How to Move Abroad (Based on Personal Experience)

In 2018, I moved from the United States to Germany. In this article, I’ll share my advice on how to move to another country. In reality, there are many tasks to handle, but we’ll keep it at a high level. Depending on your situation, some may not be valid, this aims to be a guideline that you can adjust to your needs.

If you’re moving to a country other than Germany, there may be different regulations, but hopefully, it will give you some insights.

Step 0: Figure Out Which Countries Meet Your Criteria

I didn’t do this because I found the job first, and then asked myself if I wanted to live abroad for a while.

Step 1: Get a Job Offer

In reality, Germany offers a “job searcher” visa, which allows unemployed professionals to temporarily move into the country. But generally, I would recommend against this; for multiple reasons. Mainly, the first company you work for should also act as a support system, in my opinion, at a minimum, they should:

• Handle the paperwork for the visa.
• Arrange temporary accommodation.
• Pay for the visa, flights, temporary accommodation, and related expenses.