expat network
boarding school

British Boarding School: An Education Worth Travelling The World For

British boarding schools are more popular than ever before, and an increasing number of young people from Portugal are taking advantage of cheap and plentiful flights to attend schools in the UK, where they make the most of a broad education in a modern, cosmopolitan environment, and leave ready to take on the world. Written...

Health Insurance

What You Need To Know About Health Insurance For Expats

Whether you are planning on making that life-changing trip or migrating to retire or work abroad, it is imperative to choose the right type of health insurance that will cover your medical needs fully. There are a plethora of insurers and policies, and knowing which one to go for can be a difficult and often...

retirement abroad

Top Ten Tips To Settle Into Retirement Abroad

Settling in to living abroad can be a challenge at any time, but if you are also getting used to retirement after a long and active career, it can be even more difficult to achieve. Knowing what to expect can help to manage the transition and here we give our top ten tips to settling...

trailing husband

Top 6 Tips For Trailing Husbands

From questions of identity to adjusting career goals and fears of putting everything on hold, becoming a trailing husband can be difficult at times. But it is also a hugely rewarding experience. Before you pack your bags, check out these six tips to help make the transition smoother as you move into your new role....

nhs

Living Abroad – Can I Get Free NHS Healthcare When Visiting The UK?

One of our members who lives in The Philippines asked whether they could still access the services of the NHS as a British passport holder.  I have been living and working outside the UK for a number of years but plan to visit family in the UK and wanted to know whether I can make use...

new visa

New Visa To Bring Your Parents To Australia

A new Parent Visa option is opening for eligible Australian citizens or permanent residents to bring their parents to Australia temporarily for up to ten years. The new visa will however be capped to only 15,000 people per year. Read on to discover more and find out if you could be eligible to sponsor your...

malta

The Attractions Of Malta

Malta, with its 300 days of sunshine, laid back lifestyle, and long and colourful history has proved a popular spot for both tourists and expats. The total population is around 450,000, but this includes around 60,000 foreign nationals, of which 7,000 hold a UK passport. With its strategic position in the Mediterranean, it has long...

expat partner

Expat Partner Or Trailing Spouse

Any decision to take a role abroad is relatively easy if you do not have a partner or family, but as soon as a partner is involved decisions become more complicated. Although partners and family can provide emotional support and enrich the experience, studies have repeatedly shown that the most common cause of problems with...

childcare

The Cost Of Education And Childcare In Australia

In her article Swati Iyer looks at the cost of living in Australia.  Here we cover the costs related to education and childcare in Australia. Taken from an article written by Swati Iyer for Instarem Childcare & Education Formal childcare costs in Australia vary from state to state and provider to provider. A long...

mortgage

Can I Get A Mortgage As An Expat?

When living and working abroad many British expats want to retain an interest in the UK property market by investing in a buy-to-let property to get a good return or they buy a property for their family or to leave empty so that it is ready for them when they return home.  Expats from other...

choosing schools in portugal

Choosing Schools In Portugal

The programmes of international schools in Portugal vary from the International Baccalaureate (IB) to the British GCSE and GCE examination systems. All schools in Portugal are required to satisfy the requirements of the Portuguese national system. The International Baccalaureate Organisation’s Diploma Programme was created in 1968. It is a demanding pre-university course of study that...

visa requirements

Visa Requirements To Enter Australia

You need to have a visa to enter Australia. The exact visa requirements will vary according to the length and purpose of your intended stay. The Australian Department of Home Affairs has a useful Visa Finder which allows you to work out which visa will meet your situation. The main categories of visa are as...