Any house move is stressful, but when you add in moving to a whole different country to the mix, stress levels go through the roof. But by finding ways to deal with this stress load, you’ll keep the excitement of immigrating in your sights. Because moving somewhere new is exciting and it’s easy to forget this fact when you’re feeling overwhelmed. If you don’t find ways to cope, you may decide not to go through with the move and regret it later when things have settled down.
Table of Contents
Research
Before deciding to emigrate, you’ll have done some research to find out where you’d like to move to. Whatever the motivation to move, research more once the decision has been made. In this second round of research, you’re looking at the finer details that will make a move possible and help you settle in once you’ve arrived. It would help if you also investigated what you need to do at home before leaving so that there are no loose ends that can cause trouble.
Documents And Paperwork
Before you try to enter another country, find out what visas and documents are required. What you need for a temporary tourist visa is a lot less than for a work permit or other settlement visa. Look at official immigration pages for your chosen destination country to determine what categories of visas you’re eligible for. Then very carefully look through the list of requirements and start gathering your evidence.
Included in your paperwork, don’t forget to take out insurance to protect you and your family from potential issues. For the actual move, take out the appropriate travel insurance. And for once you’ve arrived, make sure you have expat medical insurance so that medical issues don’t become worse than they need to be.
Ask An Expert
There can be a lot of paperwork involved, and if you’re unsure of anything, consult an immigration expert for advice. Depending on the level of help you need, you may get away with speaking to a consultant somewhere like Citizens Advice Bureau or paying to hire an immigration lawyer. The benefit of hiring a lawyer to take on your case is they’ll do much of the paperwork for you. Also, if you have a complicated case, are seeking asylum, or have other issues, they will advocate for you.
Have Patience
In some instances, visas can come through quickly, allowing you to move promptly. However, often the process of applying for and being granted a permit to settle elsewhere can take months. So, it helps if you go into the process with the understanding that your family may not be relaxing by a foreign beach as soon as you’d like. It can be frustrating but try to make the most of this time by seeing friends and family who you may not see for a long time.
Write A Checklist
When moving day finally arrives, things will move quickly, especially if you’ve been in limbo waiting for paperwork to come through. By having a checklist of all the things you need to do once a departure date is confirmed, you’ll come through the rush with everything completed. Have a list of the essential things to do before leaving, one of the things to do upon arrival, and a list of what to pack and take on the plane. Anything that doesn’t make it onto these lists is not urgent, and you can get to them when you’re settled.
Money
If you’re planning to keep your bank account open, let your bank know where you’re going and when you’re leaving. Doing this will prevent your account from being frozen on suspicion of fraud, which could cause issues if you have no other access to money. Find out what the cost of international transaction costs are so that you can budget for these (they’re usually steep). Also, investigate how soon you can open an account in your new country, as this allows your employer to pay you.
Accommodation
Have short-term accommodation organized for when you arrive to have a base to get started from. Before leaving, you can contact local realtors to tell them when you’re arriving and what you’ll be looking for. This way, they’ll have a list of suitable properties to show you shortly after you arrive, giving you a head start on house hunting. Doing this is especially beneficial in areas with competitive property markets, where even finding a rental property can take time.
By finding the right coping mechanisms to deal with your stress over immigrating, you won’t forget why you chose this exciting adventure. It might take some time for the dream to come true, but you’ll make it to your new life and love it by getting through the challenging parts.
