Deciding to change your address for good and move to a new home is always a very big thing to do in life. You are literally leaving behind a place and ending a chapter of your life in favor of a new one. Sometimes better, sometimes worse, the new home also means new surroundings, new life circumstances, and a new set of different obligations and schedules.
It takes a lot of getting used to, but before you actually move you need to plan for it. Now, this is only what needs to happen when you are planning to skip to a different part of town or perhaps the suburbs. Moving to a new city comes with a whole new set of issues and challenges to overcome and an even more different new life to begin.
This is not the biggest change you can have either. What happens when you need or have to move to a different country? How does one prepare for it and can it even be planned down to every detail? International moves are more and more common the more our society advances and the more our cultures and ways of life mix and mesh.
Back in the day, it was much harder to even conceive living abroad, let alone do it seemingly out of nowhere. Now, things are much easier to set up and actually do it, but the planning part is still difficult. So how long does it really take to plan an international move and transfer your life to another country?
Well, in this article we will examine exactly this. Such an interesting and useful question needs an answer because the world has never been more open for all sorts of international affairs, including moving to a far corner of the world.
Keep on reading thoroughly to find out all there is to know about international moves and how much time you will need to set aside to achieve it.
It Could Take Months
Right from the start, we will try to answer the titular question as straightforward as possible. For an overseas relocation that will include most of your belongings as well as all the people you live in, the time span you are looking at is anywhere between 4 and 6 months.
This is a lot of time to plan for things but as soon as we start talking about it you will realize that it makes perfect sense. You may even think that this is hardly enough time by the end! There are some very important things that need to happen before you leave and be ready when you arrive.
In the following sections we mention all of these in detail to prepare you as much as possible.
Moving Everything Abroad
For the actual moving part, ensuring that your property is secure as it arrives to a new address is by far the most important thing, apart from the well-being of you and your family members.
These personal items are basically your life and you will need them as much as you do now. A moving company that does international moves is the thing you should be aiming for. Relocation contractors vary in quality and services, and depending on where you are going and how much you have to bring, you could only be down to a few choices.
To ensure you are going with the absolute best on the market, make sure to click here and find out more.
Checking the Passports
Many travelers learned the hard way how crucial it is to know your passport information and when it expires. You cannot travel abroad if your passport is expired, nor can you travel with a family member whose passport is no longer valid.
The general rule of thumb is for the passport to be valid at least a month or so longer than your trip lasts. Since you are moving for good and not coming back, all you need to know is that your passport has to be valid for at least six months from the moment you start planning.
This should be enough breathing room to plan for everything and not risk having an expired travel documentation when the time for the trip arrives.
Researching the New Neighborhood
For the parents who are relocating, the most important thing to plan is the new school for their children. Researching the local schools takes weeks. Make sure to include them in the decision making, both if they are still in primary or middle school, and high school. It can be a fun family activity.
After all, all of your lives will revolve around their school years for the time being, just like it did in your current home. Apart from the schools themselves, do some homework on the local sports clubs and other extracurricular activities.
Check public transportation and the best routes to take so that everyone is on the same page from day one. It will give you the needed peace of mind during the rest of the planning.
Selling Your Home
If you are truly moving for good and want to sell your current property, it needs to happen well before you leave. You will need a real estate agent or a real estate company to help you out.
The money you get from the home will be of huge help in your new life. You hardly want to worry about your old home thousands of miles away when you are already living a new life and worrying about work and the kids. Doing everything before you leave is better. Now, selling a home is not an easy task and it may take months.
This is why your listing needs to be top-tier. If you sell the house within the first few months of planning, everything else will be smooth sailing. Of course, you have to clean it and empty it before you move, which means hiring some contractors.
If you do not want to sell the property but only rent it for the time being, you will also need help. In this case, find a trusty property management company.
