How to Map Out Your Move Overseas
Are you planning to relocate to Australia? An overseas move can be exciting and devastating. Beginning a new chapter in a different country is captivating in terms of meeting new people, and exploring new places, and experiences. It becomes challenging when it comes to handling it logistically. It requires immense planning, preparation, and research, you can convert this daunting task into a hassle-free experience.
Here is your one-stop relocation guide to move abroad.
1. Perform in-depth research on your destination
Choosing your new home depends upon diverse factors like the culture, your preferences, availability of job opportunities, and others.
Try considering the following:
• Know your priorities. Are you shifting for a better quality of life, a different culture, better healthcare facilities, or to pursue higher education? As per your priorities, begin exploring countries and create a list.
• Evaluate the VISA formalities.
• Know about the online expat communities for the countries you have shortlisted.
• Examine the education quality and better healthcare facilities.
• Determine how your life will be affected by the relocation. Do you have some sort of support system? Will you be moving alone? and if yes, is it feasible for you?
• Which all countries are connected near to yours? Can you easily explore other places too?
• If possible, pay a visit to your destination country, and get to know more about it closely.
Know about the cost of living: Before you actually plan to relocate, compare the cost to survive, and the wages in the other countries that you have shortlisted. Try to get cost estimates for housing, transportation, healthcare, utilities, and other expenses. Consider whether your finances allow you to live a comfortable life in a new country.
Consider customs and laws: Customs and culture are the major factors denoting your life in a new place. Consider language barriers, cultural differences, and other values or restrictions, if any.
Besides this, you must know the country’s legal context as well. Are they open to welcome immigrants? Is it easy to get a visa for your selected country? What about employment laws that influence your current status?
Search for potential job opportunities: Check if the country has an alert industry for your profession. Also, determine if your skills are in demand there or not. Search, how easy is it to get a job in that specific country? or what are the growth options as per your potential?
2. Create a budget to relocate
International moves are quite costly in comparison to local or interstate moves because the cost factors are higher as they depend on diverse factors such as transportation costs, VISA application costs, other paperwork formalities, and even the distance that needs to be covered. If you plan to relocate to a foreign country with enough amount of household goods, consider hiring an international moving professional.
They are experts in handling logistics, customs, and processes to move your precious goods across the globe. You can begin working on an estimate about how much you need to spend on relocation services and at least 3-4 months of living expenses in your new home.
3. Get the necessary paperwork done
While searching for your new destination, you must enquire about the documentation and paperwork required to enter and reside in that particular country. You can begin the process by verifying your passport, whether it is valid for at least the next 6 months of your move. If your passport is about to expire, get it renewed as early as possible.
With your valid passport, you can choose the right VISA to apply for. The visa requirements differ from country to country. Ensure to check visa requirements, and obtain the essential documents to apply for before your departure. In the end, you must bring other documents with you, as you might need them in the future. Some of these essential documents include:
• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate
• Divorce certificate
• Passport-sized photographs
• Insurance papers, if any
• Medical records
• Financial records
• Educational certificates
• Other relevant documents
4. Search for accommodation
Searching for accommodation abroad is like looking for comfort miles away. However, you can connect with local estate agents to help you get a new home. If you are looking for a fully furnished apartment, you can get a lot of options, if you search online. Once you have reached your new destinations, you can meet the agents. It is good to rely on ex-pat communities throughout the process.
5. Get your finances ready
The first thing you need to do is, plan your finances and determine whether your bank account operates in a new country. If yes, you will require to get your address changed, apply for wire transfer permission, and verify whether your debit card has a balance for international transactions. Nevertheless, you still have to open a bank account, it may take some time as certain banks have strict guidelines when it comes to opening an account with them.
Get your health insurance: If you already have insurance, you must verify if it is applicable in your destination country or not. If it's not valid there, you need to get a new one. Search for the relevant options and get yours done.
Sort out the taxes: Moving to a different country doesn’t make your tax free. You need to speak to your accountant regarding the prevailing tax laws in your destination country and sort the formalities related to the same before moving.
6. Make arrangements: Start working on all the other aspects of your move. Do not forget to make your home clutter-free. You can either sell, donate or discard the stuff that is not used by you anymore. Downsize your home as it will help you to organize and bring everything down including costs.
Choose a shipping method to transport your goods, and get the moving insurance done to protect them from any kind of harm during transit. Get the vaccines, if any. Most importantly begin practicing the local language as it will help you to become familiar with the new environment.
The final words: After you are done with the above tasks and formalities, search for a trusted Packers and Movers Australia. They will guide you, from where to start, and tackle your move ensuring the utmost safety and wellness of your priced possessions.
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