The decision to move abroad is possibly one of the biggest you’ll ever make in your life – it’s scary, exciting, and full of possibility, yet it’s one that requires a bit of planning, especially if you’re actually planning on making this new country your home and you’re not just going to be passing through for a few weeks or months.

When you’ve decided that you’re definitely going to move abroad, and if you want this process to go as smoothly and seamlessly as possible, then there are definitely some things you can do to make it a lot easier on yourself, so in this post we’re going to list out some thing you should consider when moving abroad so that you can actually focus on enjoying the experience instead of getting caught up and overwhelmed in the process.

What permission you’ll need:

Before you even consider planning moving to another country, then the very first thing you need to do is make sure you have the permission to do so. In most countries, you’re going to need some kind of visa to live there for longer than three months, and even then those three months are typically only for tourists, so you wouldn’t be able to work or even look for work. You need to make sure you have the correct visa and work permit before going, otherwise you risk being sent back at the border.

If you’ll be able to get a job:

If you’re leaving in hopes of being able to find work, then you should make sure you’ve done your research prior to leaving and that the country of your choice actually has jobs available that you’d be able to do there.

If you’ll need health insurance:

In many countries, health insurance is compulsory, and you may even struggle to get issued a visa if you’re not able to show that you’re applying for it, so this is something you need to look into before leaving and then see how much it will cost you each month.

If you’ll be able to drive:

Just because you can drive at home, doesn’t automatically grant you permission to drive in another country. Some countries have more strict requirements for driving, so they might require you to re-sit a test or exchange your license before you can drive. Also you should look at whether you’re going to buy or rent a car when you arrive. If you want to buy, you can also look for second-hand dealers, but just make sure they’re legitimate, and that they have the best traders policy available as well as other legal paperwork in place to show that they’re reputable.

Where you’ll live:

Obviously you don’t have to have the exact address locked down before arriving, but an idea of which town, city, or neighborhood you’re going to live in will probably make your life a good bit easier – especially since you’ll be able to research and see which places are best and most suited to you.