Pre-Departure Checklist: 90 Days to Your Move

A comprehensive timeline of everything you need to handle 90, 60, and 30 days before your international relocation — from document preparation to emotional readiness.

Why 90 Days?

International relocation has a predictable failure mode: people focus on the big decisions (which country, which city, which school) and leave the operational details until the last minute. Then, in the final weeks before departure, a cascade of administrative tasks overwhelms them — apostilles that take 6 weeks, school applications that have closed, bank accounts that require documents still in transit.

This checklist is designed to prevent that cascade. It breaks the pre-departure period into three phases, each with specific deliverables and deadlines. Cross off each item as you complete it, and you will arrive at your destination ready to settle in rather than scrambling to catch up.

90 Days Before: Foundation Phase

This is the strategic phase — confirming the big pieces and initiating processes with long lead times.

Documents and Legal

• [ ] Confirm visa/residence permit approval and timeline. If your permit is still in process, confirm the expected approval date with your immigration lawyer. Build a contingency plan if it is delayed.
• [ ] Apostille critical documents. This is the single most time-sensitive item on the list. Documents that typically need apostilles include: birth certificates (all family members), marriage certificate, academic transcripts, professional licenses and degrees, criminal background check, medical records summary. Apostille processing time varies by country — Mexico typically takes 2-4 weeks, Colombia 1-3 weeks, Brazil 2-6 weeks. Start immediately.
• [ ] Obtain certified translations. Your destination country may require sworn translations of apostilled documents. In Spain, these must be done by a "traductor jurado" — a translator certified by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Some translators accept documents digitally, which can save time.
• [ ] Request medical records. Obtain complete medical histories for all family members, including vaccination records, prescriptions, and specialist reports. Request these in English or the destination language if possible.
• [ ] Power of attorney. If you own property, businesses, or have ongoing legal matters in your home country, grant a trusted person power of attorney to handle affairs in your absence. This should be notarized and apostilled.

Financial Preparation

• [ ] Notify banks and financial institutions. Inform your current banks, brokerages, and credit card companies of your upcoming relocation. Ask about their policies for non-resident account holders. Some institutions will close accounts; others will maintain them with limitations.
• [ ] Open a multi-currency account. Services like Wise, Revolut, or N26 allow you to hold and convert multiple currencies. This provides a bridge during the transition period when your destination bank account is not yet open.
• [ ] Review tax obligations. Consult with a tax advisor in both your origin and destination countries about: capital gains timing, pension transfers, ongoing reporting obligations, and the optimal timing for changing tax residency.
• [ ] International health insurance. Secure coverage that meets your destination country's visa requirements. Policies from Cigna, Allianz, or BUPA International typically satisfy European requirements. Compare policies for: geographic coverage area, repatriation coverage, pre-existing condition coverage, dental and vision inclusion.

Housing and Logistics

• [ ] Secure temporary housing for the first 1-3 months in your destination city. Short-term rentals (Airbnb, Spotahome, HousingAnywhere) provide flexibility while you learn the neighborhoods and find a long-term home. Avoid signing a long-term lease before arriving — your preferences will almost certainly change once you experience the city firsthand.
• [ ] Begin shipping arrangements for household goods. International movers need 6-8 weeks for sea freight and 2-3 weeks for air freight. Get quotes from at least three international moving companies. Key questions: door-to-door vs. port-to-port pricing, insurance coverage, customs clearance assistance, storage options at both ends.
• [ ] Research schools if you have not already enrolled children. Request transcripts from current schools and confirm what admission documents the new school requires.

60 Days Before: Execution Phase

By now, the strategic decisions are made. This phase is about execution and contingency planning.

Administrative

• [ ] Schedule farewell medical appointments. Final check-ups, dental cleanings, eye exams, and prescription refills for all family members. Obtain written prescriptions with generic drug names (not brand names) for ongoing medications.
• [ ] Arrange pet relocation if applicable. International pet transport requires: updated vaccinations (rabies must be at least 21 days before travel), microchip implantation, health certificate from a veterinarian (issued within 10 days of travel for most countries), breed-specific import permits for some destinations.
• [ ] Driver's license research. Check whether your home country's license can be directly exchanged in your destination country, or whether you will need to take a new test. Some countries (e.g., Spain) have reciprocal agreements with specific LATAM countries.
• [ ] Notify utility companies of disconnection dates. Cancel or transfer: electricity, gas, water, internet/TV, mobile phone plans, gym memberships, subscriptions.
• [ ] Forward mail. Set up mail forwarding to a trusted address in your home country. Update your address with all financial institutions, insurance companies, and government agencies.

Financial

• [ ] Execute any planned asset sales. If you are selling real estate, vehicles, or investments before departure, ensure transactions close with sufficient time for proceeds to clear.
• [ ] Prepare source of funds documentation. Gather the documents your destination bank will require: last 2-3 tax returns, employment contracts or business financial statements, property sale certificates, investment account statements. Having these ready will accelerate your bank account opening upon arrival.
• [ ] Set up international wire capability. Test an international wire transfer between your home bank and your multi-currency account. The first transfer often requires additional verification; it is better to encounter this 60 days before departure than 3 days before.

Family

• [ ] Confirm school enrollment and request the first day schedule, uniform requirements, and any pre-arrival assignments or reading lists.
• [ ] Language preparation. If your destination language is not your native language, begin intensive preparation. Daily practice on apps like Duolingo or Babel is helpful, but supplement with conversation classes for practical survival vocabulary.

30 Days Before: Final Countdown

Everything from this point should be confirmation, not initiation. If you are starting new processes at this stage, you are behind schedule.

Travel and Arrival

• [ ] Book flights. If you have not already, secure flights for all family members. Consider one-way tickets (more flexibility) vs. round-trip (often cheaper). Book extra baggage allowance if needed.
• [ ] Create a "first 48 hours" folder with printed copies of: passport and visa, temporary housing confirmation, emergency contact numbers in destination city, airport transfer arrangement, local SIM card purchase plan, first-week grocery delivery order (pre-arranged through a service like Glovo or Deliveroo).
• [ ] Prepare a carry-on document folder with originals and copies of all critical documents: passports, visas, birth certificates (apostilled), marriage certificate, medical records, school admission letters, rental agreement, bank introduction letters, power of attorney.

Home Country Wrap-Up

• [ ] Final walk-through of your home if you are selling or renting it out. Document condition with photos and video.
• [ ] Confirm shipping pickup date with your moving company. Be present during packing to ensure fragile items are properly handled.
• [ ] Close or reduce home country services to maintenance levels: car insurance (cancel or suspend), home insurance (transfer to tenant if renting out), storage unit arrangements for items not shipped.
• [ ] Emotional preparation. Schedule farewell gatherings. Allow time for children to say proper goodbyes to friends, teachers, and extended family. The emotional dimension of relocation is often underestimated — acknowledge it rather than rushing through it.

First Week After Arrival

Hit the ground running with these priorities:

1. Day 1-2: Activate local SIM card, confirm temporary housing details, basic grocery shopping
2. Day 2-3: Municipal registration (empadronamiento in Spain, junta de freguesia in Portugal)
3. Day 3-5: Tax ID application (NIE, NIF, etc.)
4. Day 5-7: Bank account appointment (bring all pre-prepared documentation)
5. Week 2: Social security registration, healthcare enrollment, school orientation

A Note on Emotional Readiness

Checklists handle logistics. They do not handle the emotional reality of leaving your country, your community, your routines, and your support network.

The research on expat adjustment is clear: there is a predictable emotional cycle. An initial "honeymoon" phase (weeks 1-8), followed by a dip in satisfaction (months 3-6) as the novelty wears off and frustrations accumulate, followed by gradual adaptation (months 6-12+). Knowing this pattern in advance helps enormously — the dip is normal, not a sign that you made the wrong choice.

Invest in building a local social network from day one. Join expat groups, attend community events, enroll in language classes, find a gym or sports club. These connections are not luxuries — they are essential infrastructure for a successful relocation.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration or financial advice. Requirements vary by country and change frequently.