Packing up your worldly belongings and starting a new life abroad is as daunting as it gets, but with more people than ever before leaving Britain and starting a life overseas, here are our 7 top emigrating tips to minimise stress so that your emigration to a better life doesn’t turn into emigration to more strife.
1. Decide on your country of choice
Spending two weeks on holiday a few years in a row is wholly different to deciding to ‘up sticks’ and move to a country full time.
While deciding which country to live in make sure you visit at different times of the year.
Areas that may seem tranquil in the autumn and winter may become overcrowded and utterly what you do not want in the summer.
Travel ‘round the area and see how local people live, shop and socialise.
Integrating yourself into the local community is crucial if you are looking to fit in and make a life in a new place, regardless of the country.
2. Look for employment
Whether it’s full time work or a little part time job to keep you busy between enjoying your surroundings finding work should be one of the first things you look to do, even before you move.
Famously, Australia and New Zealand have been difficult to gain access to, but the visa application process has now become easier.
Both countries are now actively searching for any skilled people, and a prospective employer can even provide you with sponsorship which should make the visa quicker to obtain.
3. Consider how to move your belongings
Negotiating the airport trolleys won’t be the most difficult thing that you have to deal with, now it’s your entire house that needs to be boxed up and moved thousands of miles to a new place.
There are many international removal firms that can provide no-obligation quotes and advice about shipping your possessions.
Many of these work in conjunction with trusted moving companies that will ensure your consignment is passed into the hands of a trusted partner at the destination country who will deliver your possessions safely.
4. Decide whether to take your pets
In many cases, it is perfectly possible for your dog or cat to emigrate with you, but this is almost always expensive and you may feel that the degree of disruption caused to the animal would make it kinder to find it a good home in the UK, particularly where a very long journey is involved.
Remember that different countries have different regulations regarding bringing animals in from overseas, so check with the emigration department before you decide to pack the dog bowl.
There are numerous pet carriers who can assist in the process of re-uniting you with your pet once you are settled abroad who cover all of the necessary vaccinations and shipping restrictions to make the entire process as easy as possible for both you and your pet.
5. Determine your budget
Depending on whether you are moving to retire or to work will determine your budget, but protecting yourself against currency fluctuations is crucial when it comes to moving yourselves and your money to your new home.
Where possible it may be wise to open a bank account while you are in the country prior to your final move so that you can move money over while you are still here in the UK, and be safe in the knowledge that funds will be accessible to you once you land.
This also allows you to move sometimes large amounts from your bank in the UK in person rather than having to do it while you are not in the country.
Independent foreign exchange companies like TORfx are designed to assist you with exchanging the funds and carry no cost whatsoever.
6. Understand the healthcare arrangements
The availability and quality of healthcare and medical treatment vary widely between countries, and sometimes even within the same country.
It is important to consider this when planning to emigrate, particularly if you have a chronic medical condition or are at a stage of life when healthcare becomes more of an issue – for instance, if you are planning a family, have young children or are of retirement age.
Some countries, including Canada and Spain (but famously not to date the US), offer state healthcare, but check carefully to ensure your eligibility.
For example, residents of Spain who are not pensioners, employed or officially resident do not have access to state health services.
Where a national health service is available, long waiting lists are common, so you might want to consider private health insurance.
Several UK companies provide schemes for people living abroad, some country-specific, others more general.
7. Be Decisive
Whether it’s choosing the country that you move to, the cost of the home or the time of the year that you go, emigrating will be a stressful time and decisions will need to be made, sometimes quickly and without much thought it’s important to stay focused and follow your instincts.
Get all the assistance from the experts while you can, it’s they who can help make the whole process easier to deal with and hopefully, as smooth as possible.
Useful links
www.pickfords.co.uk are an international moving and storage company who assist thousands of clients every year and can provide no obligation quotations for any shipping requirement that you have.
www.airpets.com have the professional knowledge, experience and facilities to make it easy for you to move your pet from the UK to anywhere in the world. Airpets understand that moving to another country with your pet is exciting but it can also be stressful. There’s a lot to think about:- Vaccinations, paperwork, transport, sky kennels and flights are all things that can be arranged.
www.torfx.com TorFX deal directly with the currency markets, which means we can offer highly competitive exchange rates on all major currencies, often beating the bank’s rate by over 3%. With in depth knowledge of what drives foreign exchange markets, TorFX can help you optimise the timing of your transaction so that you achieve the best exchange rate. There are no charges, and we offer fast, free international money transfers.