Soon-to-be-Expats, before you go………..
With the excitement of a new life as an expat, a new country and possibly a new culture, and the distinct possibility that the departure date arrives sooner than expected, it’s incredibly easy to forget some small but vitally important jobs. Expats, you need to get sorted! And sorting your jobs into categories will make the whole process much easier.
Organise your finances before departing! You may leave your UK bank accounts open for a while. This helps to preserve your recognition by UK financial institutions and safeguard your credit rating. Cancel standing orders so they are not coming out of your account once you leave. Direct debits are best cancelled around 6 weeks prior to your departure. The main ones are; telephone, satellite television, internet connection, electricity and gas, but there may well be others – check your statements! If the arrival of statements at your old address is your worry then now is the time to switch to online banking and online statements. It will be easier to keep track of transactions from your new home. Sort out any outstanding debts, as no matter where you go you can be found. Should you choose to cancel your credit cards, be sure you obtain a full closing statement.
Inform Official Organisations. You are obliged to let official bodies know that you’re moving. Start with the following: the tax office, the National Insurance Contributions Service and your pension companies. You may be pleasantly surprised to learn that you may be eligible for a sizeable tax rebate. Additionally informing the DVLA of your move keeps their records will be up to date with your position and means you may receive part of the Road Fund Licence money should you sell your car and return the tax disks to them. Inform your doctor and dentist so they can arrange hand over files for you to take with you.
Keeping in Touch. Clearly, when you’re saying your farewells you need to collect all contact details of those closest to you. Try to put them all in one address book and keep it safe! Additionally you could put all the information on your laptop, a CD or a memory stick or in a file with the rest of your important paperwork.
