Guide · 8 min read

The Complete Expat Relocation Checklist

Most relocation stress comes from doing things out of order — signing a lease before confirming visa timing, or arriving without insurance active. Here's the sequence that avoids the common traps.

3+ months before

1. Confirm visa category and exact document requirements with the consulate or an immigration lawyer
2. Buy international health insurance that satisfies your visa's specific minimum (see our nomad visa insurance guide or Schengen requirements)
3. Start researching short-stay housing (Airbnb or similar) for your first weeks — don't sign a long lease sight unseen

1-3 months before

4. Open a multi-currency digital wallet before you travel — much easier to set up while still in your home country
5. Notify your home bank of travel dates and set international access on your cards
6. Research an accountant familiar with cross-border tax obligations in both your home and destination country
7. Get any needed vaccinations and gather medical records/prescriptions in English or the destination language

First 2 weeks after landing

8. Register your address with local authorities if required (many countries mandate this within a specific window)
9. Start the local real estate/long-term housing search once you know the neighborhoods you actually like
10. Open a local bank account if you're staying more than a few months
11. Confirm your insurance certificate covers you locally and save the 24/7 assistance number in your phone

First 3 months

12. Meet with your immigration lawyer or accountant to confirm residency and tax filing obligations going forward
13. Reassess whether your travel/expat insurance needs to shift to a longer-term local or international plan

This checklist is for general information only and isn't legal, tax or immigration advice. Requirements vary significantly by country — confirm current rules with official sources before relying on this order.