By Shannon Roxborough
When moving to a foreign country, making adequate pre-departure preparations is essential. Here are some tips to make your international move easier:
1) Be sure to undergo a complete medical check-up before leaving to avoid dealing with a major health issue overseas.
2) Take one or more advance trips to your destination to familiarize yourself. It’s worth the investment.
3) Take the appropriate documents on the advance trip to start the immigration paperwork. Consulate personnel in the country can secure the visa and residency permit more efficiently that those working thousands of miles away.
4) If you have dependent children, in your pre-departure research, be thorough in seeking the availability of education in your host country.
5) Make sure you and your family understand the country’s culture so that they know what will be accepted in terms of volunteer and leisure activities at your new home.
6) In case of emergencies, make sure you know good health-care providers and how to contact them.
7) Use a travel agency for booking en-route travel so you may search for low-cost fares
8) Check into purchasing round-trip tickets for en-route travel. They may be less expensive that one-way. And the return may be used for other travel.
9) Remember the sale of your stateside home increases tax cost due to lost interest deduction.
10) Cancel regular services and utilities. Pay the closing bill for garbage collecting, telephone, electricity, water, gas, cable TV, newspapers, magazines (or send them a change of address), memberships such as library and clubs, store accounts (or notify them that your account is inactive), and credit or check - cashing cards that will not be used.
11) Leave a forwarding address with the post office or arrange for a mail forwarding service to handle all your U.S. mail.
12) Give notice to your landlord or make applicable arrangements for the sale of your home.
13) Have jewelry, art, or valuables properly appraised, especially if they will be taken abroad. Register cameras, jewelry and other similar items with customs so that there will be no problem when reentering the U.S.
14) Make sure a detailed shipping inventory of household and personal effects is in the carry-on luggage and a copy is at home with a designated representative.
