Moving abroad checklist for UK movers

Written by the Removalss team · Last reviewed:

Everything to sort out around a move from the UK to France, Italy, Spain or Portugal, in the order you will meet it. Adapt it to your destination: each country guide lists the residence documents, and the customs guide explains the paperwork for your belongings.

Well before the move: the big decisions

Settle these first. Your visa and residence route decide almost everything else, including when the removal can happen and whether your belongings qualify for customs relief. Healthcare and schooling follow from where and how you will live.

  • Confirm destination and rough timing

    A rough idea of when you want to leave is enough to start a quote. Exact dates can follow once the property sale and visa are settled.

  • Sort out your visa, residence and right to work

    UK nationals are treated as non-EU citizens in France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, so most people need a visa before they go and a residence permit after they arrive. The customs relief on your belongings depends on these documents, so start here. The country guides list the documents for each destination.

  • Research healthcare at the destination

    Each country has its own healthcare registration. It usually follows from residence, but the office and the order differ in each, and in Portugal you need a tax number (NIF) first. Check the GOV.UK "Living in" guide for your destination for current healthcare rules.

  • School / university research if relocating with children

    International schools often admit well ahead of the UK cycle and popular ones have waiting lists. Research them alongside the property search.

In the run-up: admin and booking

Once the destination and residence route are clear, book the removal and work through the UK admin: tax, banking, utilities, driving and pensions. Most of these need notice, so start them alongside the removal booking rather than after it.

  • Book the removal

    Send both addresses, a rough list of what is moving and any dates you know. The quote comes back in writing, itemised, for the whole job.

  • Open destination bank account if possible

    Some banks open accounts for non-residents, others need proof of local residence first. Start early so an account is ready when you arrive, and tell your UK bank you are moving abroad.

  • Notify HMRC of leaving the UK

    Form P85 tells HMRC you are leaving the UK. It affects your UK tax position, so fill it in carefully. See GOV.UK: Income Tax when leaving the UK (form P85).

  • Cancel UK utilities and services on the move-out date

    Energy, broadband, water and council tax. Give notice in good time; some need a final meter reading.

  • Plan for pets

    Pets travelling to the EU need a microchip, a rabies vaccination and an animal health certificate from an official vet, issued close to travel. Pets travel with you or with a specialist pet carrier, not on the removal vehicle. See GOV.UK: taking your pet abroad.

  • Sort out your driving licence and car

    Check whether your UK licence must be exchanged for a local one, and tell the DVLA your new address. A car you are taking needs its own import process, separate from the removal.

  • Check pensions, benefits and the State Pension

    Tell the Pension Service and any private pension providers about the move. GOV.UK explains claiming the State Pension from abroad.

  • Set up mail forwarding

    Royal Mail can redirect UK post to your new address while banks, subscriptions and contracts catch up.

  • Inventory high-value items

    Art, watches, instruments, jewellery, vintage furniture. The inventory at the move informs the customs paperwork (for international) and the goods-in-transit cover.

In the final stretch before collection

Confirm the details of moving day with us, and separate what travels with you from what goes on the vehicle. Documents, medication and anything you need on the first night should never be packed into the load.

  • Confirm loading and delivery windows

    We confirm the collection and delivery slots in writing before moving day. This is when access details such as parking permits, lift bookings and gate codes are agreed.

  • Pack a personal-essentials suitcase

    What you need for the first night at the destination, plus the documents you carry rather than ship: passports, residency documents, financial paperwork, prescription medication.

  • Photograph valuable contents pre-loading

    A few phone photos of each room and of valuable items, taken before packing, are worth having if you ever need to make a claim.

  • Pack the kettle box last

    It comes off the lorry first at the destination. Mention it to the crew on loading day; they'll keep it accessible.

After you arrive

Arrival admin starts with registering at the new address, because healthcare, banking and the final customs steps depend on it. Then work through utilities, tax advice and the subscriptions you still pay in the UK.

  • Register your residency at the destination

    Register at the local town hall and complete any residence-permit steps. Most countries set a deadline for registering, so do it early.

  • Set up local utilities, broadband, mobile

    Worth doing before the temporary contract on your phone runs out and you're paying roaming charges.

  • Healthcare registration

    Follow your destination's process, as set out in the first section of this checklist. Register early so you have cover before you need it.

  • Get tax advice in your new country

    Tax residence is separate from customs. A tax adviser who works in your destination can tell you which rules apply. Some regimes still described online have closed, such as Portugal's NHR, which closed to new applicants in 2024.

  • Update subscriptions and contracts

    Streaming services, gym memberships, insurance and professional bodies. Redirected post will show you what you have missed.

Official sources for this checklist

Rules change. Check the official source before acting; this checklist is general information, not legal or tax advice.

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