Moving across the world to another country is no easy task. In fact it will likely be one of the more stressful things you do in your whole adult life. Why are we telling you this? Because somebody has to!

The first and most important step to surviving this change is to manage your expectations. The world is full of rules and regulations, paperwork and admin obstacles which make a transition like this incredibly challenging.

Don’t let this dissuade you though – embrace the challenge with the knowledge that some days will be tough, that there will be frustrations, conflicting information and confusion. If you prepare for the tough moments, you can take on anything.

So what CAN you expect?

• Expect to spend a good amount of money on your move. The amount will vary depending on a few things, such as which country you are moving from – think travel to Italy, shipping costs, etc. For reference, our average quote to ship our furniture and belongings from a 4 bedroom 1380 sq feet property from the UK to Italy came out at £13,000.
• Expect to have to legalise all of your documents – birth and marriage certificates most notably, and they’ll need to be translated too. Both of these processes, but particularly the legalisation can take a while depending on who provides the service. This process will also incur a cost. For UK readers: the GOV website will take you through the process, but they also recommend a huge list of 3rd party service providers who can provide expedited shipping for a quicker turnaround. Here’s a link:

https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised: Getting through the red tape – your to do list.

• Expect to have to visit the embassy or consulate to sign some documents in person – you’ll usually have to either schedule an appointment or turn up during a window of time where they take walk ins. Be warned – it can get busy so get there early.
• If you aren’t Italian, you’ll need a visa. The way to get one will depend on the reason for your move – are you being supported by your company for example? Once you determine what kind of visa you need and what the reason for your move is (this needs to be chosen in order to apply for the correct visa), you will need to make an appointment via a 3rd party website called VFS Global.

https://www.vfsglobal.com/en/individuals/index.html: Getting through the red tape – your to do list.

TOP TIP: LEAVE PLENTY OF TIME.

We recommend giving yourselves at least 12 months from the start of the process until your move – this unfortunately was not a luxury we had as our move was determined by the needs of our respective companies, but if you have more flexibility than us, please take our advice and allow as long as you can.

Got a question? Let us know: