Moving Abroad Checklist: Getting Ready For A New Life In A New Country

Emigrating to a new country is a fantastic experience. It can open up new financial opportunities and enrich your life in many other ways. Many people making the move make mistakes, however, and some of them can be costly. With the help of this checklist, you should be able to avoid most of the pitfalls that other ex-pats have experienced and make a smooth move to a new life.

Get The Finances In Order

The first item on your emigration checklist should be the finances. There will be a lot to budget for in your move, but one of the most important is financing your new home. This can be challenging, as you will have to learn about your destination’s rules and regulations for house buying. Every county has its own quirks when it comes to mortgages and home loans.

Finding help in your new country is the key to navigating these waters. PropertyGuru helps people to compare home loan rates for properties in Singapore. They can help you get the financial help you need from some of the world’s biggest and best-known lenders. This makes the process easier for you, and you can rely on their expertise to get the best deal available on the market.

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 Plan Your Tax Liabilities

Many people fail to spend much time on this step, and it can cost them a lot of money. If you are moving from the UK, you need to let His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) know ahead of time. You may be due a rebate on taxes you have already paid or need to make a payment to ensure you have covered your liability before making your move.

There will also be taxes due in your destination country. These can come from property purchases, from any income you have already earned there, or there may be a tax on immigration itself. Before signing any documents or booking any flights, you should research your tax liability, both in your old home nation and in your new one.

Check Your Healthcare

Living in the UK comes with a lot of benefits, one of the biggest being the National Health Service. Not every nation provides socialised healthcare, and you may have to make plans or pay for coverage in your new nation to make sure you have access to hospitals and doctors. If you or anyone in your family has a regular prescription for a chronic illness, this is especially important.

You do not want to run out of your medication in a foreign nation without knowing where your next prescription will come from and how you will pay. Before you make your move, plan your healthcare and make sure you know what number to dial in an emergency, where your nearest hospitals are, and what you need to do to register with a local doctor.

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Take Care Of Your Transportation

When you arrive at your destination, you are going to need to get around. If you drive, you will need to buy or lease a car and insure yourself on it in order to run errands, shop, and get to and from work. Your UK driving licence may be valid in your new country, or you may have to take a driving test in your new nation to drive legally on the roads.

Find out about the local driving customs and regulations before you make the move. You may need important information or documents, such as your car insurance history, to become a fully-fledged, legal driver in your new home country.

Many nations have a ‘grace period’ that allows foreign nationals to drive using their home nation's licences for a short period of time, often one year. This can help you settle in and adjust to your new life over time without having to rush around and get a new driving test arranged.

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Leave On Good Terms

It is important to make sure you have completed all the relevant documentation your home country requires before you make your move abroad. UK ex-pats can still vote in the British elections from abroad, but you need to register your immigration to a new country. If you have assets that will remain in the UK or tax obligations that will continue after your move, this is a very important step. Your finances will still be affected by UK government policy, and you deserve your say.

Do not leave debt behind either. One of the common mistakes ex-pats make is leaving without fully closing their utility bill accounts, council tax liability, or paying off small debts. These will mount up in your absence, and you could be faced with a big bill if you return to live in the UK in the future. Utility companies never forget, so make sure all your final bills are paid and your accounts closed.

Follow these steps, and your switch to a new life in a new country should go without a hitch. Moving to a new nation creates a lot of opportunities, do not let paperwork or poor financial planning get in between you and your dream.