It seems like a simple question, but it’s actually quite complex. For those of you who have only traveled abroad briefly or perhaps never even left your home country, the actions you have to make to move abroad may seem confusing or almost impossible to understand. Are you allowed to simply move abroad like you would to another city and make a new home? The short answer is no. There are applications that need to be filled out both with your home country and with the new country you are trying to move to. You may need to visit a doctor and visit your local police in order to get a background check. If you are trying to have your pension check forwarded to a foreign bank account, you will need to contact the relevant government body to assist you.
I’ll explain some of the basics of moving abroad and the various documents you will need in order to begin the process to move abroad in the paragraphs below.
1. You will need a passport. In most countries in order to get a passport you submit an application to your local post office along with a payment for a fee.
2. Once you have a passport you will need to find out what are the visa requirements of the country you are planning to move to. A visa is a document or stamp that usually is placed in your passport permanently stating that you are allowed to move to another country for a certain period of time. You get this visa from the consulate office of the country you are trying to visit.
3. Find out from the consulate office either by phone or in person what the visa requirements are for what you are trying to accomplish. Are you merely visiting for a week? The requirements will be more lenient. Are you planning on retiring indefinitely to this country? Then you will have to fill out various application forms, pay fees, and submit information about yourself. This information may include a check on your finances, your criminal history, your health history as well as whatever other requirements the consulate may have at that time.
Why is this so difficult? No country wants to open its borders to everyone. Countries want only to let in people who they think will add to their society. This is why countries have visa restrictions that vary according to how old you are, what country you come from, and how long you plan to stay. Immigration is a very important issue for almost everyone around the world, and no one wants to see their country overwhelmed with immigrants. As a retiree moving abroad you are an immigrant. Now, it is unlikely you will be seen in the same light as an poorly paid immigrant who cleans dishes in a restaurant, but to make sure you are not a burden, governments have instituted rules and regulations to make sure you have money and can take care of yourself if you choose to move in.
For more information on visa requirements of some of the world’s most popular retirement destinations, pick up my upcoming e-book on retiring abroad. I’ve made an effort to compile the most up-to-date visa requirements of these retirement destinations. You’ll learn which countries are easy to retire to, and which ones are difficult. And with that information you can plan accordingly and successfully.
