5 Tips you Need to Know Before Moving Abroad
Are you planning to move abroad this year? Well, making that decision to leave your home country and start living in a foreign country is never that easy. You may be a bit anxious along the way, and sometimes you might change your mind before booking that ticket.
Whether you are moving abroad to further your studies, seek employment, and visit your family, there are some things you should always consider first, like getting a Cigna international health plan to cover your medical care. Here we give you a checklist you need when you are moving abroad.
1. Money and Work
Before you decide to move abroad, you should know if you’ll be able to support yourself. Are you going to get a job in the new country or have some savings to support your family while staying there? Your income should become a top priority before moving abroad.
The best time to travel abroad is when you get a job offer from a reliable company. This way, you can sustain your expenses like rent, food, and social services. If you are not confident of getting a job abroad and you don’t have any good savings in your wallet, then moving abroad should be the least of your worries.
To relieve yourself of the financial pressure when moving abroad, you should get a decent job confirmed before setting your feet on the plane. Also, you should have GeoBlue health insurance if you are traveling to the USA.
2. Get a visa
When you plan to move abroad, you should research to determine what you will need to stay there legally. Will you need a work permit or a visa to stay in the country? If so, then you should have all your documents processed locally before moving.
Some countries will offer you a scheme to live for up to 2 years to experience the country. However, this may only apply to younger people or those below 18 years.
Get a visa, a health insurance cover, and all your work permits processed with the relevant authorities if you want to avoid being caught on the wrong side of the law when moving abroad.
3. Language barrier
The language barrier is another reason most people will hardly travel or move abroad. Before moving to your country of choice, you should learn one or two things about the country. Find out the official language in the country you are visiting and whether the citizens can also speak your national language.
Before moving abroad, you should find out if you can communicate fluently with the natives. Once you arrive, you may have to process some documents in the local government offices, requiring that you do some paperwork. You may also find yourself signing contracts for a job, and you do want to sign things you don’t understand at all.
If you don’t understand the language when you move abroad, you can consider hiring a translator, but that is a bit expensive if you want to save some money. You can also use third-party translators.
4. Update your certificates
When you plan to move abroad as a professional, you should ensure all your certificates are up to date. For instance, if you are a healthcare provider, you should update your CPR and ACLS. Also, ensure at least one of your state licenses is active.
You can do the necessary CEUS’s online to keep the license active and avoid issues once you travel. It may look like a waste of time updating your documents before traveling, but you realize how useful it is when you cannot update them once you move to another country.
If you have a real job abroad, you should have all your papers and certificates up to date before moving.
5. Get yourself a travel credit and debit card
Yes, you will need a credit and debit card when you travel abroad. The first reason is that you are not used to the exchange rates in the country you are moving to, and paying with a debit card can save the heck of calculations.
You should get yourself a debit card that is perfect for traveling abroad. Many banks offer these services for expatriates and students moving abroad. Note that some countries don’t accept payment for bills with a foreign card. Therefore, you should find out which card is acceptable in the country you are moving to before registering for any debit card.
Final Thoughts
When moving abroad, you should consider factors such as language, work, money, visa, and family. Get all your documents and certificates up to date before moving. Lastly, you should get yourself health insurance cover for your family when moving abroad. You will need quality healthcare in your new country.