YOU WANT TO TRAVEL OR MOVE TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY ? WHAT YOU MUST KNOW

It is a good feeling to go abroad (out of your country) whether it is just for a simple vacation, study trip, business trip or moving to a particular foreign country to start a new life there. In all cases, there are some key preparations you need to make as explained below:

Have your passport ready:  It is very important to have passport before you can move to any other country. Passport will be used to stamp VIZA for a foreign country you are intending to go, and it is an identification of your country of origin. Different countries have different requirements for people who want to apply for their passports, there are also different time frame from when application for a passport is logged until when a passport is issued by an issuing authority. So, you better contact your country's passport issuing authority to know how long it will take before you get a passport.

Save money:  Travelling and staying abroad cost a lot of money. You should be prepared by saving enough money for medical purpose, meals, accommodation  shopping and transportation. Make also budget for permits, visas and emergency. It is good to have a picture of how much your budget items will cost before you start saving so that you don't find your savings are not enough. You can ask those who are living abroad in a specific country you want to go, the cost of living. Continue to get updates of how the cost of living changes in the country of your choice.

Know specific countries entry requirements : You need to know how much it cost to get a document that will allow you to get inside the country of your choice, and other requirements to make you be given a permit to get an entry to a specific country. The entry in a foreign country is given through the so called VISA. The VISA will specify the period for you stay in the specific country, if you want to exceed the specific duration, then you need to look for a permit to stay. Other countries require you take certain vaccination such as Yellow Fever vaccination, and you provide an evidence that you have taken the vaccination. It is therefore important to visit embassy of the foreign country you want to visit so that you can be provided with all important information. Alternatively, you can visit home affairs website of the foreign country.  You can also use Google to search for information. See this example VISA requirements for Tanzanian citizens

Know cost of living:  I have already explained this point above on saving. Only to insist that you must make sure you have emergency for any problem arising while you in a foreign country. Even if you are going for a job abroad, make sure you have enough money before you start your job there.

Learn about the economy:  To learn about the economics of the country of your choice will help you get a big picture of cost of living, employment opportunities, business opportunities  hence you can decide well whether it worth your consideration or not. 

Learn language: I can't over emphasize this point, language is the medium of communication. Before you travel to a foreign country, have an idea of local languages used in every day transactions and the official language.  You need to know at least the official language. In most countries English is the official language, however in other countries, you may find that you need french, Portuguese, or Spanish.

Learn culture of a particular country: This will help you to understand how you can cope with the diversity in the country you are intending to go. Learn dressing styles, greetings, meals, housing etc.

Stay up to date : Continue to stay up to day with news about the country of your choice. You need to continue to stay up to date with how economy is going, changes in political matters, foreign policies, and cost of living.

Visit the country: If you to intend to go and stay for working purposes or just move there to start a new life, it is advised that you visit the country of your choice first to see it for yourself, experience life there for few months before you make a final decision to move in.

Understand permits:  VISA will make your entry to a foreign country legal until the expiry of the VISA period after which if you want to stay in that particular country you will need to do have permit. There a number of permits that you may apply to allow you become a legal immigrant. Such permits include work permit, student permit, relative permits and business permits. There are those who stay in foreign countries as Asylum seekers. You need to contact the embassy of foreign country in your country to find more about those permits before you actual move in to the. new foreign country.

Create connections: Connections in foreign countries will help you learn more about living and working in those foreign countries. You may also open opportunities for you to get someone who would help you for accommodation or someone who can help you know the foreign country quickly when you visit it, because you will have a host in a foreign country.