad will be figuring out where to live. If you’ve ever searched for a new place to live anywhere, you already know this isn’t exactly the most fun way to spend your time.

Now you have also got to figure out what the local Craigslist equivalent is, get a phone number once you land, and start calling those listings, agencies, realtors, and make appointments to see some places.

If you can set some of these up for the day you arrive, all the better to make it so you hit the ground running and can move out of the 20-person hostel dorm room sooner rather than later. At the very least you can research some neighborhoods and get a feel for prices which will help in your search.

11. Relax and enjoy!

It’s no joke that any move, whether down the street or across the world, comes with some stress. But try not to let it dampen your excitement of this crazy new adventure you're about to embark on!

You've got your checklist for moving abroad, so break it down into manageable chunks and do a little each day, and before you know it departure day will be here and you will be all ready to go. 

Soak in those last moments with friends and family and make some fun plans for your arrival so you’ve got something to look forward to after that long flight!

You’re ready to move to another country! 

You’re about to go on the adventure of a lifetime.

Hopefully after reading this list about what to do before moving to another country, you’re feeling pumped and motivated to start checking things off your list before boarding that plane! Enjoy the excitement of the planning stage, complete small tasks daily, and before you know it departure day will be upon you and you will be ready to go. Moving to another country is an exciting and rewarding adventure, and while you can’t plan for everything, a little preparation never hurt anyone!

Browse Travel Resources on GoAbroad.com to Make Your Move Easier!