Zambia is an endowed country with lots of natural wonders to see and also a well land-linked country in the SADC region leading you to other 8 countries in the region with ease of doing business. People in Zambia are warm hearted by DNA and strive to ensure you enjoy your stay.
Living outside your home country for any period of time should be a required part of adulting. Experiencing a foreign country like a local builds character, opens up the mind, improves critical thinking and offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences in a way that just isn’t possible within your native borders.
Moving abroad is not an easy thing to do, but it is something that everyone should try and do at least once. If you’re ready to make the jump, make sure you’ve got a game plan in place to increase your chances of success and reduce your chances of headache.
Here are 14 tips on how to prepare for an international move BEFORE you leave your home country.
14 things you should do BEFORE you move abroad
These 14 tips are things anyone should do before moving to any country in the world. In case you are interested in moving to Zambia, simply contact our Secretariat at APIC Zambia or any one of our registered consultants.
#1 Prepare your identity documents
Make sure all your identify documents are in order BEFORE you leave your home country.
Any country you go to is going to require that you have:
- A passport, expiration date at least 6 months out
- An apostilled original of your birth certificate, not older than 6 months
- An apostilled original of your marriage certificate, not older than 6 months (if married and moving with your spouse)
- It also doesn’t hurt to have a copy of your college or high school transcript, as this will be required for residency permit application.
- A driver’s license if you plan to drive, expiration date at least 6 months out
- Covid-19 vaccination certificate
- Return Air-ticket, or proof of having sufficient funds in bank account to guarantee ability to return to home country
#2 Research customs fees
Research the customs procedure for importing personal belongings, furniture, vehicles, etc. to Zambia.
This can be done by checking with our registered consultants you are working with or via the ZRA website.
When preparing your stuff to send overseas, make a list with their approximate value. This will be required for customs processing. It is much easier to do it when packing than under the watchful eyes of the customs agent. I’ve been there and it’s not awesome.
#3 Don’t take everything with you
Ultimately, there is no guarantee that you’ll be able to stay forever in a foreign country of your choosing until after you’ve been granted permanent residency or citizenship. Typically, a person cannot even apply for permanent residency until at least 3 years, but usually the investment in time is more lengthy.
In Zambia, you are able to rent apartments that are completely furnished, so you won’t need to buy furniture, dishes or appliances from the start.
#4 Make a plan for getting a tourist visa
Find out if you require a visa to enter the country as a tourist. It’s pretty easy to find out this information.
Just type into Google “Do I need a visa to enter [COUNTRY]?” and you’ll most likely find the government web site that will give you the right information. Only trust the government of the country for this information, as it will always be the latest.
Due to COVID-19, there are now added restrictions for people entering foreign countries. Make sure you know whether you can enter based on your nationality and if you’re required to present a negative PCR test or quarantine on arrival.
Follow us on Facebook, to stay up -t0-date on the latest restrictions on entering Zambia.
#5 Make a plan for getting a residence permit or long-stay visa
After sorting out a tourist visa, next you need to find out what it will take for you to get a residence permit or extended stay visa.
Skipping this step is the biggest mistake people can make. Unfortunately many people think they can just show up in a country and live there, and that is simply not the case.
Know exactly what your options for residency are BEFORE getting on a plane. Some countries will let foreigners get a short term permit for 6 months, 1 year or 2 years but after that, you must leave. If you’re going to the trouble of moving your entire life, then make sure you take the future into consideration.
#6 Figure out what you will do for work
If your plan is to get a job in the new country, find out what your chances are first. If you don’t speak the native language of the new country, finding a job will be an uphill battle. Zambia has English as the official language. Local languages to help you get by include Nyanja, Bemba in the bigger cities of the Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, Livingstone, Chipata, Choma and Solwezi.
Check out more guidelines from the registered consultants working with you.
#7 Make virtual friends
Most countries have Facebook group communities where foreigners living in those countries gather together to share information.
They serve as a valuable forum to ask questions of people with first-hand knowledge. They can be extremely helpful and brutally honest about the realities.
On top of that, they are a great place to meet people once you do land in the country.
View the list of all expat Facebook groups in Zambia below among many others:-
#8 Inform yourself on the tax system
First, find out if the new country has a double taxation treaty with your home country. If one in is in place, that usually means that you’ll only have to pay income tax in your country of residence.
That being said, make sure you get into the weeds of this to fully understand your reporting requirements in both your native country and your country of residence. If you don’t, you risk piling up tax liabilities without knowing it.
You can read about Zambia’s tax system here.
#9 Determine the cost of living
Whenever you make any long distance move, there is a good chance the cost of living will change.
Research the cost of living for your new country including the basic necessities like clothes, utilities, food, coffee and beer. The cost of beer and coffee can be vary telling about a culture’s priorities.
Also, get a good understanding on the cost to rent an apartment. Monthly rent can vary wildly depending on the location, amenities, size and whether or not it has been renovated recently.
Just because the cost of living is low in a country, doesn’t mean all places to live will be cheap. Compare your needs, deal breakers and nice-to-haves with what is actually available to rent.
#10 Research public transit
Most cities and countries have some form of public transit. If you’re not a walker or have a disability, make sure that any apartment you consider has reliable public transportation close by.
You may want to be near public transportation anyways if you’re planning to live outside the city center. There will inevitably be days when it’s snowing, raining or you’re just running late.
Zambia has a developing public transport system which includes public buses, public mini – buses, public taxis and now recently introduced Uber like system dubbed Ulendo and MyRide. This means one can simply download the applications onto their smartphones via the App store or Google store to get started.
#11 Get health insurance
Whenever traveling internationally, make sure you have healthcare coverage in case something happens while abroad.
If you’re planning to move abroad, get a travel insurance policy until you are legally settled in the foreign country. After you get residence, you will likely have the option to sign up for the state health fund.
#12 Review your bank fees
Review all of the bank accounts you have in your home country to see if they charge foreign transaction fees. This is especially important if you’re planning on using these bank accounts predominantly while overseas.
Some credit cards (like American Express) charge both a percentage and a flat fee to every purchase made in a foreign country. Some banks will charge a fee when you withdraw cash at a foreign ATM in addition to the fee the local bank charges for the withdrawal.
If you find that they do, it may be worth exploring new banks.
It might also be worth exploring banking options in Zambia as their fees may be lower than what the bank in your home country is charging.
If you are interested in opening a bank account in Zambia, check out our bank comparison including fees and services here.
#13 Find your embassy
Make sure you know where your closest embassy or consulate is in the foreign country and how far it is from where you plan to live.
If you lose your passport, if you want to vote, if you need to register a new born child or if you just need help, having an embassy or consulate nearby will be invaluable.
Many governments offer a way for their citizens abroad to register. This gives you access to international updates from your government and also just let them know where you are in case of an emergency.
Here is a list of foreign embassies and consulates located within Zambia.
#14 Most importantly, prepare for things to go wrong
Anytime you move to a foreign country, things are going to go wrong. You will be confused. You will make mistakes. You will misunderstand things. And that is all OKAY.
There is no amount of research that you can do to prevent this. Research will help your international move go more smoothly and it will help mitigate serious disasters, but it won’t guarantee a seamless overseas transition.
A seamless overseas transition does not exist. Just about everything in your new country will be different from what you are used to in your home country.
Before you uproot and move internationally, make sure that you mentally and emotionally prepare for the inevitable challenges. You need to have patience, understanding and strength to overcome them.
In conclusion
Moving abroad is not for everyone, but everyone should do it anyways. For me, living abroad has been the best experience of my life and has made me a better version of myself.
I’ve lived abroad so long now, I no longer consider myself as “living abroad”. Croatia is now my home and America, where I was born and raised, is now the foreign country.
I’m definitely a big believer in crossing borders and living among those completely different than you. In that vein, I’ll help guide anyone who wants to take the leap and move abroad. With the above tips in your arsenal, I have no doubt that your international move will be a success.
If you are interested in moving to Zambia, we have consultants who are ready to give you the best of advise regards immigration, healthcare, operating a business, and daily life. We also offer personalized guidance and advice. To get help with your situation, contact us.
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