Moving Abroad Checklist: Things To Do 60 Days Before You Go
Looking for greener pastures? Sharon Stone, Cher, and Raven-Symoné are just a few of the celebrities who have vowed to leave the U.S. and move to another country if you-know-who won a second term in the White House.
“I am certainly considering a house in Italy,” Sharon Stone told DailyMail.com in July last year. “I think that’s an intelligent construct at this time.” Cher told The Guardian in 2023, “This time I will leave.” And Elon Musk‘s transgender daughter, Vivian Wilson, posted on Threads she doesn’t “see her future being in the United States”. Meanwhile, back in 2016 Raven-Symoné said on The View that she and her wife, Miranda Maday, would move to Canada if a Republican won again!
If you’re a queer traveler seeking to move your life abroad, we have a cool checklist for you! The original list was penned by The Wards, a straight couple that has taught and traveled around the world. But regardless of how you identify, you can learn a lot from fellow travelers. Even if some items on the list may not apply to your specific move, it’s definitely a good way to start tailoring your own list that will hopefully create a smooth transition to your new home country.
This list will ensure you don’t forget a few important details that may be essential to your move outside of the United States.
Moving Abroad Checklist
60 Days Before Your Move
- Start packing
- Obtain a list of medications you need to take every day
- Fill enough prescriptions for 2 months
- Renew your local driver’s license (especially if close to the expiration date)
- Find accommodations for when you arrive
- Join social groups specific to your new country
30 Days Before Your Move
- Get your Visa(s)
- Inform your landlord you are leaving
- Start setting appointments to disconnect services
- Register with the US Embassy
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive alerts or located in an emergency
- Forward your mail
- Change your address
- Obtain an International Driver’s permit
- Pay off all bills
- Notify banks of your move
- Buy products that aren’t available in your new country
- Get final medical/dental checkups
- Obtain a medical certificate if necessary
- Download/pay for a VPN
- Check absentee voting requirements
For more advice and tips on your new adventure living abroad, check out our nine things you should know before you move to another country!
