An international move has two sides: the physical move of your belongings, and the administrative move of your life. Most stressful situations come from the second one — a missing document at customs, a contract that cannot be cancelled in time. This checklist puts both in order.

Three months before

  • Sort your belongings. Decide what you take, sell, donate or store. Every cubic metre you leave behind lowers the price.
  • Estimate your volume with a room-by-room calculator.
  • Request quotes and compare them on the same volume, transport mode and services.
  • Start your residence or visa formalities in your new country. Your residence document is often needed for customs clearance.
  • Check the customs rules for your destination: do you qualify for duty-free entry, which forms apply?
  • Decide about your car — ship it, sell it or drive it — after checking registration costs at destination.
  • Pets: check vaccination and travel rules now; some countries require tests months in advance.

Two months before

  • Book your mover and confirm the transport mode and dates.
  • Give notice on your rental agreement — notice periods of one to three months are common.
  • Gather proof of residence in your current country: tenancy, bills, tax documents.
  • Find your new home or at least a delivery address — customs needs it.
  • Children: register them with a school and request their school records.

One month before

  • Prepare your detailed inventory. Customs in many countries rejects vague descriptions.
  • Complete the customs forms for your destination (ToR01 for the UK, form 0350 for Germany, form 18.44 for Switzerland…).
  • Cancel or transfer contracts: energy, water, internet, mobile, insurance, subscriptions. Keep the final bills.
  • Tell your bank, employer, pension providers and tax office that you are moving.
  • Arrange mail forwarding.
  • Start packing rooms you use least, if you pack yourself.

One week before

  • Deregister where your country requires it — for example the Abmeldung in Germany, or your municipality in the Netherlands up to five days before leaving.
  • Prepare your personal bag: passports, residence documents, contracts, medicines with prescriptions, valuables, laptop and chargers.
  • Empty and defrost the fridge and freezer.
  • Set aside what must not go in the truck: documents, valuables, flammable products.
  • Confirm access for the truck at both addresses: parking, lift booking, permits.

Moving day

  • Walk through the inventory with the team and keep your copy.
  • Check every room before the truck leaves.
  • Take meter readings and photos of your empty home.
  • Hand over the keys and keep proof of the date.

The first days in your new country

  • Register your address with the local authorities — deadlines can be short, three days in Austria.
  • Get your local identification and tax numbers (NIE in Spain, NIF in Portugal, CPR in Denmark, BSN in the Netherlands…).
  • Open a local bank account and arrange health insurance.
  • Be available for customs clearance if your shipment needs it.
  • Check your delivery against the inventory and report any damage promptly.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

More guides