There can be a lot of different details to consider and prepare for when you are planning to move overseas. Unless your employer is relocating you overseas and will be handling all the details and paying all the relocation cost, you need to be prepared for all the changes that are coming. Here are some tips to help you prepare for your relocation overseas.

Build Your Savings

Many months before you plan to move overseas, you should begin to build your savings. First, you will need to pay for your airline ticket. Then, when you arrive in the new country, there can be a lot of expenses that you will need to pay for as you settle into your new home. You will need to pay for food, transportation to get you around, and a hotel until you can find a new place or your new place is ready for you to move in. When you do find a new place to rent, you most likely will be required to pay a first and last month's rent, plus a security deposit. 

It is recommended by experts to save at least seven to nine months or more of living expenses before you move overseas. If you run out of money in a different country, you may not have any friends there who can help you out.

Apply for Your Passport or Visa

To enter into a new country, you will need to pass through their customs office and present a passport to identify yourself. So, you will need to apply for your passport well in advance of when you will be moving. On the U.S. Passports and International Travel website, the current processing time for passports is six weeks from when you submit your application. So, you should begin the application process at least two months before moving to allow for any delays at the passport office or through the mail. 

But keep in mind you can choose to expedite your passport application with an additional fee of $60 and only have to wait approximately three weeks for your passport. The passport book and card application fee for an adult is $140 plus a $25 execution fee.

It is also a good idea to check into the visa application process in the country you are moving to, especially if you will be working there. Find out how to obtain a residency permit, work permit, or a working visa to work and live in the country. You can do this by contacting the foreign mission of the country, which may be an embassy, high commission, or consulate. If your employer is relocating you, the country might require your employer to sponsor you for a period before you can get a work visa. 

Consider Moving Costs

If you have a lot of furniture and a vehicle, you need to consider if you want to pay for it to be shipped overseas to your new home. You may be able to sell your vehicle, then buy a new vehicle when you arrive in country. Depending on the culture in the country you will be living, you may not even need a vehicle. Or, you may be able to inexpensively buy a vehicle when you arrive. 

Consider selling much or all your furniture before you move. It might cost more to ship your items overseas and then back home again than it will cost to buy all new furnishings when you relocate. Also, your furniture may not fit in your new home, or you might be able to find a furnished apartment and not need your furnishings. If there are any of your possessions that you can't part with, you can rent a storage space for its safe keeping while you are living overseas. 

Talk to an overseas moving company, such as Bekins Van Lines Inc, to get a quote of the cost to ship all your furnishings and a vehicle. This can help you determine which option makes more financial sense.

Use these tips to help you when moving overseas.

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