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After many years of hard work and sacrifice, you’ve finally graduated from college. No matter which degree you have framed in your living room, you’re about to use it to start your career. It’s exciting to apply for jobs and schedule interviews, especially if your next job takes you to a new country.
Plenty of college grads move across the world after they walk across the stage because it’s the perfect time for a fresh start. You could finally live in the country of your dreams or get experience from international experts. It’s a major decision that could strengthen your career, but it’s also a major move that requires extra steps and planning.
Check out these six tips for moving abroad after college so that your experience is as easy as possible.
It’s always wise to visit a place before moving there, but that’s not always possible when you’re moving to a new country. Instead, learn everything you can about the destinations that interest you. Look for factors like:
These are all crucial factors that could change your opinion about a city or country. You want to move somewhere that has fun things to do, a price of living you can afford and a job market that’s ready to hire college grads.
Before you leave, try to save your money for as long as you can. After you know where you’ll live, calculate the cost of moving and any extra living expenses you’ll need to pay after you arrive.
An easy way to do that when you’re between jobs is to sell almost everything you own. You’ll make quick money and avoid expensive overseas-shipping fees. You can always buy new furniture and household essentials after you arrive.
You may also run into issues with passport and visa requirements. Some countries require at least 12 months validity on your passport before you can move there, which means having your passport for at least a year.
You’ll also need the correct visa to travel that specifies the purpose of your trip. You might apply for a residence visa, depending on the requirements of your destination.
Keep in mind that some countries require a work permit along with a visa to live there and earn money. The best way to figure all this out is to contact the country’s consulate office in the U.S. for more information.
If you do need to ship things or you know you’ll travel with expensive belongings, it’s wise to find travel insurance. Compare rates and coverage to get what you need to replace anything you might lose during your move. The best protection will also cover your health costs if you were to get sick and require hospitalization before settling down and getting private or national insurance coverage.
As early as you can, visit your doctor to get any required immunizations. These will change depending on what country you move to and may not fall under your health insurance coverage.
While you still have your current health insurance, you should also stock up on any prescription medications you take. It may be a few months before you get coverage again or figure out all your new information to set up prescription pick up in your new place of residence.
After you know exactly where you’ll live after your move, it’s time to update your address with your bank and any of your credit card or lending companies. If you forget this step, they may freeze your accounts and assume your new international spending is fraud. The same thing goes for your monthly subscriptions and saved shipping addresses on shopping accounts.
Along with your accounts, you’ll need to set up international USPS mail forwarding so nothing gets lost in the U.S. mailing system. They’ll forward all your mail to the new address for the first few months after your move, which gives you time to figure out what you’ve updated or forgotten about.
Don’t leave the ease and security of your future move up to chance. Write every step of your plan down so that you don’t forget anything. Moving abroad after college can be straightforward and enjoyable if you start planning early and use these tips to remember the fine details of your move.
