Making a move anywhere is a significant and transitional part of life, but it’s even more extensive when you’re moving to a whole other country. Preparation to move abroad will take some time, and the process of planning should be exhaustive to ensure all your bases are covered before you leave, like securely transporting your items via international moving companies or acquiring the proper visa that will allow you to stay within your new home. With an abundance of meticulous planning involved, moving abroad cannot happen in a short period, which begs the question: how long can it expectedly take to move internationally?
Find out what the planning process of moving abroad will look like and the estimated and typical length of time it could take you to touch ground in your new home country.
Applying For The Visa
Months before you leave the country, you will need to ensure that you have the correct visa relevant to the country you’re moving to and the circumstances of your stay. For instance, a sponsorship visa and working visa will have different qualifications you want to research beforehand. Although visa processing times will vary, you can typically expect a three to five-week wait before getting your visa in order.
Gather All Important Documents
Although your visa is one of the most imperative aspects of your travel to attain beforehand, you must also have other documentation in order, or you may not be able to legally enter the country of your choosing. You will need to get your medical records in order if necessary, particularly in you have prescriptions you’re bringing, academic records if you’re going to school in another country and a passport.
Obtaining these documents could take weeks and even months, and in the case of a passport, depending on the volume of applications the passport office is receiving, it could take up to 17 weeks to get your hands on the passport. These waiting times should be taken into consideration as they could extend the process of moving abroad by many weeks.
Where To Stay & Research
Figuring out where to stay once you move to your desired location can take quite a bit of planning. Once you decide what country you want to travel to and have received your visa, you should look for available and safe housing by connecting with people you know in that particular country or researching affordable and safe housing options. It will also prove to be helpful to ascertain where vital areas are located, for example, if you are planning on moving to a southern state then you will find it highly beneficial to research the best cities in New Mexico (or of whatever state you are moving to), and make sure you are fully aware of where the hospital and pharmacy can be found. This will make it easier to adjust to the area you’re living in and help the move feel a lot smoother.
Acquire Local Currency
A couple of weeks before you make your big move, you’ll want to exchange an allotted amount of your money for the local currency of your new home. Having this currency on hand will ensure that you’ll be able to purchase any items you need upon landing and when you need to make purchases once you’re settled in as well.
Packing & Transportation
Packing the belongings you want to take with you could take a bit of time, as could the process of displacing the objects in your current homestead that you don’t need nor want anymore. You should also consider if you’re going to hire professional international moving companies to help you properly pack your most vulnerable belongings in a way that will safeguard them as they make the long journey to your destination. More so, you’ll also have to make plans for your own transportation well in advance to the day you move and choose which method of transport is cheapest and most efficient.
Moving Day
These essential steps to planning your big move will eventually lead you to the day you finally leave. On this day, you’ll want to make sure all the efforts you have prepared are in order, including laying out the documentation you need upon landing and seeing that your belongings are where they should be. Ultimately, from the moment you decide to leave for new beginnings elsewhere to the day you actually move can take anywhere between one to four months.
