What is the first thing to sort when moving abroad?

The visa route, because it constrains everything else — whether you can work, how long you can stay, what income you must prove, and often where you can live. People routinely research neighbourhoods and schools before establishing whether any visa category actually fits their situation, and that is the wrong order.

When do I become tax resident in a new country?

Most countries use a 183-day threshold within a tax year, though some also apply centre-of-life tests based on family, property and economic ties. Crossing that line usually means being taxed on worldwide income. The mistake is treating it as automatic on arrival or on getting a visa — it is a separate test with its own rules.

Should I keep my bank account at home when moving abroad?

Usually yes, at least initially. Closing accounts before you have a functioning local one leaves you without a way to receive money, and many countries require a local address or residence permit to open an account. Expect a period of running both, and check whether your home bank permits a foreign address without closing the account.

Is it worth shipping belongings internationally?

Rarely, beyond a few boxes of genuinely irreplaceable items. A container costs thousands, takes weeks to months, and much of what people ship is furniture and appliances that are cheaper to rebuy locally, and often incompatible with local voltage and plug standards. The exception is if an employer is paying for it.

The Order of Operations for Moving Abroad

Relocations go wrong on sequence far more often than on any single decision. The tasks have dependencies, and doing them out of order wastes months. This is the order that works.

1. The visa route, before anything else

Establish which category you actually qualify for, because it constrains everything downstream: whether you can work, how long you can stay, what income you must evidence, and sometimes where in the country you can live.

The specific question that catches people: does this visa permit remote work for a foreign employer? Spain's non-lucrative visa does not. Thailand's retirement visa does not. Portugal's D7 is aimed at passive income. Several countries created separate digital nomad visas precisely because so many people got this wrong.

Also establish what has no route at all. Japan and Vietnam have no retirement visa. If you are retiring on savings, that removes them from consideration before you look at anything else.

2. Model the tax position

Most countries treat you as tax resident after 183 days in a tax year, often with additional centre-of-life tests. Crossing that line usually means being taxed on worldwide income.

Three things to check for your specific case:

Whether your home country releases you. Most do once you sever residence. The United States does not — Americans file US returns wherever they live, and FBAR once foreign accounts exceed $10,000 combined.

Whether a double taxation treaty exists and what it allocates. Relief usually has to be claimed rather than granted automatically.

What local taxes have no equivalent at home. Spain's wealth tax and Modelo 720 asset declaration are the classic surprises for Americans.

This is the point to pay an accountant in the destination country for two hours of their time. It is the cheapest insurance in the whole process.

3. Documents, with lead times

These take longer than expected and several must be done before you leave:

Passport with sufficient validity — many countries require six months beyond entry. Criminal record check, apostilled — the FBI check plus apostille takes weeks. Birth and marriage certificates, apostilled. Medical certificates where required. Certified translations, which often must be done by a translator recognised in the destination country.

Apostille is the step people have not heard of and it is not fast.

4. Banking, both ends

Do not close accounts at home before you have a working local one. Many countries require a residence permit or local address to open an account, which you will not have on day one.

Check whether your home bank permits a foreign correspondence address — some close accounts when notified of a move, which is the worst possible moment to lose access to your money.

For Americans: FATCA reporting causes some foreign banks to decline US clients entirely. Ask before assuming.

A multi-currency account bridges the gap while local banking is set up.

5. Healthcare

Establish what covers you from the day you land, which is often not the public system.

Many visas require private insurance as a condition of issue. Public system access usually requires residency registration, which takes weeks or months after arrival. That leaves a gap, and travel insurance does not cover residents.

Declare pre-existing conditions. An undeclared condition can void cover entirely.

6. Housing, temporary before permanent

Rent short first, in almost every case. You cannot judge a neighbourhood, a commute or a climate from abroad, and long leases signed remotely are the most common regret.

In some countries this is not optional — the Netherlands' rental market is competitive enough that arrivals routinely spend months in temporary accommodation.

Registration at a local address is frequently the key that unlocks the tax number, the bank account and healthcare, so establishing an address is often more urgent than finding the right one.

7. Shipping, last and least

Ship less than you think. A container costs thousands and takes weeks to months. Furniture and appliances are usually cheaper to rebuy locally, and electricals frequently do not match local voltage or plugs.

The sensible default is a few boxes of genuinely irreplaceable things, sent by courier, and buying the rest on arrival — unless an employer is paying, in which case ship whatever you like.

The sequence in one line

Visa route → tax model → apostilled documents → banking → healthcare → temporary housing → registration → permanent housing → shipping. Doing any of these before the ones above it is how moves stall.