--- title: "Moving abroad: the checklist for what to close at home" description: "Before you think about the destination you have to close things at home. Tax, healthcare, the bank, the post and the phone, and what each one involves." url: https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/moving-abroad-checklist markdown: https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/moving-abroad-checklist.md lang: en site: Gigapass generated: 2026-10-24 languages: es: https://getgigapass.com/blog/mudarse-a-otro-pais-checklist de: https://getgigapass.com/de/blog/ins-ausland-ziehen-formalitaten it: https://getgigapass.com/it/blog/trasferirsi-all-estero-pratiche fr: https://getgigapass.com/fr/blog/s-installer-a-l-etranger-demarches pt: https://getgigapass.com/pt/blog/mudar-se-para-outro-pais-tramites nl: https://getgigapass.com/nl/blog/naar-het-buitenland-verhuizen-formaliteiten ja: https://getgigapass.com/ja/blog/kaigai-iju-tetsuzuki ko: https://getgigapass.com/ko/blog/haeoe-iju-jeolcha zh-hans: https://getgigapass.com/zh-hans/blog/yiju-guowai-shouxu pl: https://getgigapass.com/pl/blog/przeprowadzka-za-granice-formalnosci sv: https://getgigapass.com/sv/blogg/flytta-utomlands-formaliteter no: https://getgigapass.com/no/blogg/flytte-til-utlandet-formaliteter da: https://getgigapass.com/da/blog/flytte-til-udlandet-formaliteter tr: https://getgigapass.com/tr/blog/yurt-disina-tasinmak-islemler ru: https://getgigapass.com/ru/blog/pereezd-v-druguyu-stranu-spisok zh-hant: https://getgigapass.com/zh-hant/blog/yiju-guowai-shouxu ar: https://getgigapass.com/ar/mudawana/alintiqal-ila-balad-akhar he: https://getgigapass.com/he/blog/maavar-lemedina-acheret index: https://getgigapass.com/llms/en.txt --- # Moving abroad: the list of what to close down before you go > Before you think about the destination you have to close things at home. Tax, healthcare, the bank, the post and the phone, and what each one involves. [Home](https://getgigapass.com/en) › [Blog](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog) › Moving abroad: the list of what to close down before you go Expats Before you think about the destination you have to close things at home. Tax, healthcare, the bank, the post and the phone, and what each one involves. **Tomás Berruezo** 10 Aug 2026 7 min Photo by Marlin Clark on Unsplash In this article › The paperwork at home › The bank › The phone, which matters more than it looks › The documents to get ready before you go Moving abroad always gets planned looking at the destination, and half the work is at the other end. What you do not close properly before leaving comes back as a letter, a fine or a blocked account. ## The paperwork at home - Registering with your consulate at the destination, or deregistering at home, depending on what applies. - Your tax position: if your tax residence changes, how and when that has to be declared. - Healthcare: what happens to your card and your doctor once you stop paying contributions at home. - Post: a stable contact address for whatever keeps arriving. - And the direct debits, which keep going out whether you are there or not. ## The bank Tell them your address has changed and check two things: that you can still log in without depending on a text to a number you may drop, and what happens to your account once you are no longer resident. Some products change their terms. ## The phone, which matters more than it looks Your existing number is the key to your bank, to the public administration and to half a dozen services. Cancelling it in the first month is one of the most regretted decisions on this whole list. The usual thing is to keep it on the cheapest tariff you can find while you build a life over there, and decide later without the rush. The options and what each one involves are in [keeping your existing number while you live abroad](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/keep-phone-number-living-abroad). > A phone number is not an expense: it is the key to your bank and to the public administration. ## The documents to get ready before you go 1. Academic certificates and degrees, with an apostille and a sworn translation if the destination asks for them. 2. Medical and vaccination records, and prescriptions for anything you take. 3. A criminal record certificate, which expires. 4. Vehicle papers or your licence if you are going to drive. 5. And marriage or birth certificates if you are moving with family. All of that is far quicker to get before you leave than to request from abroad. General information. Tax and employment matters depend on your own case and on the country, and the people who answer them are an adviser or the relevant authority. Know where you're going? Pick your destination, days and data. Install it before you leave and pay once. [See destinations](https://getgigapass.com/en#destinos) Tomás BerruezoPlans and small print Thirty years reading operator terms, first for work and now out of habit. If something is billed separately, he finds it. ## Frequently asked questions **What do I need to close before moving abroad?** The consular register, your tax position, healthcare, a stable postal address, the direct debits and the bank. **Should I cancel my number?** Not at first: it is the key to your bank and to the administration. The usual thing is to keep it on the cheapest tariff while you settle in over there. **What documents should I take?** Degrees with an apostille and a translation if they are needed, medical and vaccination records, a criminal record certificate, driving papers and family certificates. **Does my tax residence change automatically?** No. It depends on criteria set by law and by the applicable treaty, and it is worth checking with an adviser. ## Keep reading - [Expats](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/local-line-living-abroad) | Local line or your home-country line when you live abroad: which for what | 6 min - [Expats](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/paperwork-when-moving-to-another-country) | Paperwork on arrival: the order that saves you the runaround | 6 min - [Expats](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/keep-phone-number-living-abroad) | Keeping your existing number while you live abroad: the options and the cost | 6 min