What You’ll Need When Moving Abroad From The UK

Moving abroad is an exciting prospect, but there are several things to do before jetting off. 

Who do you need to inform about your move? Do you still need to pay taxes abroad? Where will your belongings go? 

Read on to find out the answers to those critical, nagging questions and formulate a sturdy plan of action for moving abroad from the UK.

Moving Abroad from the UK

As you can imagine, each country has its particular way of doing things. 

We’re approaching this checklist assuming that you are a resident of the United Kingdom and that this is where you will be departing. 

See below for the answers to frequently asked questions regarding moving abroad from the UK.

Do I Need A Visa?

You won’t get very far into an extended stay without a visa; you’ll require a visa to legally enter and live in a foreign country. 

Visas fall into four categories: tourist, student, work and immigration. First, visit your destination country’s immigration website to find out their policies and ensure you’re eligible.

Don’t forget that a valid passport is essential to apply for a visa. Passports must be valid for at least six months beyond the date of travel in some countries, so check this as early as possible. If in doubt – renew in advance!

Remember that although British citizens didn’t need a visa to live in the EU before January 1, 2021, they must obtain one now.

Should You Carry Out an HMRC Change of Address?

You must inform HMRC of a change of address, especially if you:

  • You plan to leave the UK permanently
  • You work abroad for at least an entire tax year (from 6 April to 5 April the following year)

Visit the UK Government website for official guidance on changing your address with HMRC.

How to Cancel Council Tax when Moving Abroad?

To cancel your Council Tax when moving abroad, contact your local council to notify them that you will be leaving your address. 

You can complete this process by phone, email, or online/paper form. Each local council is different, so check in with your local authorities. 

Before contacting anyone, we suggest having the following details at the ready:

  • Your current address
  • The names of the people who’ll be leaving the property
  • The date you left (or will be leaving)
  • The address of your new property
  • The reference number for your council tax account
  • The name of your landlord if you are renting

What to Pack when Moving Abroad?

Now is the time to sort through what to bring with you and what to leave behind. 

We suggest bringing:

  • Essential documents, e.g. passport, visa, birth certificate, driver’s licence
  • Medicines and medical aids
  • Clothing suited to the climate of your new destination
  • Electronics, chargers and plug adapters
  • Basic toiletries – the rest can be purchased at your new location.
  • Sentimental items that remind you of home

Consider renting storage space or transporting your items abroad for large quantities of remaining possessions or oversized items such as furniture.

How to Move Your Belongings Abroad

Moving abroad poses the challenge of what to do with the more significant, heavier belongings that you have in your possession.

Luckily, this is our area of expertise. There are two main ways to approach this matter: store or transport them.

Long Term Storage

If you’re moving abroad long-term for a job or education, you may return home in the future. In this case, choosing a storage container is the perfect solution to hold your items while abroad. 

Our 10ft storage containers are ideal for storing boxes of belongings, furniture and items such as bikes. You can store twice as many items in 20ft storage containers.

Commonly used for house move storage, these containers can hold the contents of most 3-bedroom homes.

All our facilities are ventilated and watertight to prevent any moisture and damage. You can also be sure your belongings are safe while you’re away since our containers have access control and CCTV surveillance.

For further information, check out the complete details of our long-term furniture storage.

Move Belongings Abroad

There are two main ways to transport your belongings overseas, including:

  • Air Freight: Send your items by plane. While it is the fastest transport, it is expensive and has significant environmental impacts.
  • Sea Freight: Ferry your belongings to your new destination by ship. This process takes longer but is considerably cheaper.

Shipping your belongings is the most sensible choice for moving abroad from the UK.  Similar to the long-term storage method, your items are stowed in a shipping container and safely transported to your new destination. 

Hopefully, you now have a clearer understanding of the steps you need to take before moving abroad. 

Do you still have questions about storage solutions? Then, visit the Container Self Store website for advice, guidance, and information on what you can store. 

Bespoke solutions are also available if you need more space beyond what we advertise – just contact us for more details!

Scroll to Top