Carry These Items
Items you will need immediately you should take with you. The obvious include clothing, bedding, medications, valuables, and work materials. If your shipment is moving by sea, you might want to send the items you will need at once by air. But don't forget these special items:
- Schools Request Transcripts and Health Records
When moving to UK, carry copies of your children's school transcripts with you. If you move during the school term, ask for the grades your children have earned at the time of departure. Try to obtain a curriculum guide or course description of classes your children are taking if in junior high, middle or high school.
- Children's Health Records
Carry your children's health records including results of a physical examination taken during the past 12 months and the dates your children received immunizations.
- Family's Medical Information
Prescriptions for eyewear, dental records (both from physicians and hospitals) should be taken with you.
- Important Documents
Carry birth and marriage certificates, divorce decrees, bank drafts, letters of credit, tax documents and Social Security records.
- Take Pictures of Your Furniture
To actively protect yourself financially, take pictures of your furniture and valuables as proof of ownership in the event of loss or damage. Plus, a photograph of each item that might need to be disassembled for transit lets the destination crew know just how to reassemble it.
Smaller Homes are the Norm Overseas
Keep in mind that the home overseas might be considerably smaller than your current one. Therefore, when moving to UK, it may not be suitable to take all of your furniture and large appliances. Take only what will fit inside your new home.
Handguns and Other Weapons Require Permits
Only include a weapon in your household goods shipment with written assurance from a consulate or embassy of your destination country that it will be admitted. Many countries prohibit handguns and other weapons. Firearms that are allowed will require permits. Remember that all ammunition is prohibited in shipments due to the risk of explosion.
Before Departure
Gathering information about life in a foreign land can be exhilarating or frustrating, depending on your expectations and preparations. Information and organization are essential when "starting over" in a new country. Before moving to UK, at origin, remember to use your information resources: Moving2UK.com, a consulate or embassy of your destination country, customs offices in your home and destination countries, bookstores and your public library.
It is recommended that you and your family become familiar with the lifestyle, currency and language of the destination before you go. Familiarizing will put you all at greater ease and give you self-confidence as you settle into your new locale.
House-Hunting Trip To Your New City
Most corporations include at least one pre-move visit in their relocation package to allow employees time to survey the country to which they are moving. So if you are considering moving to UK as a personal choice (not employer requested), we highly recommend that you make this visit at your own expense, especially if you are not familiar with the country. Before going, request information on your city or country from its local chamber of commerce.
Before arrange for a house-hunting trip to your new city, subscribe to the area's local newspaper and read its real estate section. This can be very helpful in giving you some idea of the type of housing available in the new city, as well as other useful information.
Take recommendations from your employer and any local real-estate agents who have offices overseas for real-estate agents in your new city. Or, before moving to UK, contact agents at destination through the phone book you requested by contacting your local telephone company to inquire if you can purchase a telephone directory for your destination city. (Allow about one month for delivery.)
Real-estate agents might specialize according to the type of property they handle, such as home or apartment. Search for an agent who best meets your needs.
When looking for a new home, take along a tape measure and a list of the exact dimensions of each of your major appliances and other large pieces of furniture. Measure the areas provided for them to be sure your appliances and furniture will fit.
Should you want to buy a home, ask whether foreigners can own property legally. Some countries have restrictions. If you rent, know the cost of any commission fees. Find out if the rent includes utilities, and determine who is responsible for repairs. In some countries, you must pay the rent for the entire length of the lease prior to occupancy.
Have a lawyer review any documents before you sign them. Moving to UK should include your selection of a lawyer in your destination city. Your personal attorney or your company's attorney (if you are being transferred) might be able to refer you to someone. Be sure to ask for references.
Schools Overseas
You can receive addresses of schools abroad by requesting Moving2UK.com Relocation Services destination information or by requesting the Directory of Overseas Schools, which is updated annually and cross-indexed by country, city, residential status and name. Check the International School Services website for a copy of the directory or write to: International School Services, P.O. Box 5910, Princeton, NJ 08540.
Electricity Demands Your Attention When Relocating
The majority of countries run on 220-440 volt, 50 hertz AC (alternating current). Depending on your destination, you might need converters, transformers, voltage regulators or adapter plugs. Only a few countries in the Western Hemisphere rely on electric power of 110 volt, 60-hertz (cycles per second) (AC).
Converters change electrical frequency (50 or 60 hertz) an item receives. Appliances and equipment with internal timing mechanisms, such as clocks, mixers and stereos, should be converted. When moving to UK, it might be less expensive to purchase certain appliances at destination rather than depend on converters. Remember that converters work only with the same type of current so an appliance manufactured to run on alternating current (AC) will not work on direct current (DC).
If your destination country uses a different voltage, you will want to take several transformers with you. Electrical equipment designed for 110 volt needs a step-down transformer to operate on 220 volt.
Where the frequency of current is unstable, you can prolong the life span of your appliances by then plugging them into voltage regulators.
In addition to transformers and regulators, you also might need adapter plugs. Appliances with flat-blade plugs are common in the United States, whereas European countries often use plugs with two or three round prongs.
Television
As well as differences in electricity, television broadcasting varies from country to country. Incompatibility with foreign signals means that receivers manufactured for the U.S. market most likely will be unusable at destination. The consulate or embassy of your destination country can tell you if this pertains to that country. If so, you might rent or purchase a television while abroad.
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