Emigration, moving and living abroad: general questions and answers

Living abroad, moving abroad and emigration: general questions and answers

Bundle items:

What type of expat or emigrant are you?

What type of expat or emigrant?
What is the non-expat/emigrant: 'the commuter'?
What distinctions do you encounter when applying for visas?

What type of expat or emigrant?

Expats and

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What are the main reasons for emigrating or moving abroad for an extended period of time?

What are motives for emigrating or moving abroad for an extended period of time?

There are always pluses and minuses surrounding emigration or a long stay abroad. It takes an average of four years before emigration plans are realized, according to both research and practice. The first two years are usually an orientation phase, where potential emigrants do online

What are the main reasons not to emigrate or move abroad yet?

What are the main reasons for not choosing for a long stay abroad or emigrating yet?

Motivations are, of course, personal. To get you started with your personal list: in general, many emigrants mention the following disadvantages:

you get relational problems.
your partner or children get bored.
your children cannot catch up at their new school.
you have

What might be motives for moving or emigrating abroad without a partner and/or children?

Several reasons for emigrating, temporarily living and working abroad alone
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Several reasons for emigrating, temporarily living and working abroad alone

When you have a partner

What are additional points of interest when mapping motivations for a long stay abroad or emigration?

Additional points of interest
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Additional points of interest

Once you have created a good overview of core purpose and motivations for leaving or not leaving abroad, also check the following points

What skills and competencies do you need when spending a long time abroad?

The ideal emigrant

The ideal expat or emigrant...there is obviously no such thing. The competencies of a doctor who is the only non-African working in a small hospital in Eastern Kenya are obviously different from those of a start-up entrepreneur who wants to set up a joint venture in the booming Chinese market.

A list can be compiled of

In what ways does your own personality influence (the success of) your long stay abroad?

What you don't always realize as an expat or emigrant in-high-pressure-pre-departure-times is that, in addition to all your material possessions, there is something else that always goes with you in the “moving boxes”: your own personality (and that of any family members).

Some focal points:

Not only your skills, competencies, nice character traits and useful skills go with

How to start your moving abroad or emigration process?

There are a lot of things to consider when you want to emigrate to another country. Maybe you already have a concrete plan, or know where to find the right information. If that's not the case, don't worry. Here are some tips to help you start your emigration process.

Emigrate: yes or no?

It can help to get

Advantages and disadvantages of involving outsiders in your emigration proces

Involving a relative outsider (e.g., a stay-behind person you trust well) in all the pre-departure arrangements is good for an objective opinion, fresh perspective or final check.
Provide someone who can be critical but can also motivate you, someone who dares to oppose but also wants to delve deeper.
Make a list of possible persons in order of

What to pay extra attention to on the day of departure for a long stay abroad?

On the day of packing or loading, reserve a clear place or closet for items that the mover must not touch. Think of that bag with important documents, medicines, your children's favorite stuffed animals: without a good overview, there is a chance that these too -for days or weeks- will end up in the moving van.
Call the

What to do the last few days before you leave?

Return any remaining library books.
Redeem savings stamps from local retailers and online providers, insofar as you can no longer use them in or from abroad.
Redeem last-minute gift cards (as a surprise, have your children use them to finance their last pre-departure purchases or presents).
Inform the neighbors (well in advance) on which day you are really

Moving abroad: what to arrange first when you arrive at your new destination?

First things upon arrival

Register as a new resident with the municipality in your new place of residence. In many countries, a registration number ("citizen service number") is essential for many subsequent administrative matters (e.g. utilities).
Once you arrive, pay a visit to the town hall; still, especially in smaller towns, the mayor is a powerful person with whom

Taking into account a possible return, yes or no?

many emigrants who have made the decision to emigrate logically focus on the new life in the new country of residence.
the returnees , afterwards express regret that they did not maintain their network in their home country a little better.
sometimes returning to the home country can be overwhelming, e.g. due to illness in the family or

Emigration tips from experts by experience

The tips below are from Emigration experts by experience might inspire you

Never impose your pace on your partner when making departure plans and never force decisions: everyone has their own pace.
Allow yourself setbacks or doubts; always give yourself the right to go back on a decision.
Give yourself enough preparation time; plans can almost always be