International moving requires a lot of prior planning as the move involves a lot of paper work, to establish your identity, social status, purpose of moving, income status, your capability to be financially self-sufficient in the host country, etc. Not just paperwork, overseas relocation also involves adapting to innumerable changes ranging from using different types of electrical appliances, driving your car in a new way to getting exposed to a brand new way of living – in terms of culture and society norms. For instance, relocation to China would mean learning up etiquettes at the dining table – something which you probably always took for granted. Even the professional environment would be different with people of an alien culture speaking an equally alien language. A minimum of two to three months (even more if you do not have a passport) must be budgeted for making all travel arrangements. The first pre-requisite that you must have, without which you will not even be allowed to enter the international departure area is your passport. If you do not have a passport, remember the peak passport issuing period is March to August. So apply for it before or after this period. The lead time to acquire a passport, if all supporting documents are in order would be 3 to 4 months. Available from the Department of State, passport application forms are also available from The American Automobile Association (AAA). The applications for passports are processed through the post office or local county courthouse. The county courthouse lists the government offices that prepare passports, and your local post office knows the designated post offices that accept applications. Of course, there are some travel agencies from where you can have your passport application form.

The next document which you require is the work permit, which is required by all countries of the world, if you are relocating for working. Working without proper work permit might eventually result in your deportation. Your employer is the best source to help you out with these papers. But you have to contact the correct department to check whether all these papers are being processed at the right time.

In addition, get to know all the documentation requirement of your destination country as soon as possible. The local consular office of that country should be able to help you in this regard. The types of documentation needed differ from one country to another. So even if you have traveled abroad before, it is not going to make you an expert for all countries of the world – as rules and regulations widely differ from one country to another. For instance many countries might need medical certificates and/or immunization records, birth certificates, marriage certificates or divorce decrees. All these documents need time to procure, process and sometimes authentication is also necessary. So keep maximum time in your hands and contact the consular offices of the host country as soon as you know for sure that you will have to relocate to another country.