How to prepare for international relocation in a short time?

For an overseas move, most people would typically start their preparations many months in advance, and some people might begin a few months before, due to any emergencies.

Usually, you would get calls for the overseas assignment or international project from your company at least before six months of your move to start with relocation preparations. Some might get a shorter period, even below six months.

Anyway, you should find your priorities about preparing for your move in a minimum period. It is better to make your plans and begin preparations in advance to avert stressful conditions during a global shift.

If you want to perform a smooth shifting in a short time, you should start your preparations a little early.

Do you want to move internationally? All the best!

The below given is the detailed timeline advocated for you to make preparations for the move before 5 to 6 months in advance.

5 to 6 months in advance

Assure your passport validity

This is the initial thing you should do if you already have your passport, and you should also check your family members' passport expiry dates.

Do some research on your kid’s schools

If you have school-age children, begin researching the schools online to where you are relocating. If you have older children, you should study the IB program or non-IB program based on the schools.

When your children know about your overseas move, you can have your children get involved in your research. This would make them more excited about their relocation.

Find a property management company if you’re renting out

When you have plans to rent out your home, you can approach a property management company to manage your home when you move internationally. After getting a good and trusted property management company, contact the property manager to find out what you require initially to prepare.

Hiring a property manager would be a good thing for you as it would give you a peaceful mind and also save you some money.

Clean and repair up your home if you’re selling it

If you want to sell your property before your relocation, you should search for a professional real estate agent and find out what preparations you should make. Research regarding the selling market of your area and check out how much time it might take to sell your home before your shift.

3 to 4 months in advance

Get your passports ready

When you or your family members don’t have passports, apply for them as quickly as possible. Some countries will not provide you a dependent or a work visa if your passport expiry date is within a year.

Contact the schools for your child

Begin contacting the school administrative offices in which your kids are interested in and send an email message to the admission office of the school. Some schools might advocate some parent community groups or websites to find more on the life of the city. Hence, it is good to begin the school application process immediately for your children as some schools would be very competitive to get in.

Look for immunizations

Find out the recommended and needed vaccinations before your relocation and also refer to some websites regarding this.

Begin cleaning and organizing your house

If there is anything you do not require at home, remove those things to clean your home. Repair all things you want at your home in order to sell or rent. Then, start organizing your house and sort what you want to take with you. 

Move your pet

If you have any pet, begin researching about what paperwork and check-up should be done to travel along with you. You should have to look for the proper airline company that would allow taking your pet with you.

Find a relocation company

You can contact a relocation company and ask for their quotations, or your company might already have some references for movers to relocate your goods.

Take pics of your home if you’re renting it out

Determine that you would find your renter by yourself or request a property management company or a real estate agent to find a renter for you. They would take at least a month's rent, and you can always get one yourself. When you don't know to find the right mover, you can seek for the agent's help.

When you want to find your own property management company or a real estate agent, employ websites like housewise.in, propdial.com, nestaway.com, etc.,  and begin taking pictures of your house.

2 to 3 months in advance

Contact a relocation company

Ask them to survey at least three months before your move. After the survey, they will provide a quotation of how much you should be shipping to another country.

Apply for schools and do health check-ups

Begin applying for your kid's school through the application forms and collect all the required documents. Also, submit a health check-up report.

Visit or gather information about your new city

If possible, visit the country to where you are shifting in advance to get an idea about their new home, schools, and other things. Do not forget to get prior appointments.

Post some ads if you’re renting your home

If you want to find a renter for your home yourself, you can create an advertisement on free ad websites (Olx.in, Quickr.com, Locanto.in) or paid websites (Magicbricks.com, Nobroker.in, Commonfloor.in)

1 to 2 months in advance

Apply for your visa

By this time, you should have your passports ready, and your company would be helping you with the visa application tasks. Verify with your host country's embassy website regarding the time needed for the visa to be processed.

Prepare your essential documents

keep some copies of essential documents with you like:

• School records
• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificate
• Health documents, etc.

Give away the items you don’t use anymore

Try to de-clutter your home and collect things you want to sell, a giveaway to the charity, or throw away the useless.

Shop for your new home

Purchasing furniture might be too costly in some countries. So, it is better to buy furniture in your city or country and ship them to your new home before your relocation.

2 weeks to 1 month in advance

Find a place to stay after packing and before boarding flight

Arrange a place to stay after your packing tasks are completed and before flying out to your host country. You can be at your relatives' or friends' house near the airport, or you should opt for a better hotel to stay in.

Conduct farewell parties

If possible, conduct farewell parties to say good-bye to your friends, relatives, and colleagues as well.

Check your visa is ready or not

Verify with your company of your host country’s embassy to ensure your visa process is on track or not.

Inform your utility services

It is good to inform your utility service providers in your city, such as gas, water, electricity, cable, phone, etc., to end the services.

Sell your vehicles

Sell your car or bike by posting them on ad websites or by selling them directly to a secondhand vehicle agent.

Get an international driver’s license

Traffic rules and driving license for outsiders could differ based on the host country's regulations. However, it is good to get an International driver's license until you obtain a local driver's license.

1 to 2 weeks in advance

Pack your documents and passports

Pack up all your relevant documents and passports in a separate bag or a suitcase and keep it with you. You can pack your other items separately, or you can hire some help from the moving companies before you make a relocation.

Make last bill payments

Arrange someone to make the final payment, and you can ask your company to do this for you.

Change or update your address

You can change your address with your postal department, and you can update your new address details to your friends and relatives of your old country.

A week in advance

Clean up your home

You can clean your house yourself, or you can hire some professional cleaning service provider to perform the task for you.

Collect your kid’s school reports

Visit your child’s school to get the school reports from the administrative office to have those reports with you.

Preparing for the international relocation five months earlier to your move would appear to be quite tricky, but it would be more enjoyable when you plan to complete it in a short time.