Relocating
to a new land can be an exciting yet gruelling process. It may be challenging
to navigate the abundance of paperwork and red tape involved in the whole
process. To ensure the success of your international move, you may require many
essential documents. Here is a list of the essential documents needed when
moving abroad:
Passport
To
travel or move abroad, you will need an official, government-issued passport.
This document has immense importance when moving to another country. A
government-issued passport certifies the owner’s identity and citizenship. Generally,
no country allows travellers to enter without an official passport. Thus,
obtaining a passport can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
Visa
In
addition to a passport, you will certainly need a visa. It is an official
travel document placed inside your passport that allows the traveler to remain
in a particular country for a specific purpose and period. The visa is issued
by the country where you wish to live, work, and visit through their authorized
embassy in your homeland. Examples of various types of visas include a
short-stay visa, residence visa, and a tourist visa.
Work
Permit
While
a visa allows you to enter a particular country, it won’t permit you to work
there. Many countries demand newcomers to obtain an official work permit if
they wish to shift on an employment basis to the country.
Birth
Certificate
When
moving to a new country, it is vital to keep all essential documents with you
during relocation. This list includes your original birth certificate and
several official copies.
Medical
records
Whether
moving abroad for an extended period of time, you must bring all medical
records with you to keep you prepared for any contingency. When traveling
abroad, it’s wise not to take any chance with your health. When packing copies
of your medical records into your file, don’t forget to include all
immunization records for you and your family.
School
records
Before
leaving your hometown, ensure that you bring copies of all school records to
the new country. This becomes more important when moving with school-age
children. This will need transcripts with grades and test scores. Other
essential school records to bring with you when you move to include teacher
notes, letters of recommendation, and immunization records. For transcripts, you
need to look for translation services. E.g., you are moving to Italy; then, you
need to find
Marriage
certificates
A
marriage certificate is an official record of a legally married couple married
on a specific date at a particular place. These certificates are necessary for
changing the last name (if required), for tax purposes, and to prove a marital
relationship. When moving abroad, don’t mistakenly leave your marriage
certificate back in your homeland. It is suggested to get it translated into
the native language of the country you are moving into and bring several copies
along. This will prove to be a useful document for changing citizenship to pay
taxes; you never know when you might need this document, so make sure you keep
it in a safe place at all times.
Apart
from these, there are a few other necessary documents to take along when moving
abroad:
- Dental records
- Power of attorney
- Child custody papers
- Divorce papers
- Driver’s license
- Tax records
- Health insurance card
- Insurance documents
- Living will
- Adoption papers
- Pet vaccination records
Make
sure you place your every document and their translations safe at a secure
location once you’ve arrived in the new country. Whether it’s kept in a safe or
a file cabinet, be sure to keep them organized and secure at all times.
