When Do You Actually Start?
One of the first questions we get from families planning an international move is “how far in advance do we need to start?” And the honest answer is: farther than you probably want to hear.
If you search around online for moving abroad timelines, you’ll find everything from “3 months is fine” to “start 2 years out.” The reality is somewhere in the middle for most families, but we’ve found that 12 months is the sweet spot. It gives you enough time to handle visa applications, school enrollment, document preparation, and the emotional transition without feeling like you’re in a constant state of panic.
Can you do it in less time? Sure. People do compressed moves in 3 to 6 months all the time. But they also tend to be a lot more stressful and expensive because you end up paying rush fees, missing deadlines, and making decisions under pressure that you’d handle differently with more breathing room.
Here’s a realistic month-by-month overview of what an international family relocation looks like. This isn’t meant to be exhaustive (our full 12-Month Countdown Planner has 100+ action items broken down by category), but it’ll give you a solid framework to work from.
Months 12 to 10: Research and Decide
This is the dreaming-turns-into-doing phase. Most families spend weeks or months casually researching before they commit, and thats fine. But once you’re serious, these early months are about narrowing your choices and building your foundation.
In month 12, you should be deep in country research. Cost of living comparisons, visa options, safety data, climate, lifestyle, and most importantly, whether the place is actually doable for your specific family situation. Join Facebook groups for expats in your target countries. Search for “Americans in [city name]” and start reading what people actually say about daily life there. The tourist version of a country and the living-there version are very different things.
By month 11 you want to narrow down to your destination (or at least your top two). Start learning the language if it’s not English-speaking. Even basic conversational ability makes a massive difference in how quickly your whole family adjusts.
Month 10 is when the legal stuff kicks in. Contact the consulate or embassy of your destination country to confirm current visa requirements. Start gathering documents you’ll need like birth certificates, marriage certificates, and criminal background checks. Most of these need to be apostilled, which is basically an international notarization, and that process can take 2 to 8 weeks depending on your state. The FBI background check alone takes 8 to 12 weeks, so submit that request now.
Months 9 to 7: Applications and Commitments
This is where things get real. You’re submitting applications, making deposits, and committing to actual plans.
Month 9 is application month. Submit your visa application as soon as you have all the required documents. Processing times vary from 2 weeks to 6 months, so the sooner the better. At the same time, apply to schools for your kids. International schools often have waitlists, and you’ll need to submit translated transcripts, vaccination records, and passport copies.
If you haven’t already, open a Wise account for international money transfers. Set up a Charles Schwab checking account (no international ATM fees). Look into credit cards with no foreign transaction fees. The financial infrastructure you set up now will save you hundreds or thousands of dollars over the course of your time abroad.
Month 8 is about locking in housing and school. We always recommend booking temporary housing for the first 1 to 3 months rather than committing to a long-term lease sight unseen. Airbnb, serviced apartments, or short-term furnished rentals give you the flexibility to explore neighborhoods in person before making a big commitment. Confirm your children’s school enrollment and ask about orientation dates, uniform requirements, and supply lists.
Month 7 is the financial deep dive. Meet with a cross-border tax advisor to sort out your strategy. Do you elect the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion or Foreign Tax Credits? What about state taxes? Retirement accounts? This stuff is complicated and getting it wrong can cost you a lot. Also review all your insurance policies. Cancel, convert, or replace your US health, auto, and home insurance as needed.
Months 6 to 4: The Doing Phase
You’ve planned. Now you’re doing.
Month 6 is logistics city. Book your flights (one way or flexible). Hire movers or finalize your shipping plan for household goods. Sea freight takes 4 to 8 weeks, so the math on timing matters. Start canceling subscriptions and memberships you won’t use abroad. Notify your bank and credit card companies about your move.
Month 5 is all about your kids. This is when you want to have real, age-appropriate conversations about the move if you haven’t already. For young kids, that might mean reading books about moving or watching videos about your new city. For teenagers, it means being honest about the reasons and giving them real information and some autonomy in the process. Request school transcripts and records now since they may need to be apostilled or translated. Get everyone’s medical appointments scheduled: wellness checks, dental, eye exams, vaccinations.
Month 4 is the paperwork blitz. Check your visa status. Renew passports if anyone’s expires within 12 months of your move date (processing takes 6 to 8 weeks). Compile your “moving binder” with every critical document in one place. Set up a power of attorney for any US affairs that need managing while you’re gone.
Months 3 to 1: The Final Countdown
Three months out, the pace picks up considerably. Confirm all your housing arrangements. Verify school start dates. If you have pets, this is when the USDA health certificate process begins, your pet needs an exam from a USDA-accredited vet within 10 days of travel, and the paperwork needs to be submitted through the VEHCS system for endorsement. (Our Moving Abroad with Pets guide walks through this entire process step by step.)
Set up your international phone plan or research local SIM card options. Google Fi and T-Mobile both have decent international options, but buying a local SIM on arrival is usually cheaper for long-term use.
Month 2 is the home stretch. Finish selling or donating everything you’re not bringing. Deep clean your home. Finalize all shipping. Update your address with the IRS, Social Security, banks, and anywhere else that matters. Print hard copies of every important document. Don’t rely solely on digital versions.
Month 1. You made it. Final walkthrough of your home. Last minute errands (haircuts, car sale, pharmacy runs). Final goodbye gatherings. Pack your carry-on bags with all original documents, medications, chargers, comfort items for the kids, and snacks. Arrive at the airport 3 hours early for international flights. Breathe.
What If You Don’t Have 12 Months?
Not everyone has the luxury of a full year. Maybe your job transfer came through on short notice. Maybe a lease is ending. Maybe you just decided last month and you’re ready to go.
If you have 6 months, collapse the first three months of planning into the first one. Research, decide, and start visa paperwork simultaneously. Prioritize the stuff with the longest lead times: visas, school enrollment, and pet paperwork if applicable.
If you have 3 months, you need to be laser focused. Visa, housing, and school are your top three priorities. Delegate logistics to someone else if you can. Accept that some things won’t be perfect and that’s okay. You can sort out a lot of stuff after you arrive.
If you’ve already moved and feel like you missed things, start from the most recent month in the timeline and work backward. It’s never to late to catch up on stuff like tax planning, updating documents, or finding local healthcare providers.
The Biggest Mistake Families Make
It’s not forgetting a document or missing a deadline. The biggest mistake is trying to hold it all in your head.
An international family move has literally hundreds of moving parts across legal, financial, logistical, educational, medical, and emotional dimensions. Nobody can keep all of that organized mentally. You need a system.
Whether it’s a spreadsheet, a project management app, or a printed planner, put every task somewhere you can see it, check it off, and track deadlines. Our 12-Month Countdown Planner was built exactly for this. It breaks down over 100 action items across 12 months with space for notes, target dates, and key contacts. It’s the planner we wish we’d had when we made our move.
Whatever system you choose, the point is the same: get it out of your head and onto paper. Your future self will thank you.