A Deeper Dive Into Moving Abroad

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Moving abroad: Will it decrease your stress and increase your peace?

In Part 1 of this blog series, we examined five questions to consider in the initial exploration of a potential move abroad. Part 2 of this series explored 12 key qualities of countries to look into as target countries for the move.

Part 3 of this web series is a deeper dive into real considerations for the move abroad decision: the nuts-and-bolts issues of moving abroad, including how you plan to support yourself in the new country and whether you can legally work there, as well as obtaining legal residency in the country.

I am a psychologist who has lived in various countries, so this series of blogs may offer information not usually found in guidebooks.

Supporting oneself financially in the target country

Now that you’ve researched potential move countries’ cost of living for a move abroad let’s get down to the nitty-gritty: supporting yourself in the new country.

Working in the new country

For those who need or wish to continue receiving a work income, you will want to make it a top priority to find out if you can legally work in the new country. You may not be able to work legally in the new country, so many individuals opt for online jobs.

For those fortunate to be employed by a company that will move the employee (and their family) abroad, the company will generally take care of the major details such as these and may even provide move options for the employee for more than one country. In this case, employees often consider aspects such as salary and country image in this decision.

Testing the waters of living abroad: “digital nomad”

If you’d like to dip your toe into the water of living abroad, you may want to consider the life of a digital nomad as a “trial run” for expat (expatriate) life. Digital nomads are generally individuals who work online for their country of origin or another country for a limited time while living abroad. If you have a job in which you work completely online, this might be an option to explore.

Others who aren’t strictly “nine-to-fivers” may also be interested in this route. Be sure to check into the laws of your home country and target country about this potential alternative. Many countries now have “Digital Nomad Visas” for a specified time period, such as for one year, with the possibility of extending the stay in the target country.

Teaching English abroad

If you enjoy teaching and helping others, you may want to look into teaching English in the target country, including as a freelance English teacher. Native English language speakers are in demand to teach in certain Asian countries, Europe, and elsewhere. This type of experience has been found by many individuals as transformative, both to themselves and socially.

Be sure to investigate the requirements and legalities of teaching in the country of interest. Additionally, consider how much of the target nation’s mother tongue you already know, which will assist in teaching English effectively in that country.

Creative income sources in the new country: Freelancing

If you do not need a secure income or are only looking for a second family income, you may find various online freelancing options available. There are numerous online freelancing jobs in everything from digital photography to being a digital language translator that may be a creative form of self-employment.

Supporting oneself in the new country: Retirees

“International Retirement Migration” (IRM) has become increasingly common in recent years. Many individuals decide to retire to another country with their pension and/or government social security program. For retirees, it is important to investigate if your pension or government social security program will be accessible, secure and reliable in the future. If not, perhaps consider a country with a lower cost of living.

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Here are a few important logistical aspects to investigate…

Visas, residency, and apostilling

In your exploration of potential target countries, you’ll want to research the requirements and details for visas and legal residency in the country, including the documentation to bring if you move to the country. Additionally, be sure to find out about the apostilling of important documents. “Apostilling” is a process similar to notarizing, but for a foreign country. If you move to the target country, you’ll need to have important documents apostilled in your country of origin, such as birth and marriage certificates, as well as driver’s licenses. You may also want to look into companies that specialize in helping individuals with these details and the legalities of moving abroad.

There are various paths to legal residency and citizenship in a new country. This may include work visas, investment visas, retirement visas, and various other types of programs, depending on the country.

Psychotherapy

For those currently in counseling or psychotherapy, you’ll want to consider how you will proceed with this once moved. If you prefer in-person counseling, you’ll need to decide if it’s feasible to begin counseling with a different therapist in the new country. Alternatively, investigate if your current counselor is open to sessions via video chat. While it is not the same as in-person counseling, for many, it is preferable to finding a new therapist in the target country, especially if the new country’s native language is not your own. It is often helpful to continue one’s counseling to assist in the adjustment to the new country.

And here are yet more logistical considerations…

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Moving companies

Of course, if you proceed with a move abroad, you will need to get an international moving company. There are a variety of options for moving your household items, and you will want to consider if you plan to move an entire house full of furniture and items or simply the most important items. This will take some thought and will include an investigation into cost differences, which will vary depending upon the move country.

Filing income taxes

I know. Who wants to think of filing income taxes? Yuck. But since filing taxes tends to be a reality wherever we live… Be sure to check into the laws of your target country and your home country, as well as whether you will need to continue filing taxes in your home country after the move abroad.

Whew! We have covered many of the practical aspects of moving abroad. For more information on moving abroad, feel free to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of this blog series.