expat network

Moving To Portugal – What You Need To Know

Portugal Discovery Tours 2022

Enjoy a tailored tour with someone who knows the area inside out to help you decide the right location for you, who can assist you in planning your move and answer your questions.

Why eSIMs Are A Game-Changer For Expats: Stay Connected Across Borders

For expats, staying connected across borders has always been a challenge. Juggling SIM cards, managing roaming charges, and ensuring consistent coverage are just a few of the hurdles involved in maintaining reliable communication while living abroad. However, technological advancements have introduced a revolutionary solution: eSIMs. These embedded SIM cards are redefining how expats stay connected…

Financial Planning When Retiring Abroad

When retiring to Europe what are the options for funding the move, how do you arrange to receive your state pension and transfer your private pension(s) while abroad. What are the financial issues that need to be considered before you make the move? Jason Porter of Blevins Franks takes you through the key financial issues…

Expats – Plan Your Retirement Abroad

Many expats having spent a proportion or all of their career abroad get used to a different climate and lifestyle and do not feel drawn back to their home country when considering their retirement. There are many options for retiring and it is a very personal decision on where to retire. For some retiring where…

How Do I Choose The Right Health Insurance Provider As An Expat, And Should I Use A Broker?

Choosing the right healthcare insurance policy can make a real difference to how successfully you start your journey abroad – or whether you start it at all. For expats, it’s as important as picking the right country: health insurance varies depending on many factors (location, lifestyle, family size, etc.), and individual needs differ – students,…

How To Claim The UK State Pension Abroad

You can continue to claim your State Pension when you decide to retire abroad, provided you have paid enough UK National Insurance contributions to qualify. If you have not yet started receiving your pension you can get a State Pension statement to tell you how much State Pension you may get In order to claim…

Accessing Healthcare When You Retire Abroad

Retiring abroad is a major decision and one of the key issues if we are to get the best out of life in retirement wherever we are is access to good quality healthcare. The accessibility of healthcare should be one of the key factors in the decision on where to retire. There can be a…

Life As A Traveling Nomad

Are you interested in being a traveling nomad? They are people who move around from place to place, sometimes for work and sometimes for adventure. In general, they don’t stay in one city for long before moving on to the next, and it can be a very exciting way to live. If you want to…

How To Write A Resume For An International Career

Resume expectations differ significantly in various countries and regions around the world, so it’s important to prepare your resume for the specific country where you hope to work. Research the resume customs of your target region, check out resume examples to help you get started, and adjust your resume accordingly to maximize your chances…

Retiring Abroad, Some Insurance Advice

The freedom to retire means no longer having to work every day and having the ability to travel at leisure. It also means you can sell your house and spend your senior years living in a foreign country, taking in new experiences and meeting new people; but as romantic as retiring abroad sounds, there are insurance considerations that…

How To Write A CV For A Job Overseas

You probably have a good idea of what’s expected on a CV in your own country, but when applying for international jobs there are a few additional points to bear in mind. Here is how to write a CV for a job overseas. By CV Knowhow Senior CV Consultant – Jen David The most important…

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.