Moving abroad
A comprehensive relocation checklist: documents to handle before you leave, finances, housing, connectivity, and the organizational loose ends that get forgotten in the rush.

[ ] Apostille your certificates before you leave
    Birth and marriage certificates — get the apostille done at home, in advance. Doing it from abroad means mailing originals back and forth and losing weeks.
[ ] Order a criminal record certificate
    It's typically valid for only 3–6 months, so time the request carefully — not so early it expires, not so late it delays your move.
[ ] Check the translation requirements
    Find out ahead of time whether your destination requires a certified or sworn translator locally — translations done back home are often rejected outright.
[ ] Prepare your diplomas and transcripts
    For work or study you may need an apostille on your diploma and grade transcript — check what the receiving institution or employer actually requires.
[ ] Gather your medical records
    Vaccination certificates and key medical history (especially for chronic conditions) — a new doctor abroad has nothing to work from without them.
[ ] Get prescriptions with the generic drug name
    For ongoing medications, ask for the prescription with the international generic name, not just the brand — brand names differ abroad, and pharmacies can match a generic.
[ ] Pack a 2–3 month supply of your regular medications
    You'll need the buffer while you figure out the local healthcare system, find a doctor and locate the right pharmacy.
[ ] Set up health insurance in your new country
    Figure out what covers you in the first weeks — often a temporary travel policy bridges the gap until local public or private insurance kicks in.
[ ] Bring cash for the first stretch
    Enough for 1–2 months of living, since a local card and account take time to set up. In the local currency or USD/EUR, whichever exchanges more easily there.
[ ] Make sure a card works abroad
    Check withdrawal limits and foreign transaction fees before you go — sorting out a fraud-flagged card from a new country is a hassle you can avoid.
[ ] Open a local bank account
    You'll need it for salary, rent and most local payments — requirements vary a lot by country, so research what documents you'll need in advance.
[ ] Get proof-of-income documents
    Landlords and banks often ask for these — get a recent statement from your employer or tax authority before you leave, while it's easy.
[ ] Understand your tax residency status
    The 183-day rule in most countries determines where you owe taxes. A quick consultation with a specialist is cheaper than an error you discover later.
[ ] Book temporary housing
    Cover the first 2–4 weeks — avoid signing a long-term lease before you've actually seen the place and the neighborhood in person.
[ ] Set up an eSIM and get a local number
    An eSIM covers the first few days, but get a local number quickly — it's often required to sign up for local services, delivery apps and banking.
[ ] Register your address with local authorities
    Many countries require registering your address within a set number of days after arrival — check the rule for your destination and don't miss the deadline.
[ ] Set up a power of attorney back home
    A broad one — for documents, banks, property. The most underrated item on this list: without it, any issue at home means flying back in person to handle it.
[ ] Check the local driver's license rules
    Find out whether your license is recognized, whether you need an international permit, or whether a local test is required — this varies enormously by country.
[ ] Decide what happens to your belongings
    Sell, give away or put into storage — international shipping is often pricier than the stuff itself. Sort this category by category, not all at once in the final week.
[ ] Audit subscriptions and recurring payments
    Scroll through last month's bank statement — you'll find forgotten subscriptions that will keep charging you long after you've left the country.
[ ] Arrange for your mail
    Set up forwarding, or ask someone trusted to collect and pass along anything important — bank letters and official notices keep arriving for a while.
[ ] Register with your embassy or consulate
    Not mandatory, but useful: they can reach you in an emergency, and it sometimes simplifies certain administrative procedures.
[ ] Start a separate checklist for your pet
    Traveling with an animal starts at least 2–3 months ahead — vaccinations, microchips and vet paperwork all take time. Check the dedicated pet travel checklist.
[ ] Find a local expat or community group
    Local chats and groups answer practical questions faster than any forum — where to rent, which doctor to see, how banking actually works in this specific city.
[ ] Upload copies of every document to the cloud
    Passport, diplomas, medical records, insurance — photograph everything into one folder before you leave. You'll sometimes need an original urgently before you've even unpacked.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/moving-abroad