Starting Life Overseas: First 5 Things To Do When You Arrive

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Moving to a new country can be daunting. I have done it twice, first in Guernsey then in Australia. If you are in this situation, you may find the things below handy.

1.    Familiarise yourself with the place

Whether you are staying at a hotel or a friend’s house, make sure you know where the nearest grocery shop, train station and bus stops are.

Also know how to get to work from your place and how long it will take.

2.    Visa matters

In Guernsey, you have to make sure that you have your passport stamped by the Immigration Office so they know that you have arrived. This may not be applicable for all countries but it helps to check if you need to.

3.    Buy a sim card or a mobile phone

Ask around your friends, potential employer or strangers even what the best network is before you get your sim or phone.

My main consideration of selecting a network when I first arrived in Australia is that the credits can be used to call overseas as some networks charge you additional for overseas texts and calls.

Some networks also allow free calls within the same network so try to use the same network as your friends’.

Also, don’t forget to bring your passport for identification.

4.    Open a bank account

You’ll also need your passport to open a bank account. Ask around as well for the banks that are worth sticking to.

5.    Get a tax number

In Guernsey, you would need to go to the tax office to fill-out an application form. You can walk anywhere in Guernsey so this should not be a problem. You can apply for your Tax File Number (TFN) in Australia online.

One thing that I needed to do when I first arrived in Guernsey was to get a proper coat. I brought jackets with me from the Philippines but that wasn’t good enough for the winter. So make sure you come prepared anywhere you go. Just don’t overdo it.

Please place in the comments below anything that you would like to add based on your experience .

Now be the best that you can be,

Xiela Marie Dacyon