Look no further – you have found the ULTIMATE CHECKLIST of things to do before long-term travel or moving abroad. I’ve organized it chronologically, starting between 3 and 6 months before your planned departure. And BONUS: There’s a handy printable version linked at the bottom. Yalla, let’s go!
6 – 3 MONTHS BEFORE
1. Decide where you want to go
You don’t need to plan the whole trip, just figure out the first place you want to go. It’s good to allow some flexibility in your plans so you can stay longer in places you like or travel to new places with new friends you meet.
And choose a place YOU really want to see. Don’t go somewhere just because it seems popular. And don’t NOT go somewhere just because your parents are freaking out. They’re going to freak out anyway. Go to a place that makes your heart race.
2. Know why you are doing this trip
What are you hoping to get out of this? What do you want your memories to be? Maybe you want to fall in love. Or change your career. Find a new home. Or learn a new language. Everyone has different reasons for travelling. Knowing your reasons and keeping them your focus will inspire you, guide you, and help you get through the hard times.
3. Research your destination
The fun part! I mean, I’m all for showing up someplace on the other side of the planet and figuring things out as I go, but doing some advance research can make your life 10,000 times easier. Specific things to look into:
- Cost of living – So you know how much it’s going to cost you. A Little Adrift has some fantastic guides detailing cost of living in several places around the world.
- Things to see and do – My favourite! I highly recommend Atlas Obscura, Wikitravel, and travel blogs for ideas of things to see and do.
- Food and drink – What are the local specialities?
- Common scams – Just Google “common scams + [your destination]”.
- Political issues – You might want to know ahead of time if the country is on the brink of civil war or if there are certain areas to avoid.
- Religion – Good to know so you can plan how to dress. Also because there might be some interesting festivals or events that you could observe or participate in.
- Visa requirements – Definitely find out ahead of time if you need to apply for a visa. For Canadians, the government’s Travel Advice and Advisories website has tons of info about entry/exit requirements, political situations, and health advice.
- Climate and weather – There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes. Keep an eye on the weather so you know what to wear.
4. Make a budget and start saving now
Figure out how much you want to spend each day based on your destination’s cost of living and the things you like to do. This will determine how much money you need or how long you can travel with the money you already have. Now is the time to monitor your spending and try to bank as much as you can.
If you don’t have enough money to travel for as long as you want, start brainstorming ways to make or save money while travelling. Maybe you can teach English online or become PADI certified and teach scuba diving. Consider volunteering through a program like Workaway or WWOOF, where you can get free accommodation in exchange for volunteer work.
5. Demolish debt
Debt is a reality for most people, whether student loans, car loans, mortgages, or consumer debt. If you have debt, look into the ways you can get rid of it before you go. One of my favourite blogs, Further Bound, tells the story of Hannah, who worked her way out of $25k of debt and became a world traveller. Debt can feel overwhelming but I promise, even the smallest steps make a difference.
6. Get a travel credit card
There are several reasons why I use credit cards instead of cash as much as possible while travelling. Credit cards offer a mind-boggling variety of features, so look for one that has the most travel-related benefits. My favourite is one that has no FX conversion fee. Most credit cards charge a 2.5% fee for every transaction in a foreign currency, so if you are spending, say, $50/day (which is $18,265/year) you will be paying $456 on FX fees. OUCH. So, even a credit card with an annual fee can still save you money if it has no FX fee. Good travel credit cards will also offer these free perks:
- Travel medical insurance
- Trip interruption/cancellation insurance
- Rental car insurance
- Cash back or reward points or airline miles
- Airport lounge membership and free passes
For Canadians, my favourite card by far is the Scotia Passport Visa Infinite and for Americans, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is amazing. It might take a few weeks to process your application so apply now.
7. Renew your passport (or get one)
It can take a few months to prepare and process a new passport application, so now is a good time to start. If you already have a passport, check the expiry date. Most countries require your passport to be valid for at least 6 months after the day you enter their country. If your passport is going to expire while you are travelling, or soon after, it’s best to renew it before you go.
8. Start learning a language
I love this stage! There are many places in the world where English is the primary language or widely spoken, so you can get away with not knowing many other languages. However, there are also PLENTY of countries where English is not widely understood and even if it is, you can show respect (and make your life easier) by learning a little bit of the local language.
I really enjoy using apps to learn languages. Every night before I go to sleep I spend 5-10 minutes on each of my favourite language apps, which are Duolingo, Drops, and Mondly. Another idea is to sign up for a language class in your destination country. I took a two-week Spanish program in Granada, Spain and it was fantastic – I made friends with my classmates and felt really connected to the city and the culture. And could order my coffee and croissant flawlessly.
3 – 1 MONTHS BEFORE
9. Get visas for the places you are going
Maybe you don’t know yet every country you will visit on your trip, and that’s okay – you can work it out as you go. But if you do have an idea, it’s good to check before you leave home so you know if you have to apply from your home country or in person at an embassy or if you can apply online or obtain visa on arrival at the airport. I use the government of Canada’s Travel Advice and Advisories website – see if your country has something similar.
10. Go to a travel clinic and get vaccinations
Travel clinics are great because they specialize in traveller health. They know all about which vaccines are recommended for different parts of the world and they can advise you on how to eat safely and stay healthy in other countries.
If you need vaccinations for where you are going, now is a good time to get them if you are covered by an extended health care plan. If you don’t have health insurance that covers the vaccinations, look into if it’s possible to get them at your destination – they could be cheaper there.
11. Make a vaccination passport
The first time I got a bunch of travel shots, the doctor gave me a little “vaccination passport” booklet (it’s clearly made for kids). It has the names and dates of all the vaccinations I’ve had, and even shows how long they last. This is super handy as some countries require proof of certain vaccinations before they allow you in. Make sure to scan a copy of your vaccination passport so you have a record in case it gets lost.
12. Go to the dentist
Get a routine cleaning and have them check for any work that needs to be done. If you need a filling or anything else, you have time to take care of it before you go.
13. Get a Pap test
This is for the ladies, although if you’re feeling left out, fellas, go ahead and get a prostate exam – I’m sure it’s just as fun. Doctors recommend Paps about every three years, so get one before you go and then you don’t have to think about it while you’re travelling.
14. Get your moles checked
This is particularly relevant in New Zealand and Australia where the ozone is thinner and skin cancer risk is higher. And some people just have the type of skin that requires frequent monitoring for new moles or changes in moles. Get your skin checked before you leave so you can travel with peace of mind.
15. Cancel your lease
If you rent an apartment, give your landlord at least one month notice that you will be vacating.
16. Rent out your place
If you own your home, decide what you want to do with it. Perhaps you will rent it out, perhaps you prefer to just leave it vacant, or maybe you want to sell it. These things can take time so it’s better to start dealing with it a few months in advance.
17. Book the elevator in your building
If you live in an apartment, the building manager and/or strata will usually require you to reserve the elevator for a few hours on your move-out date. Reserving it ensures your move-out will go smoothly and with minimal inconvenience to the other residents of the building.
18. Plan for your pets
Deciding what to do with pets can be one of the toughest aspects of long-term travel. If you want to take your pet with you, start researching the rules for your destination – they may require pets to have certain vaccinations and paperwork and there may be a quarantine process.
If you can’t bring your pet with you, consider asking your parents to take care of it. I know many parents who grudgingly agreed to “do their kids a favour” and keep Fido “for a while”… Only to then fall completely in love with Fido and refuse to give him back when their kids returned.
19. Make arrangements for your car
If you have a lease, either transfer it or look into early cancellation rules. If you own a car, decide if you want to sell it or try to find a place to store it. Also consider that you might want to live in it – vandwelling is the new American Dream and maybe that Westfalia you’ve been puttering around in since high school can actually be your chariot to see the world.
20. Maintain professional certifications
Some professions require you to complete continuing education or professional development hours. I used to be an accountant and to maintain my license, I need to report a minimum number of hours of professional development to the accounting institute each year. Check the annual requirements for your profession and consider if you will be able to complete them while travelling.
21. Cancel utilities and memberships
So. many. things. to cancel. Some utilities and memberships require a minimum one month notice for cancellation, otherwise they charge you for an additional month. As such, it’s a good idea to inform all these places about your imminent departure at least six weeks ahead of time. Usually they can set up your account to automatically close on a date you specify so that’s one less hassle to deal with right before you go. Things you might need to cancel:
- Electricity
- Natural gas
- Cable
- Internet
- Phone
- Gym membership
- Yoga studio membership
- Magazine or newspaper subscription
- Costco membership
- Beer-of-the-Month Club membership
There are two memberships I like to keep: Netflix and Spotify. I like to travel with Netflix because the selections are different in different countries and it’s nice to have in case you get sick and just want to curl up in bed with your favourite rom-com. And I like Spotify because I can save playlists offline and listen to music while I walk around new cities without a data connection.
22. Redeem points and rewards
Have a look through all the plastic in your wallet and on your key ring to remember which places you collect points for. Those points are no good to you while you’re travelling so why not see if you can redeem them now for cash or gift cards? If you collect points with a store, maybe you can redeem them for some of the things you need to buy before you go.
23. Book your flight
A milestone event! Once you book the flight, it’s really real! Statistically, the best time to book your flight is on Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m., six weeks before your departure (thank you to The Scenic Suitcase for that hot tip!) Before you book, clear your browser cookies as previous searches for the same flight might cause the displayed price to be jacked up (yes, the internet is mean sometimes).
I use Skyscanner and Kiwi.com to research flights. I absolutely love Skyscanner’s “everywhere” search function and I like Kiwi.com’s interface, which has a map showing the routes. I use these tools to find out which airlines fly the route I want and then I book the flight directly with the airline. If the airline has an app, download it and see if the price is cheaper on the app compared to the website – it’s happened to me before!
1 MONTH – 1 WEEK BEFORE
24. Book accommodation
No need to plan out the whole trip but it is nice to know where you are going to sleep the first few nights. I’m a hostel girl, so I use Hostelworld to read reviews and find out which hostels are the highest rated. When it comes to the actual booking, I try to do that directly through the hostel’s website. Sometimes the rate is a bit cheaper that way and sometimes you get a bonus, like a free welcome drink.
25. Make a will
And now for the morbid part of our show… If you don’t have any dependants or assets, you probably don’t need a will and can move on to #26. But if you have kids or own a home, you’d be wise to make a will. If anything happens to you, it will be much easier on your loved ones if there is a will to guide the process.
26. Update beneficiaries
Check who you’ve named as beneficiary on your investments and insurance and make sure that is still the correct person (wouldn’t want your ex-boyfriend to reap the rewards of your cliff-diving accident, now would we). If you don’t own extensive assets and don’t have specific wishes for your funeral, then this step might be sufficient rather than making a whole will.
27. Get travel insurance
If you are Canadian, you are probably accustomed to having provincial medical insurance. This is great except that provincial insurance does not cover you outside the country. As such, you need to also buy travel medical insurance to cover any emergency medical costs incurred while travelling. I recommend World Nomads – it has coverage specifically tailored for travellers and you can purchase it on a month-to-month basis, which is great when you are travelling for an indefinite period of time.
You may need to get expatriate insurance if you are going to be outside your province longer than six months. This is because most travel insurance requires you to also have provincial medical insurance, but most provincial plans require you to be in the province for at least six months of every year. Expatriate insurance is perfect for long-term travellers who don’t meet residency requirements in any one place. Options to consider are: Cigna, Allianz Global Assist, and RSA Viator.
28. Fill prescriptions and check their availability overseas
Fill as many prescriptions as you can while you still have extended benefits from work. Keep medications in the original packaging that shows what it is and that it has been prescribed to you. Some countries have very strict policies about drugs and it helps if everything you are bringing is clearly labelled. It’s also good to keep the packaging so if you run out, you can show it to a pharmacist.
If you require brand name medications, ask your doctor if those brands are available where you are going. Also, check to see if your medications actually require a prescription where you are going or if you can just ask the pharmacist for it. For example, there are almost 80 countries where you can buy birth control pills without a prescription (convenient and cheap – how refreshing!)
29. Get a vision test and stock up on contact lenses or new glasses
Don’t forget to ask the optometrist to email your glasses and contacts prescriptions so you have them on hand in case you need to buy new glasses or contacts while travelling.
30. Sell your stuff or put it in storage
Here’s a thing: you don’t have to get rid of everything you own to travel the world long-term. Yes, there are many people who DO do that, and I fully believe them when they talk about the benefits of that (extra cash, less worry, etc). But if you like your stuff and it serves you well and brings you joy, why not keep it? Even if you are travelling long-term, the cost of a storage locker is likely much less than the cost to buy all those things again when you want to settle somewhere.
31. Eat all your food
I bet you have a jar of pickles in the fridge, a bag of flour in the cupboard, and a cubic tonne of chicken fingers in the freezer. You can’t take it with you and it’s a tragic waste to throw it out, so start eating it! Use your culinary creativity and see what kind of combinations you can come up with. Bonus: you’ll save money by not needing to buy groceries.
32. Give your notice at work
An exciting day! Write a letter specifying the last day you will work and give it to HR. Depending on where you live or the specifics of your employment contract, two weeks notice might be typical, or longer. Don’t forget to thank your employer for the experience of working for them!
33. Buy a suitcase or backpack
Before you buy luggage, check the baggage specifications for various airlines you think you might be flying. This will help you decide what size bag to purchase. It will also help you figure out if you want to travel carry-on only or if you’re okay checking luggage. I have been travelling with a 50L MEC Brio backpack for 10 years and that bag has never let me down. Carry-on only doesn’t work for me because I need to pack for four seasons, so I’m okay with checking my backpack and bringing a small duffel as carry-on.
1 WEEK BEFORE
34. Update your forwarding address
Perhaps your parents are willing to accept all your mail. Otherwise, ask a friend or other family member if you can put their address as your mailing address while you’re away. Another option is virtual mailbox services that will receive your mail, and when they do, they’ll send you a photo or scan of it and can even courier the item to you if you really need it. Here’s a list of places where you should update your forwarding address:
- Bank and credit card companies (and make sure to choose the “paperless” statement option!)
- Dentist and doctor
- Motor vehicle licensing and registry
- Insurance companies
- Voter registration
- Utility companies (in case they need to send you a final bill)
- Former employer (this is the most important one, because they will mail your tax slip, which you will need to complete your tax return)
35. Notify the bank that you are travelling
This isn’t usually necessary anymore as fraud detection is more advanced, but it never hurts to check if your bank and/or credit card companies need you to submit a travel notification. The last thing you want is for them to freeze your account due to suspected fraud (that’s actually you) while you are overseas.
36. Cancel credit cards with an annual fee
If you have multiple credit cards, consider which ones are best for travelling. A good travel credit card offers travel medical insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, airport lounge access, airline miles or reward points, and no FX conversion fee. If you have other cards that you are unlikely to use, and they have an annual fee, be sure to cancel them before the next annual fee is charged.
37. Make a list of addresses
Make a list of your friends’ and family’s addresses so you can send them postcards from around the world. Better yet, jot down birthdays too so you can send a postcard just in time for their special day.
38. Record all your passwords and logins
I already do this because everything these days needs a “personal login” and I cannot keep track. Obviously this information needs to be secure so I recommend a password vault such as LastPass. It’s also smart to share access to this with your parents or someone you trust, so if there’s an emergency, they can access sites on your behalf.
39. Scan copies of ID and credit cards
Email these scans to yourself and a loved one. If you lose one of your credit cards, the scan will have all the relevant information you need (including the phone number to call) to cancel it. I also send a scan of my insurance information to a loved one in case of emergency.
40. Scan your previous year’s tax return
If you are travelling long-term, you’ll probably need to file your tax return from overseas. The process is different for every country but there are lots of online filing options. The first time I did it, I discovered I needed some information from my previous year’s tax return in order to log in. Luckily, I had that.
41. Take a photo of your passport on your phone
I have found there to be numerous times when I needed information from my passport without needing the actual passport. For example, booking flights online sometimes requires your passport number. It’s a lot easier to just look at the picture on my phone than to physically dig my passport out of whatever booby-trapped security device I’ve rigged it up in. And sometimes you can show the photo when asked for identification instead of handing over the actual passport (not at borders, but at less formal establishments).
42. Register as a Canadian Abroad
Before I leave the country, I always register with the government as a Canadian Abroad. If they know where you are, the government will send you emails about situations relevant to your travels such as natural disasters or political uprisings. They will also give instructions on what to do if a severe political situation breaks out and (god forbid) will know to look for you if a tragic disaster occurs.
43. Get some local cash
Depending on where you are going, credit cards (my preferred form of travel cash) may or may not be easy to use. A great way to get local cash is to simply withdraw it from ATMs using your bank card (debit card) in your destination. However, there is usually a pretty steep fee for overseas withdrawals, so it’s always good to arrive in a new place with some cash already on hand. You might need it to take the bus from the airport to the city.
44. Unlock your phone or buy an unlocked phone
Cell phone companies used to make phones that only worked in certain parts of the world and you had to pay a fee to have them “unlocked”. If you want to get a SIM card in your destination so you can use your phone, either contact your carrier to unlock it or simply buy an unlocked phone straight from the manufacturer.
45. Get a hair cut and colour
This might be difficult to do while you are travelling, so why not take care of it before you go? Consider a longer style as shorter cuts require more upkeep and you might not want to bother (or have the money) to deal with it on the road.
46. Stock up on makeup and toiletries
When I first started travelling, I assumed I could just buy these things anywhere. However, I quickly discovered that many of my favourite brands and shades weren’t available, even in places I assumed they would be (like London). For example, apparently spray-on deodorant is the norm in many countries, so I am borderline fanatical about packing my beloved stick deodorant and a couple of backups. Also remember that beauty standards differ around the world and you might discover that in Asia, you actually cannot find moisturizer that does NOT contain bleaching chemicals.
47. Buy travel-friendly toiletries
The airline restriction on liquids in carry-ons is a pain in the butt. So is an unexpected explosion of a shampoo bottle in your checked bag. Solution? Get solid versions. LUSH is AWESOME for this. My favourites are:
- Fun – A Play-Doh textured body wash, face wash, shampoo, and bubble bath all in one. Rather than bringing a whole bar of soap into the shower (which gets all gross and gummy), I can just pull off a little piece of Fun the size I need and stick it to the back of my hairbrush to bring into the shower.
- Shampoo bars – I find they work even better than liquid shampoo
- Solid moisturizer – The warmth of your skin melts this silky moisturizer into your skin
- Solid perfumes
48. Do a packing test run
Try packing your bag with everything you want to bring and walk around your house with it. At the very least, make sure you can stand up with the bag on. You might find you need to reassess just how necessary those wedge sandals and 18 pairs of jeans are.
49. Make a list of everything you packed
This is a good idea for insurance purposes (in case anything is lost or stolen) and it’s also a good reference for future trips. Once you’re travelling, you’ll notice pretty quickly what were the “right” things to bring and what’s going to be given away at the first opportunity. For your next trip, you can refer to the list and remember what things aren’t worth bringing next time around.
50. Download any apps you might need
Ones you might want are Google Maps, Google Translation, XE Currency Exchange, and Skype. You might also want to check if any of the airports you are flying through have any apps of their own. For example, Singapore’s Changi airport has a 2-hour limit on wifi, but if you download their app ahead of time and access the wifi through the app, it’s 24 hours.
51. Save an offline Google map of your destination
Offline Google Maps are a lifesaver. I no longer understand how I backpacked solo for years before I ever had a phone. Anyways, having a map of your destination saved offline ensures that you will have a map right from the minute you land and don’t have to deal with finding a connection to load it.
52. Tell your folks you love ’em
Our parents grew up in a different world than we now live in. For them, it wasn’t so easy to travel as far and as long, so it doesn’t seem quite so normal or even feasible to them. Plus, they’ll miss you. But you know yourself and you need to live your dreams. So tell your folks you love them, promise to write, and prepare for takeoff!
To make your life easier, here’s a handy printable version of the list: 52 Things To Do Before Long-Term Travel It’s laid out in the same chronological order, with simplified items, and some extra blank spaces in case you want to write in some of your own items.
