The Ultimate International Relocation Checklist

Moving is not an easy process, especially when it involves an international relocation. It consists of many aspects to consider, organize, and manage. If you have a supportive partner, the process can be easier.

However, to ensure you don’t miss anything—even the smallest details—you must prepare a long, thorough checklist that addresses all relevant tasks you need to complete before, during, and after the move.

A concise relocation checklist, which you can print and follow, will guide you from the moment you make your decision until after you have completed your international relocation.

What’s on this page?

1. Make Sure You are Allowed to Move There

Are you entitled to live in your destination country? Are you sure?

1.1 You’re a citizen of your destination country

If you are a citizen of your destination country and are returning after living in the USA for a few years, you can always move back home. However, if you were married or had children while living here, you may need to navigate a few administrative requirements before you can relocate.

Almost any country will allow your spouse to move, but that doesn’t guarantee automatic citizenship. It typically means permanent residency. However, if you are moving with your spouse, they will likely want to work and enjoy all the rights your country allows.

The moment you start considering moving back, you should begin any necessary processes at your country’s consulate. If you had any children born while you lived in the States, you will need to have them recognized. Additionally, if you were married, divorced, or widowed, these changes will also need to be recorded before you move.

1.2 You’re not a citizen of the destination country.

If you are not a citizen of the country you are moving to, you will need an immigration visa or a long-term residency permit. It’s important to arrange for these as soon as possible, as the process may take several months to complete. If you are retiring, you typically need to have already secured living arrangements and transferred a minimum amount of funds.

If you are moving with the intention of working, some countries will require that you already have a signed employment contract before you are allowed to relocate there. Other countries may require your future employer to initiate the official request for residency.

We can send a container to almost any country in the world. If it is legal to send a container from the USA, then we can facilitate it. However, this does not automatically mean that you are permitted to send it tax-free. Most people moving from the list above usually can, but not always. Some countries will require you to obtain an affidavit confirming that you lived abroad for a specified period.

If you plan to set up a business, such as a foreign branch of an American company, you will need to register beforehand.

2. Contract an International Shipping Company

Getting everything you own from one country to another is a complicated task that can take months. Don’t wait; contact an international shipping company as early as possible. Some clients may require on-site visits from the movers.

Most people prefer to check quotes from multiple international shipping companies. Booking early will also allow you to plan your relocation more effectively. For many, reducing the total transit time for your shipment is a priority, while for others, minimizing the total cost of the shipment is more important.

Having relocated thousands of families from the United States to countries all over the world, we understand that many people have intricate schedules that can be challenging to meet. The earlier we are informed about your move, the better we can serve you.

3. Get Health Issues in Order

Do you know what kind of health services are available to you in the country you are moving to?

While many countries offer “comprehensive” health care, you might find that these services are inadequate for your needs. In many cases, you will need to supplement health care with private insurance. Some countries only provide coverage after a waiting period of six months to a year, so purchasing comprehensive medical coverage is essential.

If you have any existing health issues, it is prudent to ask your family doctor or the appropriate specialist to prepare a summary of your condition, detailing what has been done so far and listing the medications you currently take and have taken in the past.

In most countries, English is the common language spoken by doctors. However, if you are moving to a country where this is not the case, consider translating your key medical records. You might want to engage the services of a professional medical translator, as you may not be familiar with all the correct terminologies.

You will also need to translate your immunization records, especially if you have school-aged children. As diseases that were once eradicated have reappeared, most countries now require that children be fully immunized before attending school.

We recommend checking the CDC travel site to see if there are any additional health recommendations for the country you are moving to.

Are you bringing your pet with you? We hope you do, as they are an integral part of your family. You will need to check the health requirements for each country, as they vary greatly. The USDA maintains a website with updated information about traveling with pets. Look up your destination country and read the information there carefully.

4. Make Sure You Can Send Your Car

Many people like to move with their cars. If you are moving to Europe, this is an especially good idea. Make sure that you are allowed to bring your car with you. In most countries, cars must be owned by you for at least six months before you can move them. To get the best value, this could mean that you should purchase a new car six months prior to your departure. Keep in mind that many countries are strict about this requirement; they typically will not accept cars that have been owned for only 5.5 months.

5. Make Another Trip to Destination

It is highly recommended that you make an additional trip to your destination country to start getting things in order. If you have school-aged children, you will likely need to register them for schools.

You will definitely need to open a bank account. Having a bank account in your name will make transferring money from the USA to your new home much easier. When you return to the States, ask your bank about how to facilitate transfers from one bank to another. You might even want to consult them before your trip.

Other things you will need to consider include obtaining credit cards (both an American one without international fees and one from your new locality), understanding the requirements of the municipality you are moving to, and more. If you have time, it would be wise to meet with a tax advisor in your target country.

If you haven’t secured a place to live yet, set up meetings with real estate agents before you fly there, so you can make the most of your time while you are there.

6. Get a Certificate of Good Citizenship

Not every place requires this, but these documents are easily obtainable and may be requested by potential landlords or employers. You can request them from your local police station or sheriff’s office. They essentially state that you are not a criminal and have not committed any crimes.

7. Get Other Documents Ready

We’ve already mentioned a few documents that are good to have ready. Other important documents that you should have, and if necessary, translated, include certificates of birth or death, marriage or divorce certificates, any diplomas you have earned, professional distinctions, and school records.

If you are moving with young children or plan to have children, you will need to have American primary school records with you if you intend to obtain American citizenship for your children. Consider renewing your American passports before you leave the United States, even if they have a few years left before expiration, as it is much easier to accomplish this in the USA than in foreign countries.

Additionally, check with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to see if you are allowed to renew your driver’s license early.

Short List of Documents You Need:

Adoption papers
Birth certificate
Child custody papers
Divorce papers
Driving licenses
Marriage certificate
Social Security cards
Passports
Medical and Dental Records
Financial records
Travel documents

8. Downsize

Decide what you will be sending to your new home and what you will leave behind. Items left behind should be disposed of properly. Consider holding a garage sale, contacting a service like Goodwill, donating your unwanted items to a charity, or giving them away to friends.

9. Take Care of Your Home

Taking care of your house’s needs before you leave for abroad will help reduce future stress.

Here are a few things to remember before you take off: disconnect sensitive electronics, arrange for the electricity and gas companies to handle necessary services, dispose of items you don’t wish to take with you, defrost your refrigerator, and drain all water hoses.

Don’t forget to return books and videos, and discontinue your internet and television service.

10. Changing Address? Notify the Institutions

First and foremost, you are about to relocate to another country. Changing your address and notifying the relevant institutions, service providers, and authorities is very important. It goes without saying that notifying your relatives should be your number one priority.

In addition, notify the post office for mail forwarding, inform your financial institutions to transfer or close accounts, update your car insurance, life insurance, and health insurance, and notify any publications you are subscribed to, as well as your doctors, dentists, and lawyer.

11. Forget about the Hassle

You should order packing service from SDC International Shipping. You have enough things to worry about; let us ensure that all of your belongings are professionally packed, protected, disassembled, and loaded onto your shipping container.

Don’t waste your time looking for old boxes, as this can often trigger an expensive manual inspection of your container at the port of entry. Only new cartons should be used—those specially made for international shipping. There are many advantages to ordering a full packing service; just ask your SDC relocation specialist.

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