As you plan your overseas move, you’ll soon come to realize that you may need additional documentation besides the passports and visas you already know about. These additional papers and records may help establish your identity, be permits or licenses for your work, or cover just about any other official business you may have in your host country.
When you move, experts advise that you have a couple of copies of all of your important papers. Some should be kept with you, others with a trusted family member at home, and perhaps even some in a safety deposit box. Oh, and remember not to pack your important papers with other household items when you move, as you might need them when you travel.
Here are some of the papers and documents you should have neatly organized before, during and after your international move. In fact, it is a good idea to keep all of these things filed together, even if you’re just moving across the street! Take a look:
- A copy of every family member’s passport
- A copy of every family member’s driver’s license
- Birth certificates of each family member
- Marriage certificate
- Divorce and custody papers
- Passport-sized photos of everyone in the family
- Adoption papers
- Medical and dental records
- Insurance papers
- Wills
- Power of attorney
- Lease agreements for your housing in the new country
Additionally, if there is anything else you can think of that may not have included on the list above, by all means file it with the other important papers. You never know what obstacles you may come across during an international move, so be prepared!
Lance Grooms
