The Documents You'll Need

When you move to anyplace abroad--whether for one year or many--you will essentially be moving your whole life history. The sooner you start gathering this information, the better. If you know anything about "red tape," then you know how long getting documents can take. And you may need different documents for each member of your family, including your pets. You probably already have some on yourself or can locate them easily, such as your passport or driver's license. Others, such as college transcripts or copies of marriage certificates, can take months to apply for and receive.

Each type of document requires different forms of identification to receive, and many require small filing fees. Be sure to contact the official organizations directly when applying for certain documents. Here is a "working" list of documents you need to move to the European Union countries. It is not a definitive list and you should not assume from this article that these are the only ones you need. Before you actually move, contact the official embassy of the country you are planning to emigrate to and get the most up-to-date information on what is required.

A very important tip: once you do get copies of all your documents for yourself, make additional back-up copies of each document (except for very personal papers) and leave them with a family member or friend who is staying behind in the USA or your country of origin. In case you lose something, you can contact that individual to send another copy to you.

In general, here's what you must bring with you when moving abroad:

Passport and Visa--needed for entry into the European Union (EU) nations from any country outside the EU, such as the USA, Canada, Israel, etc.

Pet Passport--information about your pet's health and vaccination records; need one for every pet to enter Malta or the EU; obtain from your veterinarian.

Driver's License--needed to buy, rent or drive a car in Europe.

Passport Photos--need many, perhaps 20 for different things in addition to the ones in your passport-for applying for jobs, school, EU Identification card.

Birth Certificate--get a copy for each family member moving; keep original(s) in safe place. Needed for ID, receiving certain benefits, proof of citizenship and place of birth.

Marriage Certificate--serves as ID, also needed for certain benefits

Divorce Certificate--needed for certain benefits or for getting remarried.

Health Insurance Card--needed for claims before you buy or receive health insurance from Malta or other EU nations. (Never cut out your current health insurance until you are absolutely covered by the insurance of your new country.)

Medical Records--(including list of current medicines, allergies, recent surgeries and conditions)-needed to apply for health insurance and for the doctors who will treat you abroad.

Medical Prescriptions-- for each of your medications, bring a prescription with at least a three-months refill on it in case you don't find a doctor right away.

Emergency Phone Numbers--needed in case of your serious illness or death.

Life Insurance Policy(s)--needed in case of accident or death

Living Will--details your medical preferences during serious or terminal illness.

Health Care Proxy--names who will make medical decisions for you serious or terminal illness.

Will and Trusts--designates who gets your property in the event of your death. These and any documents dealing with your health, medical decisions or death should be drawn up before you leave the USA or country of origin.

List of Assets--needed for your own financial knowledge and use and for that of your beneficiaries.

Letter from Your Bank--an official letter of introduction/reference from your current bank needed to start an account in Malta or other EU countries.  It can take a long time to verify the information, so have another way to pay for things until the verification comes through.

Tax Documents--in lieu of or in addition to a letter from your accountant, these are required to prove income or assets for residency.

College/University Transcripts--need several from each school attended to apply for jobs or additional education in EU nations.

Resume--needed to apply for jobs in EU countries although you'll probably have to alter your resume to conform to European standards.

Now, have I forgotten anything?