Your Best Friend and Guru to International Moving

Moving internationally involves precise planning and the right prep to allow for a smooth transition into your new life in a new country.

Here’s a pro iMoving guide, checklist, and best friend to guide you through the process and get you where you want to be.

Move to Bali and laze by the pool with your coconut and smoothie bowl or set up your hammock workspace in the jungles of Brazil, the planning is all the same.

Let’s break things down into baby steps so you can start off organized:

• Visa and Residency Needs: Research and ensure plenty of time necessary to get the proper visas or permits for your destination country. If you plan to earn money working for a foreign country, ensure you are able to attain the right working visas.
• Taxes: Research taxes and levies on foreign-earned income in your new destination country. This may drastically affect your planning for tax residency. Being abroad for over 6 months can change your tax status and residency. We recommend seeking professional advice that will save you potentially hundreds of dollars.
• Education: Research schools for children if relevant for your family and arrange for transcripts or transfer documents. Find international school options and understand their distance from your new point of arrival. There may be services the schools offer such as VIP pick up and drop off from your neighborhood if you live in an expat area. 
• Finance: Notify your bank of your international move and set up accounts in the new country if needed and relevant. 
• Understand the proximity to ATMs and the use of cash locally versus credit cards accepted. Some areas rely fully on cash in which case you will need to find a debit card such as Chase or Schwab that allows for fee-free withdrawals without limits. 
• In some countries, having a bank account exposes you to other local taxes and regulations so be aware before making moves. 

• Language and Culture: Learn basic phrases and cultural norms of the new country. Respecting the local culture is key to integrating into your new home. Try to learn and teach your family the basic words to give respect and ask questions
• Pro tip- download offline language translators such as Google Translate to be able to scan a photo in the local dialect and receive a translation in English
• Download Duolingo and start a family plan to encourage each other to learn the new language of your destination country! Mahalo! Terimakasih!

• Inventory: Create a detailed personalized inventory of all items you plan to move.
• Declutter: Create a separate pile and list sorted by category: sell, donate, trash it. items you won’t be taking with you and can be parted with will make settling in your new home simpler later on. Your host country may be very cheap for basic items and it may make more sense to purchase locally rather than pay for the shipping of your current items such as bed frames and big furniture and breakables.
• Packing Materials: Gather all the packing supplies you can ahead of time to keep yourself motivated. Make sure you have plenty of boxes, tape, bubble wrap, and markers on hand so you can pack that midnight box up if you feel inspired.

• Choose a Moving Company: Research and choose an international moving company with experience in your destination country. iMoving is here for you in this realm. Experience is key for an international move to run smoothly, don’t just trust anyone. 
• Insurance: Ensure your belongings are insured during transit all the way through to their arrival in your new home including the time they await customs release in the port. There are many horror stories of things being stolen in ports around the world.
• Customs Regulations: Familiarize yourself with customs regulations and make sure you have a reliable agent that is with you every step of the way preparing ahead of time all the documents you will need to release your items quickly from customs in the destination country. 

Pro tip- Plan for delays and don’t count on all your home items arriving immediately. Many families take this gap time to travel around their new country and explore the options available locally.

• Cancel Current Utilities: Arrange for disconnection of utilities in your current country. Ask ahead in your destination country on how you receive access to power, water, gas, and more. There may be local regulations or homeowners groups that organize this for you.
• Mail: Notify postal services and arrange for mail forwarding.

• Currency Exchange: Consider the best methods for exchanging cash and transferring funds internationally. Research the exchange rates historically to understand smart times to trade.
• Pro tip- Try Wise or Revolut for big currency exchange needs.
• Many expats need to swap funds each month and you can set up local arrangements to avoid bank fees.
• Check the timing of exchange as rates fluctuate by local banks depending on the time of day.

• Insurance Coverage: Review health insurance coverage and consider additional coverage for international travel. See if local insurance plans make sense for your family. 
• Medical: Nothing matters more than your health. You can’t enjoy Bali’s waves if you aren’t healthy enough to paddle out. Understand healthcare options in your new destination country and arrange for any additional vaccinations, medicines that prevent malaria, or extra medical checks. You want to understand the facilities available in your destination country for yourself and your family in case of emergencies as well as general doctors dentists and other specialists in your new area.
• Pro tip- Get paper copies of medical records and prescriptions.

• Legal Documents: Gather important documents such as passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates, and any required legal documents for immigration. 
• Loser’s Tip- triple check the validity of your passport before purchasing flights and get new passports well ahead of time if needed
• Driver’s License: Check if your current driver’s license is valid in the new country or if you need to get a local license.
• Pro tip- an international license is expected in most countries and costs very little to obtain.
• Getting your motorbike license in your current country may be critical for your health insurance to cover local motorbike accidents.

• Housing In the meantime: Arrange for temporary housing or a hotel upon arrival if needed. Don’t trust your shipment will be on time as sea conditions vary.
• Local Support: Connect with local expat communities or organizations for support and community.

• Travel Arrangements: Book flights to your new destination. Check the various routes to find the best deal that makes sense.
• Party: Plan your goodbye party with all your friends before starting off on your adventure.

• Timeline: Create a detailed timeline for each task to stay organized, on top of things, and ensure everything is completed on time to leave.
• Communication: Stay in touch with your moving company, employers, and others involved to avoid last-second problems.
• Cultural Adjustment: Be prepared for cultural differences and challenges in adjusting to life in a new country. Take things day by day.

Welcome to your new life adventure! How exciting that you are planning and taking the steps needed for this new exploration. By following our international moving checklist and customizing it to your specific needs and destination country, you can minimize stress and have a successful international move. Best of luck from our iMoving team!