If you’re tired of your day-to-day and craving new experiences, it might be time to look at living overseas. Leaving your friends and family behind to pursue a life of international travel can be daunting but extremely fulfilling. Here are five things to consider when leaving your home to start a new life.

Moving house can be life-changing but there is a significant financial cost. These costs are magnified when moving abroad. It’s a good idea to consider what you’d save if you were moving house in your home country and add 10% on top. This buffer prepares you for unexpected costs like renewing your passport, applying for a visa, or covering the cost of international removals.

Research the visa requirements for your destination country. Visa applications can be complicated so you should start this process early. You need a valid passport to get a visa, so this is a great time to check its date. It’s also worth noting that most countries won’t allow you to travel if your passport has less than 3 or 6 months before expiration. Don’t hinder your migration efforts with poor preparation.

Research your destination country’s laws, norms, and etiquette to ensure the settling-in period is as smooth as possible. A good place to start is by visiting the official website of the country you’re looking to relocate to, here you’ll find out about national holidays, and celebrations along with other useful information. The next step is to acquaint yourself with the local language, you might also want to consider lesser-known customs, dress codes, greetings and attitudes towards smoking and alcohol.

Moving away from friends, and familiar surroundings can be bittersweet and can leave you feeling lonely and isolated, particularly if there’s also a language barrier. Incorporate language learning into each day and create opportunities to practice with native speakers. This can be hard at first, but don’t be afraid to make mistakes as through daily practice, you’ll soon find you’re able to understand the nuances of a language and make deeper connections.

Your first action should be to de-clutter. Take a good look at everything you own and decide whether it will serve you after you move abroad. Once you’ve got rid of all those clothes you were “going to wear someday” You’ll need to look for a company that specialises in international removals for the rest of your belongings.

The team at PSS International are on hand to make your move stress-free.

Use our international removals cost calculator to help you plan, or get in touch with us on 0800 988 3711.