Loads of people decide to pack their bags and move to a different country every single day. Sometimes, this is done out of circumstance – perhaps you’ve been forced to go somewhere else? Other times, it’s out of choice. You’ve decided that you’ve had enough of living in the same country, and you want to go and live in another place.
With that in mind, it’s time to consider what goes into moving from one country to another. More importantly, is it worth all the hassle and stress? Let’s take a look at some of the main things you have to consider, which should hopefully help you figure out if a move like this is worth it or not!
Immigration barriers
First and foremost, you have to think about all the immigration barriers standing in your way. When moving from one country to another, you usually have to get a visa, and probably an immigration lawyer to help you with everything. There are so many documents to contend with, and it can take weeks/months and many hundreds of pounds before everything is finalised. This doesn’t always apply – moving between certain countries within the EU is significantly easier, so bear that in mind.
The moving process
How will you get everything from one country to another? Depending on how much stuff you wish to take, this can be a whole load of hassle. You’ll probably have to ship your things off via a specific luggage moving service. Here, you have to deal with the waiting time between it being sent and arriving in your new home. Then, you have to contend with the usual things when moving house – finding somewhere to live, unpacking everything, and so on. The fact you have to do this while moving across countries makes life even harder. It can be expensive too, which is why you need to make sure that moving countries will be worth it.
Finding a job
Ideally, you should only move countries if you have a job lined up. This rarely happens, and you tend to be in a situation where you rely on your savings until you find work. The problem is that finding a job before moving is challenging. If you need to attend face-to-face interviews, it’s costly to travel to a new country just for them. A more realistic idea is that you move to a new country, then instantly scour the land for a new job. As such, you need to pick a country that offers excellent job prospects. Again, in an ideal world, this new country offers more and better jobs than the one you’re currently in. Otherwise, is it really worth moving?
Building an international investment portfolio
Real estate investments are a popular investment choice to grow the family’s capital. Unfortunately, you might want to reconsider your choices when you change location. Indeed, as practical and convenient as property investments can be, you have to incur increased management and running costs when you live abroad. Suddenly, becoming a landlord does not seem like a profitable financial move. But other investment strategies work well, regardless of where you are in the world. Cryptocurrency, for instance, knows no barrier. Using a tool such as Swyftx, you can sell, swap and buy cryptocurrencies as long as you’ve got a secure Internet connection. Another great investment strategy is real estate crowdfunding, which lets you reap the profits from a property project without needing to worry about its location or management.
So, is moving to another country worth the hassle? In truth, it depends on the country you’re moving to and the reasons for moving. If you’re going somewhere that offers better jobs and better wages, it is definitely worth it. Likewise, if your life will significantly improve by being in a new country, go for it! Think about moving countries as an investment in your life – you want to get a good return out of it.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.