Are You Thinking Of Moving Abroad?

By Moira Chisholm

Pic: iStockphoto

Have you ever dreamed of just upping sticks and moving abroad? Some of us dream about it and some of us make plans to actually do it, but what would you have to do to make it a reality? Moving your whole life from one country to another can be an exciting but stressful time, and making sure you have everything in order before you settle down is imperative if you want to start off on the right foot. The experts at Property Turkey have listed their top 10 things you should be aware of before heading off on your new adventure.

1 Passports & Visas

Making sure your passports have been updated, and visas have been bought, prior to travel is essential for allowing you to settle in that country. It would be best to get these done sooner rather than later to prevent last minute stresses that you don’t need.

2 Local Customs

If you plan to work overseas, you should really get to know the local business customs. It’s important to observe international business customs to develop successful relationships.

3 UK Tax Requirements

So you’re moving to another country, but this doesn’t mean that you can escape your tax responsibilities from home. It would be best to check with an advisor on this to understand how it will work for you in your new country of residence.

4 Medical & Health Insurance

Depending on what country you are living in, you will need to decide which medical insurance to take and what would be best for you. Bear in mind that this may also depend on your line of work. You shouldn’t assume you’re automatically covered by the country’s health system, as each country has its own unique set of requirements for receiving care.

5 Pets

If you’re planning on bringing your pets along with you, there are a number of things you will need to consider and organise prior to moving. These include transportation, immunisation and also cost of living for pets in the country you’re settling in.

6 Driving And Getting Around

If you’re planning on driving in the country you’re moving to, it would be a good idea to broaden your knowledge on the local driving laws and regulations. The international driving license is recognised internationally, however, you may also need to purchase a local driving license as well.

7 Cost Of Living

Beautiful porch decorated with flowers in italy.

Pic: iStockphoto

Before you head off to your new place of residence, you really need to fully understand your future financial situation. You will need to figure out the various different costs of property, rent, food, fuel, drink, broadband etc. to ensure your new wage/or pension will cover this.

8 Vaccinations

Before leaving you should arrange an appointment with your doctor to see if you will need any vaccinations prior to the move. If you are moving somewhere tropical, it may be worth a visit as it will be a lot harder to find somewhere to get vaccinated once out there.

9 Accessibility

You may wish to return to the UK occasionally and, of course, your family and friends will want to book flights to come over and see you. Before you decide on your new country of residence, it may be worth looking into flight prices and accessibility to the airport to make sure this is feasible.

10 Language

If you are moving to a country, it is always worth learning vital elements of the language, especially if you plan to live there long term. There are many language pocket books and online courses available where you can learn the basics. And learning the language will help you feel as if you’re not a fish out of water!