You want to move abroad? Maybe it’s for a job opportunity. Maybe for a cultural opportunity. Or maybe, like in our case, it’s for an educational opportunity. In October 2023, we finished planning our one-year move from the United States to Tel Aviv, Israel, so that I could pursue my Master’s Degree. I can promise you the planning for this trip took a big portion of the year prior to our flight to ensure a smooth transition. Even with that much planning (and we are both very detailed planners), we made some mistakes. We already feel bad for some of the issues that “future us” will have to deal with next year when we return home to the United States. Let us tell you about some of our experiences in planning a move abroad and hopefully help you avoid some of the same mistakes.
What Does Moving Abroad Entail?
Moving to another country is not just like moving to another state. Daphne and I have moved domestically a few times and felt like we had the basics of moving down. But moving to a whole new country had so many new challenges. What do we bring, and what do we leave? How do we find somewhere to live? How do we pay for it? Do we buy a car or use public transportation? What aren’t we allowed to bring into the country? Oh, and how important is it that we speak the local language? And to add to the complication for us, we also brought our dog with us to our new home, which entailed another list of steps and challenges.
Why Is Planning Ahead For A Move Abroad Important?
We fully understand that not everybody is a planner. Some people like to just “wing it” and hope it all works out. Daphne and I aren’t like that. (There is legitimately a picture of us at our wedding checking the final things off a huge checklist that was months in the making.) But, when you’re considering an international trip, you must plan. There are so many things that can go wrong, and in a lot of cases, the problems can be very challenging to deal with in a place absent of all of your usual resources. If you are a “wing it” kind of person, I would highly recommend hiring somebody (or bribing a good friend) who is very good at planning to help you.
Research Your Destination Country
The first and likely most important step is to research where it is that you are going. Ideally, you’ve done some of that before deciding to move there. Maybe you found a job there that you’ve been hired at. Maybe you found your dream school there. Or maybe you need a break from the busyness of your city life and want to live island life for a while. Whatever it is, there are four main things you’ll need to check out before you purchase your tickets. And one bonus thing if you’re planning a long-term stay.
Culture And Customs
Beyond ensuring you’ll feel comfortable in your new home, knowing what to expect is important. There are many countries around the world that have the same morals, values, or customs as our home does. While others can be challenging at least and grossly offensive at most. Moving there is expensive, time-consuming, and challenging. You don’t want to find out a few weeks after arriving that you cannot stand some of the things that they find normal.
Culture and Customs also play a role in local laws, and remember that in most places, a lack of knowledge of the law is not a defense when you break it. Plus in some countries, the penalties can be stiff. Even packing certain things can get you into trouble when you pass through customs upon arrival. Not how you want to start your new adventure. Cultures also may play a significant role in what you pack. For example, here in Israel, there is a pretty strict dress code for some neighborhoods and religious sites. So, we had to ensure that we packed appropriate clothing for those local customs.
Learn about local laws, customs, and travel advisories for your destination country at the State Department Website.
Language
Language is important. But, with the advent of translation apps, it’s easier. I can tell you from experience that not speaking or understanding the local language does make things more challenging. Before moving to Israel, Daphne and I learned a couple hundred words and phrases in Hebrew. We were told that the vast majority of Israeli citizens speak at least passable English. Although that is true, the majority of signs, labels, instructions, and even local cell phone apps are fully in Hebrew. We’ve also learned that even translation apps have a challenging time reading handwritten letters and can’t always give us an accurate translation.
Am I saying not to move to a new country until you are fully fluent in the local language? Absolutely not. But do take a look at how commonly spoken your language(s) are. Note that if English, for example, is very uncommon, then even calling for police or an ambulance can be challenging in an emergency. Be prepared to use a translation app a lot to understand even what something on the grocery store shelves is. It’s all very possible, but it does add a level of complexity that you should be aware of.
To find the common languages of any country, head to the CIA World Factlist Website
Cost Of Living
This one is important and often overlooked. If you have a remote job that you’ll be taking with you or looking for new work once you arrive, it’s important to consider the cost of living. Daphne and I moved to Tel Aviv, Israel, which is consistently ranked in the top 5 most expensive cities in the world. You’ll need to ensure that you budget for the difference. In some cases, like Argentina, for example, our US dollar is very strong, and things are incredibly cheap comparably. The easiest way to compare the cost of living is to use Numero’s Cost of Living Calculator. Just put in your current and destination cities, and it will compare the costs of various items. But, right at the top, it will tell you how much money you should expect to spend to maintain your current standard of living.
Whether you keep a detailed budget or just a “good sense of how much I spend,” you’ll need to ensure before you head to the airport that your income will cover your expenses. I would also like to take this opportunity to suggest having an emergency fund built up before moving. So many things could go wrong that having a little money stash would help solve some problems or issues.
Visa requirements
You’ll want to confirm the visa requirements for your destination country. Nothing will get you turned around faster than arriving without the required visas. You won’t even be allowed to leave the airport in most cases. Some countries require a visa to enter, whereas others will allow you up to 90 days on a “Tourist Visa” that you get at the airport. But nearly every country will require you to have a work visa to find work legally. These can be hard to get in some places. Most reputable sources also say that to be a “digital nomad,” working for a US-based employer in another country also requires either a “Digital Nomad” Visa or a Work Visa – even for short periods. You’ll also want to review your destination country’s requirements. Usually, the easiest way is to contact your nearest embassy office for the country you plan on moving to.
Find your nearest embassy by going to the Embassy Worldwide Site.
Job market
If you plan on looking for a job within your new country, take some time to see what the job market looks like. You’ll want to factor that into your savings and/or emergency fund. You’ll also need to consider what the average salaries look like compared to your current income. You likely considered that while you were looking at the cost of living calculator above. Before we took off for our current abroad adventure, we wrote out a budget, determined what our monthly income would need to be to be comfortable, and saved for it. But we knew that our time here would be more limited. If you’re moving permanently (or semi-permanently), you’ll want to consider if getting a remote US job will provide you with better income or if a local job in your new country will be able to fund your stay.
Logistics Of Moving Abroad
Okay, we’ve done all of our homework and decided that we can do it. We have the visas, know how much it’ll cost to live there, and we’ve figured out how we will fund our stay. Now, how do we even get there in one piece?
Accommodation
We need to figure out where to live in our new country. In some countries, it’s easier than in others. For example, in Israel, most apartment rentals are done face-to-face, and there aren’t as many online services as there are in the United States. It was weeks of hopping on a bus to physically view places and meet with landlords to find a place. We opted to rent an Airbnb for a few weeks, but you could also consider a long-stay hotel or similar as well. You may also be able to find realtors in your destination country that can both assist you with finding a place to live and give you a realistic timeline of how long it might take.
Just keep in mind that many landlords in other countries will want you to have a local bank account to either do direct transfers or be able to write checks. You may get lucky and find ones that will accept foreign credit cards or checks, but I would ask a realtor to see how common that is. Something else you’ll want to plan into your checklist of things to do upon arriving if it’s not something you can do in advance online. Rental policies vary greatly, and contracts may not be in English. So, consider all of these things during your housing search. The benefits of using something like AirBnB for the first couple of weeks are that it’s in English, you can pay by credit card, and there are no contracts to deal with. But, in most places, staying in an Airbnb long-term is not feasible.
Learn all about our experiences trying to rent an apartment in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Transportation
You’ll need to consider if you want to rent, lease, or buy a car when you arrive or rely on public transportation. This will likely depend heavily on how long you plan on staying and what the public transportation looks like where you’re moving to. In a bigger city, getting around in your own car can almost be harder and more stressful than just spending the extra money on taxis. But, in rural areas, you may not be able to get around without a car. You’ll want to factor in expenses such as car registration, insurance, fuel, and parking in deciding if buying a car is right for you. Renting or leasing a car may save you some of those expenses, but not all of them.
If your destination city has good public transportation, it might be your best option. Here in Israel, we opted not to buy a car but instead got picked up at the airport by a pet taxi as our pup was also traveling with us. We now use buses, trains, and the occasional taxi to get around. Our transportation expenses dropped significantly from back in the United States, where we had two cars and all of the costs that went along with them. If you’re moving with all your stuff, make sure you’re renting or requesting a car big enough to move it all. In most countries, vehicles are much smaller than you’d expect.
Shipping or Storing Belongings
This is another one that likely depends on how long you plan to stay. If you’re moving permanently, then the choice is most likely between shipping or selling your belongings. I would recommend that, in either case, you sell, donate, or trash anything that you don’t think you’ll use again or that is cheap to replace. Remember that everything you keep will incur some expenses to either store or ship. If you decide to ship everything, you’ll likely need to hire movers to handle the physical movement of your items. Keep in mind that the time it takes for your items to arrive could be significant. There may be additional customs fees to import them into the country.
If you’re only going to be gone for a few months or a year, then storing items might make more sense. Especially if you’re going to be coming back to the state that you’re leaving from. If you’re going to store things, choose a reputable storage company that has been around for a while. The last thing you need is somewhere to go out of business while you are away. I also strongly consider getting insurance – your renter’s or homeowner’s insurance may cover your storage unit, so look into that before paying for additional insurance.
Packing Strategies
This is one of those lessons that we wish we would have learned better. Label everything well, and keep a separate list of what is in each box. We tried, really we did, but it got away from us in the final weeks before our big move. We know everything is in storage, but it’ll be a great surprise for us when we try to find something a year from now. We’ll have no idea why the TV Remote is in the box with the oven mitts and our picture frames. We already know that we will spend months trying to find things packed in random boxes.
I also want to stress packing things loosely and not putting things into sealed plastic bags. Any moisture in the bags will cause mold over time, so it’s best to let fabric items breathe a little bit. Putting cedar chips in them will also help with moisture and smells. If you’re packing them into storage, make sure that boxes aren’t going to get crushed if they are sitting for months on end. Pack very carefully to ensure that things stay in great condition while you are gone.
Although these suggestions primarily focus on packing things in storage, if you’re shipping your belongings, you may not see them again for a month or more. So, although not as critical, these suggestions still apply to shipping your items as well.
Legal And Administrative Tasks Of Moving Abroad
Now you’ve got your stuff packed. You’ve figured out how to get around. You have found a place to stay. Here are some of the other “Administrative Tasks” that you’ll want to consider before you move abroad.
Health insurance and medical care
If you’re going to be living in another country for more than a few months, you’ll want to consider health insurance. Your US-based insurance, if you maintain it, may cover emergency services but likely won’t cover a simple doctor’s visit. You’ll want to consider how much healthcare costs in your destination country to determine if health insurance is worth it. Many countries have tourist insurance that can cover your basic medical expenses while you are there. The cost, though, may be higher than just paying for minor medical needs out of pocket. If you aren’t maintaining US-based insurance, then any significant illness or injury could quickly become very expensive. They may not have the same pricing flexibility as many US hospitals do.
Also, take a look at the level of medical care that can be provided in your destination country before you move abroad. If you have any current medical condition, consider if your destination country can treat that condition should you have a problem. Not all hospitals are created equal. Even if they have a hospital, the services provided may vary significantly from what you are used to in the United States. Consider any vaccinations you may need before traveling as well. Bring medication with you. Finally, write down the pharmaceutical name for any medicines, including over-the-counter, that you take. You may need that name instead of the brand names, as they vary internationally.
International Driving Permits / Licenses
Not all countries except a US Driver’s License as valid. Especially in countries in which English is not a primary language. These countries often require an International Driving Permit or License. Essentially, it is a document, in several languages, that copies all of the data for your current Driver’s License. Bring both this permit and your license as proof that you’re able to drive. Some countries don’t require it and will accept any driver’s license in English. Consider that even if you don’t plan on buying or leasing a car, you may rent one. Renting a car is a great way to take a weekend getaway or go somewhere off the beaten path. So, I would recommend getting an international driver’s license if your country requires it. They aren’t that expensive or hard to get.
A couple of options to consider; AAA, International Driving Permit, or International Driver’s Association.
Cell Phone Services
You’ll likely want a cell phone plan in your new country. Your US plan will likely have high international fees, so you’ll want to avoid using it. If you’re traveling short-term and only need a data plan, AirAlo is a good option. Note that large portions of the world use WhatsApp for day-to-day communication, which uses data. So, you may not need a local phone number, only a data plan. If you need a local phone number and plan, you’ll have to do some research.
Unfortunately, you’ll likely find companies with websites in foreign languages. You may not find English-speaking customer service. Or the level of customer service you are used to in the United States. Luckily for us, we found a company that provides cell phone service in Israel and also has a US-based office. The US Office provided us with all of the customer service, and the Israel office provided us with quality services.
Only need cell phone data in your new country? Consider AirAlo SIM cards that will work with your current phone.
Taxes
If you plan on working after your move abroad, you’ll need to understand how taxes work. Unfortunately, in our experience, most government websites are in the official language of the country, so if you don’t already speak the language, then understanding taxes can be challenging. If you’re going to be paying taxes in your new country, and don’t speak the native language, I would recommend trying to find an accountant that does speak your language. It’ll cost you a little bit of money, but the consequences of getting it wrong could also be expensive. You may also owe US taxes, so talk to a US accountant as well.
Banking And Finances
If you’re going to be moving abroad for a while, or if you’re going to be working (and getting paid), you’ll likely need a local bank account. US Credit Cards (Mastercard & Visa, for example) work in most countries, so you should be able to get by with those while you set up your bank account. Some countries will allow you to open an account online, whereas others will require it in person. Ensure that whatever bank you use is accredited by the government’s banking authority to know that it follows the legal standards and is more likely trustworthy.
This process can take some time if done in person, so bring enough money to get by for a few weeks. You’ll likely want a local debit card (for taking out cash) and checks if that’s how you’ll be paying rent. There are a number of online services that will assist you in transferring your money between your US accounts and your abroad accounts. We personally use OFX and have had great success with them for transferring money.
Registering with the embassy
This one is important, although not required. As long as you maintain US Citizenship, the US Embassy can assist you. They can help you renew your US passport, vote, or do other US-based government tasks. They also do a lot of work to monitor the safety of the country and send out alerts if there is a significant change. These alerts can help you determine if you can continue to stay. They also provide information on how to leave and any emergency actions the US government is taking to assist its citizens abroad. The STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) doesn’t send a lot of emails, so it’s important when they do. Notifying the embassy you are in the country also allows them to support you better if you reach out for assistance.
This may seem irrelevant to many. But we moved to Israel just two days before they declared themselves a country at war. The STEP Notifications provided us with useful information that allowed us to make decisions. Along with providing us with information on how we could evacuate if the need arose. We didn’t plan on needing any of those notifications or services but found them incredibly helpful during the very confusing first few days after the war started.
Sign up for STEP Program with the US Department of State
Preparing For Your Move Abroad
Now that everything is packed, all of the paperwork is done, and you are registered with the embassy, You’re ready to head to the airport. The last few things to do may be the hardest emotionally, saying goodbye to people at home, and preparing yourself for what lies ahead. Ensure that you leave some time in your moving timeline for these important steps. They can be just as important to those that you are leaving as it is for your own mental health.
Saying Goodbye To Friends And Family
This one can be hard, even if it is a short-term move. It felt like we were saying goodbye to people constantly for nearly a month before we left. Everything we went to started to become “the last time we will … before we leave.” We had a ton of support from our friends and families. But, it was still hard to know that we would be away, unable to see them for nearly a year. We know that both they and we would likely be different people when we returned. Luckily, with the advent of technology, we have regular phone and video calls. We are sending them lots of pictures and stories of our adventures. But, driving towards the airport was challenging. My only advice here is to be kind to yourself during this process and accept that it is hard.
Preparing Emotionally
Conversely, after saying goodbye to everybody at home, you need to prepare yourself for moving abroad. Learning a new culture has its challenges. Trying to manage processes that are “piece of cake” in the US but take a month in a new country. For example: It took me over a month to get a Debit Card here in Israel, and it was delivered by a man on a motorcycle who doesn’t speak any English.
The first months here in Israel tested our patience, strength, resolve, and ability to solve complex problems. But after a few months, we have a rhythm; we travel the city like locals and order our morning coffee in Hebrew. Just be prepared for things to be hard initially, and be mentally prepared to push through and solve the issues. You won’t have the same type or amount of support you have at home. But, this is part of the excitement of this, learning to trust yourself (and your spouse/partner) even more.
Conclusion: How To Move Abroad
Moving abroad takes a lot of work, but the experience will likely be life-changing. We started planning our one-year move abroad about a year before boarding the airplane. It involved months of research, saving, and steps to ensure we had covered all the critical details. I hope this article helps provide you with some good starting notes for your move abroad. I strongly encourage anybody with the means to do so, to do it. Daphne and I learned so much about ourselves and each other during the planning and the actual move. It has made us better planners, less anxious, and more adventurous. But, yes, I’ll admit, there were absolutely times when we questioned whether we were crazy for doing this.
Not ready to move, but want to travel internationally? Check out our article on things to know to travel internationally.
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