Moving To A New Country: Research The Administrative Topics

So, you're relocating to a new country. You've researched the culture, understand the basics of society where you'll be living, and you've started looking at housing, restaurants and night life, extracurricular activities, the works. What you maybe haven't yet done is check into the administrative side of living in that country, which can lead to a significant amount of stress once you arrive.

The first two months of any relocation are usually the most stressful. This is when you're faced with all the legal red tape beyond the work permit or visa, and it's when reality sets in. We as humans tend to have a similarity bias when it comes to things like laws, banking, etc. We default to our own society's standards and norms because they are what we've grown up internalizing. So, when we're relocating, we focus on the more tangible, social aspects of the move rather than the paperwork side of things, and that is where much of our stress comes from in those early days of living in a new country.

Banking laws and procedures differ by country, as do insurance and legal processes. It is very important that you understand what will be required from you when you open a bank account, secure the various insurances you need, and when you need to understand what is allowable and not when it comes to the legalities of living.

A few examples. Did you know that you can be fined in Switzerland for calling someone an "asshole" or flipping them the middle finger? It's covered under Article 177 of the Swiss Criminal Code, Offence against personal honour/insult. It is also illegal to honk or flash your lights at someone unless you are doing so as a warning of danger. In South Africa, someone can file a charge against you for being arrogant, and you could be fined or even have your visa revoked.

Another area to research: pets. Do you plan to bring your pets with you? Make sure that they're allowed in the country. Some countries ban species that are common household pets in other countries. Some have laws against specific breeds of a species. Many have import and quarantine laws that change depending on where you are coming from. If you are bringing pets, the best thing you can do is find a reputable pet importer based in the country you're moving to, and ask them questions about the process. Most will happily answer your queries, especially if it means potentially securing your business. Working with a pet exporter in your current country and a pet importer in your new country will help you navigate all of the administrative steps. We've learned over the years that they are worth every penny and they've helped us avoid some potential disasters along the way.

Beyond the law, knowing what documents you'll need and the processes for establishing bank accounts and insurance will help you be prepared for those processes. Don't rely on relocation specialists to tell you everything you need to know. Some of them are wonderful about covering everything you may encounter, but some skip right past these topics because they either assume you've done your research or they don't even think about it being an issue because it's such a basic concept in their minds.

We keep a special folder of the documents we know will be required. Things like:

• Passports

• Birth certificates (originals)

• Marriage Certificate/License (originals)

• Any degrees/certificates/professional certifications (originals)

Every country will have their own variation of the documents that will be required, so it's important to check to ensure that you won't encounter frustration. Having a separate folder of all of these documents makes it very easy to put your fingers on whatever is requested, and it saves so much time.

The best way that we've found to do our research is by locating expat forums specific to the country. Reddit, for example, can be a great resource if they have a subforum dedicated to the country in question. A helpful hint: don't post your question without searching the sub to see if the answer has already been recently given. We've found that people are willing to help, but they get tired of answering the same questions over and over. You'll get a lot further if you do a cursory search first and then post any additional questions you may have.

Another good way to onboard into the topics is to ask your employer if there is an expat already in the company who would be willing to answer your questions. Talking with someone who has already dealt with the process can really help you avoid some of the more common stress factors, and make your relocation that much smoother.

The bottom line: Anticipate that your first few months will involve a lot of red tape, some stress, and a learning curve. Arm yourself with as much research as you can, be ready with official, notarized documents (if possible), and know that eventually, you'll have it all completed and you can move forward with settling in to your new life.