The Ultimate Packing List for Expatriates Moving Abroad

You’ve done your research on your destination country, sealed a job (or at least have a solid lead) and now you ___ ready to make the move! The next step ___ one of the more tedious steps: packing. While some of the items that you’ll need in your host country will ___ available there, others may ___ difficult to find, or much more expensive to purchase abroad. Here ___ the ultimate list of everything that you need to pack for a long-term trip or international relocation:

1. Personal documentation is important when traveling overseas because it is necessary to prove your identity when traveling to different countries. Make sure you have the original and a copy of all of these important documents for each family member. When flying, always keep the originals in your carry-on in case your checked bags are lost.

2. If you are on a certain medication or used to taking over-the-counter medication, make sure you take as large a supply as possible. Finding medicine, or a doctor who can prescribe your medication while on a long trip can be more difficult than expected, and will often be more expensive than purchasing these items in your home country.

3. In a world where we are so heavily reliant on technology, some items can play a crucial role in your international relocation, especially if you’re a digital nomad. From the loss of entertainment to increased safety risks, forgetting to pack any of your tech gadgets could cause hardships, so make sure to include each of these items on your packing list.

4. While packing items like socks and underwear goes without being said, other items like flip-flops may be easier to forget but are equally important for your move (depending on the climate). Your first move should be to check the weather for each season. Know what the temperature will be and plan accordingly. There is no point in packing a tank top if you’re going somewhere with cold weather all-year.

5. While ___ of the personal hygiene items will be available in your host country, some will be harder to find than others, and ___ of these items will be ___ more affordable to purchase at a large discount store before leaving your home country than waiting to purchase in your host country.

Start packing now for your international relocation, it is always better to start early. If you don’t have what you need, you can buy it before you go. It can be overwhelming, but hopefully, with this travel packing list, you will be better prepared.

(Available in: https://www.internationalcitizens.com/moving-abroad/ultimate-packing-list.php – text specially adapted for this test).