18 January 2021 · Packing Up and Landing Smooth · Global
Ultimate International Moving Checklist 2024
“Packing Up and Landing Smooth”
So, you’ve decided to move countries in 2024. 🎉 Whether you’re answering the siren song of Lisbon’s pastel-coloured alleyways or chasing a fully remote role that finally lets you pick your own latitude, the idea of packing up life as you know it is both thrilling and a little terrifying.
As a relocation coach who’s guided everyone from single backpackers to families of six, I’ve learned that the difference between a smooth landing and a turbulent one usually comes down to one thing: process. The good news? You don’t have to build that process from scratch. I’ve done the heavy lifting—tested checklists, late-night embassy lines, and enough bubble wrap to insulate the sun.
Below is your comprehensive, keep-me-sane roadmap for moving abroad in 2024. Print it, pin it, or screenshot it—just promise me you’ll follow it.
Table of Contents
- Pre-Move Preparation Checklist
- Arrival Week Must-Dos
- Budgeting Tips for the First Month
- Tools & Local Resources
- Final Pep Talk & Next Steps
Pre-Move Preparation Checklist
A big move is a lot like an ultra-marathon—you don’t start at a sprint. We’ll break tasks into four intervals. Skim the highlights or nerd out over every sub-bullet; either way, checking these off in order keeps you ahead of the paperwork avalanche.
6 Months Out ⏰
Paperwork & Permissions
- Research visa types and timelines. Bookmark consulate pages and note any quota or lottery systems.
- Check passport validity (many destinations require six months past arrival).
- Order multiple certified copies of vital documents—birth certificates, marriage or divorce decrees, adoption papers, college transcripts.
- Investigate whether you need an apostille. If that word is new to you, pause here and skim our plain-English explainer: Apostille Explained Simply. (You’ll thank me when the clerk behind the glass sighs approvingly at your perfectly stamped paperwork.)
Financial Readiness
- Pull credit reports in both your home and future country if applicable.
- Notify banks of upcoming relocation; ask about international fees, dual-currency accounts, and in-house expatriate support teams.
- Open a borderless digital wallet (Wise, Revolut, or Payoneer) for fee-free transfers while you’re still living on your home IP address.
Research & Recon
- Make a cost-of-living comparison spreadsheet: rent, groceries, transit, health insurance, and the sneaky stuff (streaming subscriptions, pet food brands, haircuts).
- Deep-dive into entry requirements for pets if you have furry dependents. Rabies titre tests can take months.
- Join local Facebook or Discord groups well before you need them; the best neighborhoods and landlords rarely make it onto public listings.
“Information is like produce—it spoils quickly. Capture links, take screenshots, and date-stamp everything.”
3 Months Out 📅
Housing Hunt Begins
- Shortlist three neighborhoods that align with your lifestyle and commute goals.
- Schedule virtual viewings or ask trusted friends on the ground to tour rentals.
- Prepare a “tenant packet”: digital PDF with passport, proof of income, references, and any local guarantor docs.
Healthcare & Insurance
- Book final check-ups: dentist, ophthalmologist, general practitioner.
- Gather immunization records; some schools and employers won’t let you through the door without them.
- Compare global health insurance plans vs. local public schemes. Read all the exclusions—emergency evacuation isn’t always standard.
Education & Work Logistics
- If you’re moving with children, start the admissions process. International schools and popular public zones fill up early.
- Negotiate remote-work time zones with your employer, or confirm start dates if you’re changing jobs.
- Collect recommendation letters while colleagues still share a postcode with you.
1 Month Out 📦
Downsizing & Packing
- Use the Four-Pile Method: Keep, Sell, Donate, Recycle. (Pro tip: never create the fifth “Maybe” pile—chaos lives there.)
- Photograph valuables for insurance and customs forms.
- Research prohibited or restricted items in your destination—some countries frown upon leather goods, drones, or even gaming consoles.
Farewell Admin
- Set up mail forwarding and a digital mailbox service for official papers that still land at your old address.
- Cancel or pause utilities, streaming platforms, gym memberships, magazine subscriptions.
- Collect medical prescriptions and ask doctors to write generic versions in case brand names differ abroad.
Financial Fine-Tuning
- Confirm international limits on debit/credit cards.
- Move extra funds into your digital wallet so your first ATM withdrawal doesn’t hit you with a 3% “welcome abroad” fee.
- If buying a car or large furniture abroad, secure Proof of Funds letters now.
1 Week Out 🚀
The Essentials Box
Designate one carry-on for items you would cry over if lost:
- Passports + visas
- COVID/vaccination cards
- Laptop, hard drive, chargers, adapters
- One change of clothes, toiletries, prescription meds
- A small local gift (your future landlord or HR rep will love you for it)
Good-bye Tour
- Plan a low-key farewell dinner instead of scattered coffee catch-ups that drain both calendar and emotions.
- Do a final data backup—cloud + physical drive.
- Double-check luggage weight; airlines are notoriously unforgiving.
Arrival Week Must-Dos
The plane landed, the flight attendant misted you with perfume, and suddenly you’re breathing new air. Welcome! Here’s how to turn a whirlwind first week into a structured win.
Day 1–2: Administrative Anchors
- Immigration registration (if required). Many Schengen countries demand it within 24–48 hours.
- Pick up local SIM or eSIM at the airport or main train station; digital life waits for no Wi-Fi café.
- Withdraw a small amount of local cash even if the city is cashless—taxis, tips, and tiny bakeries haven’t all modernised.
Day 3–4: Home Base & Utilities
- Conduct a thorough inspection of your rental: water pressure, outlets, cell service dead zones. Note issues in writing to the landlord.
- Set up Wi-Fi installation or handover; slots book fast.
- Introduce yourself to neighbours—borrowing a screwdriver later becomes easier.
Day 5–6: Residency & Banking
- Apply for your local ID card or residency certificate. Bring passport photos; kiosks in city halls charge triple.
- Open a local bank account. Even if your fintech card works globally, you’ll need a domestic IBAN for utilities or payroll.
- Register for public healthcare or choose a private provider.
Day 7: Settle & Celebrate
- Stock the pantry with “I can cook in under 10 minutes” staples (pasta, frozen dumplings, or whatever fuels your soul).
- Take a modest victory lap: find a viewpoint, order the region’s signature pastry, and remind yourself this is real.
Budgeting Tips for the First Month
Sticker shock is real; even seasoned expats misjudge upfront costs. I keep a rule of thumb:
“If you estimated €5,000 for month one, assume €7,000 and congratulate yourself if you spend €6,000.”
1. Separate One-Off vs. Recurring Costs
- One-Off: deposit + first month’s rent, agency fees, flights, shipper/extra luggage, government fees, SIM purchase, household basics (bedding, cookware), school registration.
- Recurring: rent, health insurance, transport pass, groceries, streaming, co-working desk.
2. The Cushion Multiplier
Have at least 1.5× your estimated monthly expenses in an emergency fund. Currency fluctuations alone can chew 10% in a week.
3. Use Local Payment Hacks
- Transit discounts often apply when you load a physical card instead of tapping a contactless Visa.
- Supermarkets may offer loyalty apps with immediate savings—worth signing up even if you only know ten words of the language.
- Consider prepaid utility packages; some landlords mark up electricity if it’s in their name.
4. Avoid the Welcome Tourist Tax
Your first grocery run might get pricey if you shop in the most central district. Ask locals (or those Facebook groups) for the affordable chains on the outskirts.
5. Don’t Forget the Bureaucracy Budget
Residency cards, biometric permits, notarised translations—they all cost money. To see how visa fees vary, peek at our country-specific breakdown in the Portugal Digital Nomad Visa Guide. Even if you’re not Portugal-bound, the sample budget table is a nice reality check.
Tools & Local Resources
Here’s my minimalist tech stack that reliably shrinks moving headaches:
Need | My Go-To | Why It Rocks |
---|---|---|
Document Vault | Google Drive + offline folder | Sync + encrypted backup; offline copies for bureaucratic buildings with zero Wi-Fi |
Time-Zone Coordination | Calendly & Spacetime.am | Auto-detect zones so you stop scheduling 3 a.m. calls |
Currency Tracking | XE Alerts | Real-time rate pings help you choose optimal transfer days |
Local Rentals | Spotahome, NomadX, local Facebook Groups | Video tours + tenant reviews; communities often drop safer, no-broker listings |
Language Help | DeepL & Tandem | DeepL for paperwork; Tandem for speaking practice with locals |
Healthcare | AirDoctor or local cashless clinic apps | Find English-speaking docs, upfront pricing |
Community | Internations, Meetup, Couchsurfing events | First friendships = faster cultural integration |
Harnessing BorderPilot
BorderPilot meshes public data (cost of living, school ratings, tax brackets) with curated human intel—think of it as Google Sheets on performance-enhancing vitamins. Plug in your lifestyle preferences, and the algorithm outputs a relocation plan that actually respects your budget and immigration deadlines. My clients often use the free version just to benchmark rental caps.
Final Pep Talk & Next Steps
If you’ve read this far, you now possess what 90% of would-be movers lack: a structured, reality-tested plan. Will something still go sideways? Absolutely. That’s part of the adventure. Yet armed with this checklist, you’ll experience hurdles, not disasters.
When you’re ready to transform bullet points into dates, reminders, and personalized timelines, take BorderPilot for a spin. It’s free to create a relocation plan, and you can delete it any time—though most people stick around for the data dashboards.
Safe travels, and see you at the other end of the runway.