7 Common Mistakes Made When Moving Overseas
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Moving is a wonderful adventure and an opportunity to begin again in a new part of the world. But moving to another country is, if we’re being realistic here, a massive logistical undertaking that requires some very serious consideration, planning, and preparation.
It’s not a decision you should rush into, and planning at the eleventh hour doesn’t make financial sense. Living in different places can be very challenging, and while the idea of relocating overseas is exciting, it can lead to unrealistic expectations for a perfectly smooth new life, resulting in disappointment. Many difficulties can come from moving your life to another country.
To have a successful move, you need proper research and planning. An expat beneficiary of an overseas move is well-versed in the complexities involved. Seven of those mistakes, and how you can avoid making them, are here.
Here are seven of those mistakes—and how you can sidestep them.
1. Insufficient Research & The “Vacation Mindset”
Nobody is recommending that you approach the decision to live abroad blindly; it’s crucial to be aware of all potential issues so you can navigate them and comprehend the potential risks involved in moving overseas.
If your host country is located far away from your home, you should anticipate a significant adjustment and be ready to make numerous accommodations.
Looking at photos online before your trip might not be enough if you have never been to your host country. If you’re moving from San Diego, where it’s sunny and warm year-round, to Moscow with bitter cold winters, you might not realize just how cold it can get.
How to avoid it?
Go beyond tourist guides. Explore the customs, culture, daily life, and political environment of the destination.
One of the most important, yet least-discussed issues is health care. Investigate the local health care system: Is it public or private? What insurance is needed, and what does it cover? It’s important to know how to look for a doctor or dentist before you need one.
And don’t limit your research to the country—go deep into a specific city and even neighborhood. As one expat learned, a “great apartment” in a city’s historic center might mean six flights of stairs with no elevator, which becomes a daily challenge.
Also try to contact other expats who are already there. They can fill you in, easing your transition. The greatest challenge following an international relocation is mitigating against culture shock.
2. Financial Fumbles: Underestimating Costs & Tax Obligations
Budget the total cost of your relocation. Calculate and budget all potential costs in the host country, such as cost of living, transportation, home furnishings, etc. This will prevent you from having financial shocks.
How to avoid it?
Create a detailed budget that includes a healthy buffer for unexpected costs. One of the biggest financial mistakes is not understanding your tax obligations.
The U.S., for instance, requires citizens to file taxes regardless of where they live. Research your tax liabilities in both your home and host countries.
Furthermore, give yourself a realistic financial runway. A major mistake is assuming you’ll find a job immediately. As one expat shared, “I thought I’d land a job within a month… it took five.” Having savings to cover 3–6 months of living expenses can be the difference between settling in and panicking.
3. The Logistics Trap: Poor Moving & Documentation Planning
Reliability and safety are paramount when relocating items abroad. Therefore, we utilize loading standards that are designed to benefit our clients. Do some research and select a dependable and well-licensed international moving business.
Look for reviews by other customers and any print-related industry certifications. If you want to move abroad, you have to plan very well. Please document everything and organize it in a file or envelope along with your important papers—such as passports, visas, etc.
How to avoid it?
Exercise extreme caution when considering moving estimates that appear excessively favorable. Get at least three in-person or virtual video surveys and detailed, binding quotes.
Not checking if your passport is valid for 6–12 months, as some countries require, is a costly and possibly self-inflicted error.
In addition to keeping physical copies of all the important papers, make multiple certified copies for each and keep scanned images in a safe cloud service. This encompasses both academic transcripts and professional licenses—as well as birth or marriage certificates, which can be required for visa applications, job applications, and enrolling children in school.
4. Packing Panic: Bringing Too Much & The Wrong Things
Ensure that you have packed your belongings safely. Make a carry-on that is filled with stuff you need at the stop. If necessary, think about putting all the apparel within short-term storage.
How to avoid it?
When packing, practice ruthless decluttering. You’re wasting money and space by moving things you don’t want or love. Ask yourself if it’s less expensive to replace an item than to have it shipped.
For one expat, it was sentimental but impractical possessions that didn’t fit in their new, smaller home—which added up to costly storage fees.
Also ensure that your professional qualifications or degrees are valid in your new home abroad. You may need to have your qualifications translated or take local exams to work in your field.
5. Career Complacency: Not Securing Work or Validating Credentials
Expecting a seamless transfer of your career or an easy job upon arrival can lead to significant stress. The global job market is competitive, and professional cultures vary widely.
How to avoid it?
If a company isn’t transferring you, secure a job before you move. If that’s not possible, have a robust financial cushion. Research the job market thoroughly for your field.
Ensure that your new country recognizes your degrees or professional qualifications. You could find yourself having to have your qualifications translated or sitting more localized tests in order to work in the field of your choosing.
Network online with professionals in your industry from the target country and solicit advice from insiders.
6. Social Isolation: Failing to Build a Local Support System
It’s simple to stay with the other expats or hunker down in your room, but you will soon be lonely and homesick. The “expat bubble” is cozy, but it can hold you back from fully flourishing in your adopted country.
How to avoid it?
Consciously seek out locals and other expatriates long-term. Expose yourself to opportunities to practice the local language, even if you’re terrible at it in the beginning. People appreciate the effort immensely.
Join a club, volunteer, take a class, or visit your local café. The purpose of building a diverse support system isn’t just about making friends; it’s about finding your place and creating a network that can help you and provide advice.
7. Unrealistic Expectations: Moving for the Wrong Reasons
Think about the realities of living in a foreign country—cost, language barriers, culture shock, employment opportunities, and safety. Be sure the move is not based on future dreams.
How to avoid it?
Be brutally honest with yourself. Are you running to something or from something?
A new country isn’t going to magically fix not-so-great things in your life (a job that you hate, a relationship that is draining)—if anything, it could even exacerbate them because of the stress of adjustment.
Be sure your motivation is reasonable and that it comes from a true desire to adjust, not an effort to avoid or run away from something.
As one expat wisely stated, moving abroad “enriches your life; it does not create your life.”
What to Do If You’ve Already Made a Mistake?
Don’t panic; just stay calm. Even the most well-laid plans may encounter obstacles, so acquaint yourself with strategies for handling such situations.
Look at the situation. Assess the severity of the mistake and evaluate its potential impact on your move.
Find solutions. Start working on compensating for the error, and if necessary, reconsider your previous plans.
The answer to that one is usually, “Suck up your pride and ask for help from other expats, local friends, or professionals.” The expat community can be very open and welcoming: everyone was new to the city at some point.
With a little bit of proactive strategizing and homework, you can prevent some of the worst mistakes and make your move less painful by using dependable professional services.
When you live in another country, the three most valuable things to have are flexibility, patience, and a sense of responsibility. You can, if you know how, turn problems into brilliant opportunities for wider experience and more adventure.
FAQ’s
What are some mistakes people make on visa and immigration paperwork?
Expats often fail to account for processing times, apply too late, neglect dependent visa requirements, or make critical errors on their applications, all of which can significantly delay the process. Always verify all entry and exit requirements with an official government source before you travel, as they change regularly.
How does cultural adaptation go wrong in the new country?
A mistake often made is just viewing them as nuisance cultural differences and getting frustrated and isolated. A lot of expats also have the bad habit of comparing everything to “how we did it back home” rather than opening themselves up to new traditions and a new way of life.
What housing blunders should I avoid when taking a job overseas?
Many are becoming long-term renters without understanding either the neighborhood or local rental markets, while others neglect to document pre-existing property damage properly. Always visit homes at various times during the day, research average utility costs, and never sign contracts you don’t comprehend.
What are the mistakes related to schooling and education that families make when relocating overseas?
Parents also tend to see international schools as the only choice and don’t realize that they can send their children to some very good local schools instead, or they forgo the need to look into curriculum differences and how—if necessary—credits transfer. Start investigating all education options early on, taking into account your children’s language skills and long-term academic aspirations.
How do people make mistakes with their personal safety in new countries?
Foreigners are known to let their guard down in parts of the city that seem safe, showing off pricey electronics or jewelry and not bothering to memorize local emergency numbers and procedures. Always find out which neighborhoods are safe or unsafe and what to do in case of an emergency, but use much the same precautions you would in any other situation where you don’t know everything.