Most moves don't go wrong because of one big mistake. They go wrong because of ten small things nobody remembered until the week before the flight. This checklist puts them in the order you'll need them.
6 to 12 months before you go
- Check your visa or residency route. Find out which route fits you, how long approval takes and what documents you need. Some routes need police checks, degree certificates or medical tests, which can take weeks to arrange.
- Get early tax advice. When you leave matters. The date you move, what income you keep at home and how many days you spend back there can all change what you owe. It is far easier to plan this before you go than to fix it afterwards.
- Decide what to do with your home. Selling, letting and keeping it empty each have different costs, tax treatment and paperwork. If you let it, you may need a letting agent and landlord insurance.
- Review your will. A will written for one country may not work well once you own assets in two.
3 to 6 months before you go
- Plan how you'll move money. Compare specialist currency providers with your bank. On larger sums the difference can run into thousands.
- Book removals or shipping. Get at least three quotes and check what your destination allows you to import.
- Sort schooling. Popular international schools can have waiting lists, so apply early.
- Gather documents. Passports, birth and marriage certificates, degree certificates and driving records. Some countries need these legalised or apostilled, which takes time.
1 to 3 months before you go
- Tell your tax authority you're leaving. In the UK, this usually means completing form P85 or a Self Assessment return, depending on your situation.
- Open a bank account in your new country, or line up an international account you can use from day one.
- Check your pension. Find out whether you can keep contributing and how your pension will be paid once you live abroad.
- Arrange health cover for the gap between leaving and joining any local system.
In your last month
- Cancel or transfer utilities, phone contracts and subscriptions.
- Tell your local council, so you stop paying council tax from the right date.
- Register to vote from overseas, if you want to keep voting at home.
- Set up mail redirection or a mailing address you trust.
- Keep digital copies of every important document somewhere you can reach from anywhere.
When you arrive
You'll need to register locally, get an ID or residence card, sign up for healthcare and, if you work, register for tax. Expect the first few weeks to involve a lot of queues.
Want help with the specialist parts?
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This guide is general information, not tax, legal, financial or immigration advice. Rules change and every situation is different. Expat Confidant introduces you to independent specialists who can advise on your circumstances. Last reviewed November 2026.