5 important steps before moving abroad: how not to miss the essentials

Moving to another country is not just a change of location — it is a serious personal, legal, and logistical process. Mistakes made during preparation can result in unnecessary expenses, stress, and prolonged adaptation.

In this article, we outline five crucial steps you must complete before your departure to ensure a smooth and predictable relocation.

1. Define Your Goal and Destination Country
First, understand why you are moving: work, study, family reunification, investment, or a lifestyle change. Your goal directly determines the country, visa/residency type, and the steps required.
Examples:

• IT specialists — Spain or Germany (digital nomad visa, EU Blue Card)
• Entrepreneurs — Portugal or the UAE
• Repatriation — Lithuania, Romania, Israel

2. Review Immigration Requirements and Timelines
Each country has its own rules: age limits, education, financial capacity, job offer requirements, quotas, and submission windows. Study in advance:

• Which visas/residence permits are available
• Expected processing times
• Which documents need legalization/apostille
• Whether quotas or strict deadlines apply

3. Prepare All Required Documents
Documents are the foundation of any relocation. Missing or incorrect paperwork can delay your process for months. Standard package includes:

• Passport valid for 6–12 months
• Police clearance certificate (with apostille)
• Diplomas and certificates (with certified translations)
• Health insurance
• Financial documentation (bank statements, sponsorship letters)

Tip: Create digital copies of every document and store them securely in the cloud.

4. Plan Your Financial Cushion and Banking Tools
Relocation always involves costs: government fees, rent, insurance, translation and legalization fees.
Calculate:

• Minimum expenses for the first 3–6 months
• Cost of visa/residency applications
• Bank transfer and conversion fees

Open an international or multi-currency account (Wise, Revolut) before leaving your home country.

5. Ensure You’re Prepared Emotionally and Practically
Relocation is not just paperwork — it’s cultural, linguistic, and lifestyle adaptation.
Ask yourself:

• Am I ready for adaptation challenges?
• Do I know anyone in the destination country?
• How will I manage housing, transport, and communication in the first days?

Join local expat groups (Telegram, Facebook), begin language learning, or consult an immigration specialist.

Thorough preparation is the key to a successful relocation. If you define your goals early, gather the necessary documents, and plan your finances, the entire process becomes smoother and more predictable.

Contact Visa Dan if you need a personalized strategy and professional guidance. We will help you plan every step of your relocation.

Visa Dan is an international company with a strong legal team and experience in assisting more than 1,000 clients. We offer:

• Individual selection of solutions and strategies for obtaining a residence permit.
• Complete transparency and support at every stage.
• A strong team in Europe: lawyers, translators, operators, notaries.
• Support until you receive your ID card, as well as assistance with renewal and integration in the country.

The Visa Dan team will help you navigate this journey from start to finish. Get personalized advice and start your new life in 2025!