Overwhelmed at the thought of starting a new life overseas? Our moving abroad checklist is here to help.
Planning to live abroad?
There’s a stillness before a big move. Maybe your things are already in boxes, or maybe you’re still deciding what stays and what goes. Whatever it is that has prompted you to start looking for a moving abroad checklist, we can help.
I’ve moved from the UK to France and then to Spain, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. I’ve also lived in Tanzania for a few months, which is somewhere in between.
More than a change of scenery, moving abroad is the start of a new adventure, one that affects how you work, live, and stay in touch with the people who matter.
The Ultimate Moving Abroad Checklist
Before you even think about moving abroad, it’s a good idea to prepare. This checklist covers what to do, when, so you can make confident choices, from day one.
It’s also worth having a back up plan, such as using this tool to arrange a cash pickup if you need it.
Right, let’s start at the beginning.
Your Printable Moving Abroad Checklist
Think it Through
Before anything else, make sure your chosen destination supports the life you want to build.
Choose Your Country Wisely
Start by shortlisting a destination that matches your needs and values. Research lifestyle, political stability, safety, healthcare, and how the country treats expats. The GOV.UK website is a good place to start.
If you have family members moving with you, look into childcare, schools, and local support systems. Don’t forget to check the best options for visa and eligibility requirements, especially if a work permit or work visa is involved.
Compare Practical Realities
Once you’ve narrowed your options, take a hard look at the numbers:
- What’s the cost of living in your preferred city or town?
- Is the job market accessible in your field?
- How reliable is public transport if you won’t have a car?
- What time differences will affect your work or social life?
For those who plan to keep working remotely or stay connected to loved ones, account for the need to make regular international calls. That can influence both your tech setup and your sleep schedule.
Of course, some of these questions may be outside your control.
Plan Your Timeline and Budget
Again, here, we’re hoping that this is within your control. I know from firsthand experience that it isn’t, always, in which case you’ll need to go with the flow.
Pick a move date that allows for flexibility, giving yourself enough time to deal with logistics, find housing, and wrap up commitments at home. Then build a realistic budget for your first month, covering rent, deposits, groceries and shopping, transport, and emergencies. It’s also a great option to include costs for admin fees, SIM cards, and short-term accommodation.
There’s a lot of work involved, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But this is your first step, and it sets the tone. With careful planning, it becomes your good starting point for a good time ahead.
Organise Your Paperwork
Paperwork may not be the most exciting part of an international move, but it’s easily one of the most important things. Without the right documents, everything from registering your address to accessing healthcare can become more difficult than it needs to be.
Gather the Essentials
Start with identity and travel documentation. At a minimum, you’ll need:
- A valid passport (with at least six months remaining)
- Your birth certificate
- Any legal documents confirming name changes, marital status, or immigration history
Some of these may need notarisation, translation, or an apostille stamp. Factor in processing times and keep both digital and hard copies on hand, ideally stored separately.
Prepare Medical and Custody Records
Bring a full set of medical records, especially if you have ongoing conditions or are travelling with children. Include vaccination history, allergy details, and any prescription medications with their original labels.
If you’re travelling with minors and share custody, carry formal child custody papers and medical consent forms. Even when not required, they can be a safeguard in emergencies.
Know the Rules
Each country has its own paperwork demands. For instance, U.S. citizens may have to report income abroad or maintain a U.S. address. Make sure you’ve ticked off all necessary paperwork for your visa, healthcare registration, or driving licence transfer.
A folder with your important documents is a great way to keep everything organised.
Set Up Your Finances
Once your documents are in order, it’s time to prepare your finances for a foreign system. Sorting this early can prevent a lot of stress down the line.
Notify Your Bank and Update Your Cards
Before leaving, inform your bank about the international move to avoid frozen accounts. Enable travel notifications and ensure your credit cards and debit cards won’t expire soon. Carry at least one backup card from a separate account, in case of technical hiccups.
Open an Account Abroad
Check whether your destination country allows non-residents to open a local bank account, or if an international bank account is a better fit to start with. Some banks offer expat-friendly services, while others require proof of address or income in the new country.
As a side note, when looking for somewhere to live, you may need a local bank account. But you may not be able to open a local bank account without a local address. If you’re moving for work, your employer may be able to help you navigate this Catch22 by using their address or providing documentation to help square the circle.
Understand the Exchange Rate
Fluctuations in the exchange rate can eat into your budget fast. Use mid-market rate trackers or apps to avoid bad conversion fees. Don’t convert large amounts in airports or through traditional banks without comparing offers. It’s worth doing a little research to find the best deal for your situation.
Review Your Insurance
Now’s the time to revisit your insurance policies, particularly those covering theft, loss, or travel disruption. Some home insurers cover belongings in transit, but not all. Check the fine print.
When your accounts are in order, you can settle in faster and focus on what really matters.
Need more tips and tricks for the travelling part? Check out our international travel checklist and this guide to enjoying your next long-haul flight.
Safeguard Your Health
Accessing medical care in a new country is rarely as simple as walking into a clinic. Take the time to understand how the system works before you arrive and make sure to cover your bases.
Sort Your Insurance
Start by checking if your current health insurance provides any international coverage. If not, you’ll need dedicated travel insurance or medical insurance that includes overseas treatment, repatriation, and emergencies. Don’t rely on travel cards or credit card benefits unless you’ve read the fine print.
Some countries require proof of private insurance as part of visa or residency applications. Others may offer access to public services, but usually not straight away.
Learn About Local Services
Research how medical services and healthcare facilities work in your host country. Can you see a doctor directly or do you need to register first? What’s the average waiting time for non-urgent care? If you’re moving to a rural area, identify the nearest hospital and how to get there in an emergency.
Bring a basic medical kit with essentials you’re familiar with, and check whether common medicines (like antihistamines or pain relief) are available under the same name.
Carry Your Prescriptions
If you take regular medication, pack at least two months’ worth and carry the prescription medications in their original packaging. Include a doctor’s note and, if necessary, a translation. This will help you pass through customs and explain your needs to a new healthcare provider.
Ease into the Culture
A new country brings unfamiliar rhythms, gestures, and assumptions. The key isn’t to master everything before you arrive but to be curious, respectful, and patient.
Learn the Language Early
If the local language is new to you, even a basic level will go a long way. Download an app, enrol in a class, or hire a tutor in your home country to get comfortable with greetings, numbers, and directions.
Expect some bumps along the way. The language barrier will be real at first, but don’t let it limit your interactions. Most people appreciate the effort, and often, a smile and a few phrases are enough to open doors. Google Translate is your friend!
Sign up for lessons to help focus your mind.
Find Your People
Social support makes all the difference. Look for Facebook groups geared toward expats, digital nomads, or people who’ve moved to your new country of residence. Many are active, well-moderated spaces where you can ask for recommendations, compare notes, or simply vent when things feel off.
Ask locals about customs you don’t understand. Let yourself make mistakes. And when you do feel overwhelmed, know it’s not just you.
Pack Strategically
When packing for a new life abroad the goal isn’t to bring everything, but to bring the right things. For more general packing advice, see our complete holiday packing guide with printable PDF.
Create a Focused Packing List
Start with a clear packing list. Divide it by purpose: documents, clothing, tech, essentials, comforts. Include backups of anything that would be difficult or expensive to replace abroad.
Think about climate, dress codes, and how your daily routines might change. That winter coat you wore once a year? It may become part of your new daily life. Or, in my case, those summer sandals when we moved to Seville.
Ship Only What Matters
It’s tempting to send a lot of things in a container, but an overseas move is a chance to reset (plus, the costs soar if you want to take it all.) Evaluate your household goods honestly. Do you need your old desk? Would it cost more to ship your blender than to buy a new one?
If you decide to ship with a moving company, choose the right shipping container size. A full one may be unnecessary unless you’re moving with family or furnishing a home from scratch.
Organise and Downsize
Group belongings into different categories: keep, ship, store, donate, recycle. This helps avoid clutter and reduces costs.
And be realistic about how much space you’ll have. European flats, for instance, tend to be much smaller than North American ones. Furniture that fits your current home may overwhelm your new one.
Stay Connected
You’ll need to decide what happens to your phone number. Some choose to keep it active for two-factor authentication or to stay reachable by banks. Others switch immediately to a local SIM card for better rates and easier access to local services. There’s no single best choice; just the one that fits how you live.
If you’re calling home regularly, compare international plan options before you leave. Some carriers specialise in overseas rates. Others may offer limited coverage or costly roaming. A local phone plan, once you arrive, is often the cheaper, more reliable route.
And then there are the small rituals that hold everything together. Regular video calls with family or friends. Shared playlists. A scroll through familiar feeds. Social media might not feel essential, but when you’re adjusting to a new rhythm, it can really help.
Don’t Forget Your Heart
It’s tempting to treat an international move as a series of tasks, something to tick off a list. But no spreadsheet prepares you for the sudden ache of familiarity or the quiet thrill of doing something that once felt impossible.
Leaving isn’t just a local move with extra paperwork. It’s a huge step, one that reshapes your relationships, your memories, and your sense of home.
Give it space. Host a going away party not just for friends, but for yourself, for the version of you that brought you this far. Toast the milestones and the mistakes. Take photos. Say the things that matter.
It helps to expect a few wobbles. Even life-changing experiences can bring doubt. That’s normal. And, as cheesy as it sounds, you’re allowed to miss the ordinary while chasing the extraordinary.
Build a New Daily Life
The paperwork is sorted. The boxes are unpacked. Now comes the slower part, the part where life begins to take root.
Maybe you’ve landed a new job. Maybe you’re joining the growing wave of digital nomads, working remotely from anywhere with strong Wi-Fi and a decent café. Either way, your routines are about to change, and that’s part of the draw.
Some days, you’ll meet new people who seem instantly familiar. Other times, even small tasks, like setting up direct debit or buying bus passes, will take effort. That’s not failure. It’s just the rhythm of moving forward.
In your new home country, habits will rebuild themselves, one morning at a time. You’ll learn when the shops open, how neighbours greet each other, where the best coffee is. Over a significant period of time, this new place will become yours.
Not all change is dramatic. Sometimes, it’s just a different walk to the market. A new breakfast routine. A better way to feel at home.
So pack sensibly. But also say goodbye with intention. Leave a note. Hug too long. And when it’s time, go – with purpose, with grace, and with a little luck. Or rather, with good luck, honestly given.
Closing the List, Opening the Door
Cheese alert! Every journey begins somewhere. This one starts with a checklist, but it leads to something far greater.
The best way to begin your new life in a foreign country of choice is with intention, not haste. The first thing you do might be mundane. The last thing might surprise you. But if you’ve followed this moving abroad checklist, you’ve already taken the hard part seriously.
And with all that said and done – good luck!