Moving Across The Ocean: International Relocation Costs, Packing Checklist, Auto Shipping And Overseas Tips

Have you ever had the sudden desire to walk over to the big poster-like world map on your living room wall, throw a dart at it blindfolded and then just catch the first plane bound for the country which was struck by the tip of the dart?

Visiting a foreign country on a whim sounds like an unforgettable adventure and it probably is such. However, the important decision and the subsequent meticulous preparation to move to a new country cannot be and should never be that impulsive.

In reality, the process of learning what it takes to move across the ocean starts with the simple yet fundamental question, “Should I move to another country?”

Why move abroad?

The United States is believed to be one of the most, if not the most, mobile nation on the planet. Each year, tens of millions of Americans relocate to another city within the same state, another state across the country or to a foreign country. Statistical data point out that the average American tends to leave their place of birth or current location once every 5 years.

Generally speaking, the reasons to move abroad are strictly individual for each person and unique in each relocation instance. And yet, “Why?” is the very first question to ask before moving abroad. What are your personal reasons to move to another country? Why exactly have you decided to leave your own country? Have you given some serious thought to your international relocation?

Maybe the major reason for your international move falls into one of the following 6 categories:

1. 

   Work. Moving to another country to work is not uncommon for Americans. Job-related international relocations come either as part of a large company moving to another country in an attempt to cut its overhead costs and in search of a more favorable business environment, or as individual workers moving abroad for a better paid or more promising jobs.

2. Studies: Moving to another country for college, or moving abroad to study in general, is another popular reason for international relocation. In most cases, students or researchers will need much fewer possessions to move to their destination country. Moreover, temporary moves overseas are usually simpler to organize and execute than permanent moves to another part of the world.
3. Retirement: After years and years of hard work, many Americans choose to reward their lifetime efforts by retiring to an exotic foreign country where they can take it easy and enjoy their Golden years. Maybe you too are searching for a great quality of life for a reasonable price? Low cost of living, mild spring-like climate all year round, postcard beauty, friendly locals… what are you waiting for? Be sure to check the Top 5 retirement destinations from the USA.
4. Visiting or sightseeing: Short trips across the world either to visit family members or friends, or to visit the foreign country as a tourist cannot be compared to the extensive preparation that a long-term stay at the destination country will require. Packing for sightseeing in most cases is fun, the bags are light and the hearts full of joyous anticipation and globetrotting lust.
5. For love: Last but surely not least, moving to another country to be with someone is probably the happiest relocation reason there is. Moving around the world for love can move the world, right? Still, you still need to weigh your options carefully before making the international plunge.

Related article: Why do Americans move?

Regardless of your personal reasons and motives to want to pack up your most essential things and fly off to a far-away destination, moving to another country is a fairly complicated relocation process that you can’t handle entirely on your own.  Unlike an in-town move where you can borrow a friend’s pickup truck and gather a few of your loyal friends to help you pack and carry heavy furniture and filled-up cardboard boxes, an international move is all about finding and hiring the right international mover. That’s right – professional relocation assistance is something you can’t do without when crossing international border.

Here’s a good list of international moving companies with the highest ratings and reputation in the country. Read on to learn how to contact those country to country movers and have your international moving costs estimated in the best possible way.

International Moving Budget And International Relocation Costs

When contemplating a move across the ocean, the question of how to set up an international relocation budget becomes crucial for the successful outcome of your worldly endeavor. You shouldn’t get too carried away with overwhelming thoughts of exploring unknown lands, facing exciting adventures and meeting interesting and somewhat exotic new people without first making sure you are financially stable to absorb the costly blow.

It’s common knowledge that moving is an expensive affair, and the greater the distance, the deeper you’ll have to dig inside your pockets. There are considerable moving expenses (some of them well hidden!) even when moving locally, let alone when moving to another state in the country. Keep in mind that an international move is the most expensive and most time-consuming type of relocation there is, so pay extra attention when estimating the costs of your overseas move.

Moving costs

The first step to properly budget your international move is to get a precise preliminary idea of how much the international moving expenses will be. Do this by accessing our international cost estimator and receive, as a result, several relocation quotes which will be tailored to your specific needs and requirements by experienced and reliable international movers. Similar to cross country moves where the price estimation depends on the weight of the ready household items and the distance to the new residence, the international cost estimates will be based on the weight, distance and cubic measurement of your possessions.

And once you have the various moving to another country quotes in your hands, compare the moving services and their corresponding rates, and select the moving company that has offered the best possible services for a reasonable price.

Passport and visa

In order to have a problem-free move overseas, you’ll have to have all necessary documents ready for the trip. Depending on your exact destination country, you’re going to need a passport and maybe a visa as well.

If you have a passport, make sure you check its expiration date and consider renewing it before the move if your identity document happens to expire while you’re away from home (unless you plan to stay permanently there). If you currently don’t have a passport, apply for one as early as possible and expect to be charged around $140 – the standard fee for a new passport in the country.

As you probably already know, there are different types of visas depending on the destination country and the purpose of your entry: working, studying, sightseeing or living there. The different types of visas will have different fees so besides the mandatory application fee, contact the nearest Foreign Consular Office of the country you’re moving to and request additional information on visas and their prices.

Travel costs

The plane tickets for you and your family could end up being a big expense so take your time and shop around for the best prices as far as your flight and travel arrangements go. Again, the airfare will depend on where you’re flying to and the time period (high or low season), so it’s always a good idea to arrange your flight as early as possible.

What is more, don’t forget that most airlines nowadays charge for checked bags as well, so be mindful of those extra fees when planning your move across the ocean.

Accommodation costs

While planning your international moving budget, you should also factor in the accommodation costs, if any, upon your immediate arrival to the foreign country. Will you be staying at hotels during your short-term stay or have you already secured a property to rent if your move abroad will last longer? Or maybe you have purchased a house or apartment in your soon-to-be second homeland if you’re planning to stay permanently there? Whichever the case, your pre-move budget should include the initial expenses (accommodation charges, security deposits, advanced rents, or any other type of fees) you’re sure to incur right after your arrival.

Moving To Another Country Packing List

Moving overseas to work, study, retire or sightsee is a lot different than moving to another part of the United States. Everything will be different to some extent, including how you prepare for the move itself. Unlike a local move, for example, where you can afford to relocate almost all of your belongings to your new home (although you’re still advised to get rid of your unwanted or unnecessary stuff), moving your belongings overseas often proves to be too costly and therefore, you’ll have to make the right choices as to what to pack when moving to another country. Obviously, the packing job for an international move is an extremely selective process – one to which you must devote your utmost attention and one which you must approach with the right attitude.

We have prepared an international packing list to help you assess what exactly you’re taking with you and what you’re leaving behind. And consequently, that informed assessment alone will then enable you to lower the overall weight of your shipment overseas and save you plenty of money.

Clothes

In order to pack the proper type of clothes, you’re going to need to research the climate of the country you’re moving to, and more precisely – the city and region where you’ll be living since the country may have different climatic zones. Also, for overseas countries with four distinct seasons, focus your packing efforts on the specific season that will greet you when you set foot on foreign land. Why? Well, in most cases it’ll make much more financial sense to buy the clothes you need from your new temporary or permanent home than to pay big dollars to transport piles of clothing you may not have the chance to wear at all.

Personal items

It’s easy to get carried away and pack too many personal items which you’ll be able to acquire very easily and more cheaply from your destination country. Make sure you perform at least several revisions of your packing list before you actually get down to packing. A single laptop computer can serve you faithfully – you can fill it with photos, music, video clips and other mementos to remind you of home and help you cope with the culture shock you’re likely to experience. Moreover, you can use it to access the web and stay in touch with your loved ones back home.

Things you shouldn’t forget to pack

Double check that you have safely packed all the important documents you’re going to need for the immediate trip and later for your stay in the foreign country: your passport, visas, driving license, birth certificate, plane tickets, residence and work permits, medical and immunization certificates, agreements, etc. Also, you surely don’t want to leave behind valuable items such as prescription medication (be sure to get enough to last you a few months), bank cards, cash, keys, emergency phone numbers, specific personal hygiene products and so on. It’s very important that all the above-mentioned valuables stay with you at all times during the preparation and the actual relocation overseas.

Things you should forget to pack

While compiling your own personalized packing list, you’d better forget about heavy and bulky furniture pieces or kitchen appliances as their relocation will cost you a fortune. Be extra careful when packing books – they are fairly heavy (don’t get fooled by the airy feel of their pages) and will add up quickly to the overall weight of your shipment. Packing clothes you will never need (for example, cold weather gear in countries with year-round warm climate) are also out of the question, as are any other items which will be entirely useless in your new home.

And finally, when you have decided what to pack when moving across the ocean, consider selling (online or at a moving sale), giving away to friends or donating to charity all the items you won’t be taking with you, especially if you’re planning on staying permanently in the new country.

International Vehicle Shipping

Another pressing question in your case may be how to ship your car overseas. Once you’ve made up your mind that you can’t live without your favorite car in the new country, the first thing you need to do is consult the issue with your international budget and if you’re given the nod, then the next step for you is to contact a reliable auto shipper. Auto shipping companies specialize in transporting safely passenger vehicles across the ocean. Of course, they are experts at what they do and will handle the entire shipping process for you with enviable efficiency. An auto shipper will prepare your vehicle for shipping, transport it by truck to the port if necessary, handle the necessary paperwork and take care of the customs regulations for you.

Follow the 4 steps below for a headache-free international car shipping process:

1. 

   You are strongly advised to get in touch with several trustworthy international auto transporters and request car shipping cost estimates. Compare the received quotes and select the international vehicle shipper that best fits your overseas budget, needs and requirements. The car shipping price can be anywhere between $700 and $4000, or even more, and will include the distance to the port of departure, the distance to the foreign country by sea, the size of your vehicle and the shipping insurance rates.

2. The international auto shipper that you have selected will request specific paperwork from you, such as copies of the notarized title, a Shipper Export Declaration Form, a Declaration of Dangerous Goods form and so on. Make sure you submit the required documentation as soon as possible.
3. Call your car insurance company and ask them if your current auto policy covers international shipping or not. If their answer is negative, you’re going to have to buy shipping insurance through your chosen international auto transporter. The price is usually around 2% of the estimated value of your vehicle.
4. Get your vehicle properly serviced and cleaned before the auto shipper arrives to pick it up. Check the air pressure of the tires, the battery charge and all fluids (one quarter of fuel should remain in the tank). Remove all personal items from the inside of your car, as well as any parts that protrude from the vehicle as they may get damaged during transit.

Moving Overseas Tips

Moving around the world teaches you many things and yet, you are expected to leave your own country with an open mind and a sufficient stock of life-saving pointers to help you adapt quickly to your unknown surroundings and immerse effortlessly in the new culture.

Pay attention to the following tips for moving to another country in order to stay on the safe and comfortable side of your international relocation.

• You must research extensively the country you’re moving to prior to the relocation. Visit reliable sources online (e.g. Wikipedia) and verify what you know about the foreign country, what you think you know about it and what you may have heard about it. Read about the country’s history, geography and climate, economy, language, education, health system, traditions and culture (art, music, literature, sports, etc.). This way, you’ll have a better idea of what to expect upon your arrival.
• The international moving process will undoubtedly become a notch or two more complicated and stressful if you’re moving to another country with a child or children. Their safety and general well-being must be your primary concern and, depending on their respective age, their fears, concerns, needs and questions should be handled properly for a happy and successful overseas move. We urge you to take a look at our comprehensive guide on moving across the country with a child which covers the majority of issues you’ll be facing when moving across the ocean.
• Moving to another country with pets is not particularly easy and has its specifics. First of all, take your pet to the vet’s office for full medical checkup and ask your vet to give you all the documents required for an international pet move, such as a passport, immunization records and so on. Then, contact the consulate of the destination country and obtain more information on whether or not your pet meets the import requirements. And finally, read the regulations for animal exports by destination countries which have been compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
• Regardless of the country you’re relocating to, you can surely find other Americans who have already settled there. Whether you choose to seek out compatriots’ help or not is entirely up to you, but be mindful that expatriate assistance is a great way to learn practical and often priceless insider tips and speed up the acclimatization process as a whole.

• 

  Once you cross the ocean, you’ll realize that some things just won’t work the way you’re used to having them work in the United States. You will soon be dealing with another system of measurement (the metric system) which will probably not make sense to you in the very beginning but which will make perfect sense as time passes by. You’ll probably find yourself in another time zone and will need some time to adjust to the change. The electricity will most likely have different voltage and frequency values (get the specific electrical plug adapter for the appliances you choose to bring with you – most importantly, your laptop). Your destination country will probably have an official language other than English, so if you’re moving to another country without knowing the language and you’re planning to stay and live in that country, one of your top priorities will be to learn the local language.

Do you have any international relocation experience?

We would love to hear your practical tips for moving to a foreign country.

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