If you’re heading out through that front door with a laptop under one arm and a plan to live and work abroad for the next few years, then you’re probably filled with a mixture of excitement and of trepidation.
Will you be able to afford the travel? Will you miss home too much? What happens if you lose your laptop? What happens if you get ill? Were all the plugs turned off?
And that’s before you think about all of the documents you need before you set off too! This list will help you ensure that you at least have all the necessary paperwork in order…
Confirmations
You’ll probably have booked at least a few things before you set off on your travels. That will likely include some hotels and maybe a flight or two. You may even have booked trips around certain landmarks etc.
Make sure that you have all the required paperwork before you set off so that you can confidently present it when you get to the counter. This will save you a lot of stress!
Oh and consider getting apps for things like plane tickets – they can make your life much simpler! Another tip is to back these documents up on the cloud.
Passport
If you’re going abroad then you of course need your passport. This is a straight forward enough requirement but do check that it has at least 6 months longer on it than you intend to travel. If your passport expires in 3 months, then some places won’t let you travel. And seeing as you could be gone for two years or longer in some cases, this is something you definitely need to check!
Oh and another good tip is to have a copy of your passport so you have proof of ID if it gets stolen!
ID
While not a requirement always, it’s a good idea to have a secondary form of ID. This is useful in case you lose your passport again but also so that you can prove who you are without having to flash your passport around!
Visas
This is very important – some countries won’t let you enter without a visa, or won’t let you work/stay over a certain time. You need to research this before you go and apply early to avoid disappointment.
Insurance
Have travel insurance and health insurance that will protect you abroad and then make sure that you have copies of the associated documents with you.
