Moving Abroad Checklist: What to Do 12 Months, 6 Months and 1 Month Out

Most moves abroad go wrong in the paperwork, not the packing. A missing apostille, a police certificate that expired a week before the visa interview, a degree evaluation that takes four months instead of four weeks. Each of those can push a start date back or cost a job offer.

This checklist is organised by time: what to start a year out, what to lock down at six months, and what to finish in the last month. It ends with the first week after you land, which is when most newcomers waste time queuing for things they could have prepared for.

It is written for people moving for work, study or family, from anywhere to anywhere. Some items will not apply to you. The order still will.

The honest version: start the slow documents first, keep your money visible and traceable, and do not cancel anything at home until the new thing abroad is working.

12 months before: choose your route and budget

Before anything else, confirm which visa or permit you are actually eligible for. Everything else hangs on it: what documents you need, whether you need proof of funds, whether your partner can work, how long you can stay.

If you are using an immigration consultant or lawyer, check that they are licensed in the destination country. Canada, Australia, the UK and New Zealand all run public registers. Unlicensed advisers are a common source of refusals and outright fraud.

Start saving now

Work out your total budget, not just the visa fee. A realistic figure includes visa and biometric fees, tests and assessments, medical exams, flights, temporary accommodation, a rental deposit, the first months' living costs and a buffer for delays. If your visa requires proof of funds, start building a clean savings record now; our guide to proof of funds for visa applications explains why sudden deposits get refused.

12 months before: order the slow documents

Order these now, because they can each take months.

• Educational credential assessments. Canada (ECA through WES or another designated body), the US (evaluations for H-1B, green cards and professional licensing), Germany (recognition through anabin or the ZAB) and Australia (skills assessments) all need them. Your university may need to send transcripts directly, which adds weeks.
• Professional registration. Nurses, doctors, engineers, teachers and accountants often need to register with a regulator in the new country. Some of these processes take six months or more.
• Police certificates. Most residence visas need one from every country you have lived in for six or twelve months or more since age 18. Some are quick, some take months. Many have a validity window, so check when to apply.
• Apostilles and legalisation. If your documents will be used in a country that belongs to the Hague Apostille Convention (130 contracting parties at the time of writing), an apostille from your home country's designated authority is enough. If either country is outside the convention, you need full consular legalisation, which is slower.
• Civil documents. Birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, children's birth certificates. Get certified copies and, where needed, certified translations.

Language tests

If your route needs IELTS, CELPIP, TOEFL, PTE or a German or French test, book it now. Results are usually valid for two years, and you may want a second attempt.

6 months before: apply and plan the move

Visa application

Submit as early as your route allows. Processing times are published by most immigration departments; plan for the upper end, not the average. Keep copies of everything you upload.

Medical exams

Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the US (immigrant visas) and the UK (TB tests for some countries) require exams by approved panel physicians. Results usually expire after 12 months, so time them with your application.

Driving records

Ask your licensing authority for a letter or certified record showing your driving history and any claims-free years. Many countries let you convert your licence without a test only if you can prove experience, and insurers in Canada and the US often price newcomers as brand-new drivers without one. A letter from your current car insurer confirming your no-claims years can cut your first premium significantly.

Housing research

Decide whether to rent sight unseen or book temporary accommodation for the first two to four weeks. Temporary is usually the better choice. It lets you see neighbourhoods, avoid rental scams (common in Toronto, London, Dubai and Sydney) and apply for longer leases with a local address and bank account.

Shipping vs selling your belongings

Get two or three quotes from international movers. Then do the sums honestly. Shipping a container is often more expensive than replacing furniture, particularly for cheap flat-pack items. Large appliances may not work on a different voltage or plug standard.

Moving with pets

Pet moves need the longest planning of all. The basic sequence for most countries is a microchip first, then a rabies vaccination, then a waiting period before travel. Entry from some countries also needs a rabies antibody (titre) test at an approved laboratory, followed by a further wait of several months. Australia and New Zealand have the strictest rules, including import permits and mandatory post-arrival quarantine. The EU sets its rules for pets entering from outside the bloc in a European Commission regulation; check your destination country's national page too. Airlines have their own rules on crates and breeds.

3 months before: money, credit and insurance

Bank accounts and credit

Keep at least one bank account and one credit card open at home. You may need them for pensions, refunds, subscriptions or a future return. Tell your bank you are moving and ask whether they restrict non-resident customers, because some do.

Some banks in Canada, the US and the UK let you open an account before arrival or within days of landing. Look into this now. Our guide to opening a bank account in Canada as a newcomer shows how that works there.

Your credit history usually does not follow you. Most newcomers start from zero in the new country. A few card issuers use international credit records for selected countries, but expect to build history from scratch with a secured card or a starter card.

Money transfers

Set up a transfer service before you need it. Bank wires are usually the most expensive way to move savings. Compare the amount received, not the fee. Our guide to the cheapest way to send money abroad explains how markups work.

Insurance

You may need three kinds of cover.

• Travel insurance for the flight and the first weeks, especially if you are not covered by public healthcare on arrival.
• Health insurance for any waiting period. Some Canadian provinces have waiting periods for public health cover, and private cover is compulsory in the UAE. For longer gaps, look at international health insurance for expats.
• Contents insurance for shipped goods, through your mover or separately.

1 month before: sort out tax residency

This is the item people most often get wrong. Leaving a country does not automatically end your tax residence there.

• In the UK, residence is decided by the Statutory Residence Test. Tell HMRC you are leaving, using form P85 if you have been employed, and you may be due a refund.
• US citizens and green card holders are taxed on worldwide income wherever they live and must keep filing, plus foreign account reports above set thresholds.
• Many countries look at where your home, family and economic ties are, not only days spent.

If you own property or have investments at home, pay for one hour with a cross-border tax adviser. It is cheaper than fixing a double-tax problem later.

1 month before: notify and cancel

• Banks, pension providers and investment platforms: update to an address you can access, or a trusted relative's
• Tax authority and social security
• Doctor, dentist and pharmacy: request copies of records and a supply of regular medication with prescriptions
• Phone contract: switch to a cheap plan to keep your number for banking verification codes, rather than cancelling
• Utilities, internet, subscriptions, gym, council or local taxes
• Postal redirection, if offered

What to carry in your hand luggage

Keep these in your hand luggage, not in shipped boxes.

1. Passports and visas for everyone travelling
2. Approval letters, job offer or admission letter
3. Original degrees, transcripts, apostilled certificates
4. Marriage and birth certificates
5. Police certificates and medical records
6. Driving licence, driving record letter and insurer's no-claims letter
7. Proof of funds and recent bank statements
8. Pet documents, if relevant
9. Printed copies of all the above, plus a scanned set in cloud storage

The first week after landing

Your first week has an order to it. Do it in this sequence and each step makes the next easier.

1. Phone number. A local SIM or eSIM. Banks, employers and landlords will all need it.
2. Identity and residence registration. Social Insurance Number in Canada, National Insurance number in the UK, Anmeldung in Germany, Emirates ID in the UAE, Tax File Number in Australia. Some must be done within days of arrival.
3. Bank account. Usually needs a local address and phone number.
4. Health cover. Register for public health insurance where eligible, or confirm your private plan is active.
5. Longer-term housing. Start viewings with your local details ready.
6. Driving licence exchange. Check the deadline; some countries only allow foreign licences for a short period.

Expect some of this to take longer than planned. Have enough money in an accessible account to cover at least two months without a salary.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far ahead should I start planning a move abroad?

Twelve months is comfortable for most skilled worker and permanent residence routes. Student moves can work in six to nine months if you start credential and language paperwork early. Pets, professional registration and police certificates from some countries can each take longer than six months on their own.

Do I need to get my documents apostilled before I move?

If you will use them abroad for work, study, marriage or registration, usually yes, and it is easier from home. Use an apostille if both countries are in the Hague Convention. If not, you need consular legalisation, which involves your foreign ministry and the destination country's embassy.

Should I close my bank account at home?

Generally no. Keep at least one account and one credit card open if your bank allows non-resident customers. It helps with pensions, refunds and any later return, and closing old credit lines can harm your record if you ever move back.

Is it cheaper to ship my belongings or buy new?

For most people moving from Africa, South Asia or the Philippines to North America, Europe or the Gulf, buying new or second-hand is cheaper for furniture and appliances. Shipping makes more sense for quality personal items, tools and things that are expensive to replace. Get quotes before deciding.

When do I stop being a tax resident in my home country?

It depends on that country's rules. Some count days, others look at your home, family and income ties. Notify the tax authority and get professional advice if you keep property, investments or a business at home.

Final Thoughts

Print the timeline, put dates against each item and work backwards from your planned arrival. The slow documents (credential assessments, police certificates, professional registration and pet paperwork) decide your real moving date, not the flight you have in mind.

Keep your financial life traceable throughout: one main account, regular savings, documented transfers. That protects your visa application, makes opening accounts abroad easier and keeps your tax position clean. And keep a working phone number and bank account at home for at least the first year. You will need them more often than you expect.