Here on the Viktoria blog we’ve covered a lot of different moving scenarios in efforts to try and prepare you for any kind of move possible. One topic we haven’t covered is making a big move overseas. It’s very likely that moving overseas will be one of the biggest changes (and indeed, challenges) that you or your family will face. Moving every aspect of your life to an unfamiliar location can be daunting, luckily we have some tips for you to make the process as painless as possible. Note that some serious preparation will be necessary so it’s worth using this list well in advance.
Get Your Documents Ready
Although there are many other planning or logistical issues involved with making a move overseas, one thing that is certainly essential is your travel documents. Make sure that you and your family have valid passports that have a significant time left before they expire, with spare passport photos in case the passport is stolen. Perhaps even more important for access into your new country is the appropriate visas, make sure you have applied for and received your working and living visas with plenty of time to spare!
Pick the Right Mover for You
Depending on where you are moving to and where you’re moving from, there are probably going to be multiple options for international movers. This is where you are going to want to do some significant research, look at testimonials and get estimates. You don’t want to come up short when entrusting a moving service with your belongings, so it always pays to do your research. Make sure you let the service know of any special details or requests you may have, this could be the difference between a good experience and a bad one.
Divide and Insure your Belongings
It’s extremely important to do some of your own preparation as well as that of your movers. You will need to divide up your valuables and ensure that they are packed safely, this is particularly necessary for sentimental items. You will also need to insure your belongings so that if anything is to happens to them, you are not held accountable.
Become Familiar
The last thing you want to do, is arrive in your new home and find that you have no idea how to get around, or to obtain any early essentials. This is why it’s worth doing some serious research before the big move. It would be helpful to look up a variety of convenience stores, grocery stores, schools and hospitals in your new, unfamiliar area, the move itself is going to be disorienting and scary enough, a little bit of planning never hurt anyone.
As we mentioned previously, moving overseas is likely to be one of the biggest stresses you’ve encountered in your life. Not only will your whole reality be displaced, you will have to deal with the trials and logistics of actually moving all of your belongings from one country to another. We hope that this list provides you with the appropriate guidance to begin the preparation process, there will be many other steps to take, so we urge you to do some further research to compliment this list.
