Relocating to a new country is not an easy task and if you are moving with your family there will be many aspects to take care of. However there’s a lot you can do to help make your international move as stress-free as possible. Here are a few tips for a smooth international relocation. Investigate If you’ve got young children investigate schools, play groups and access to other activities that are important for a family as early as possible. Use online expat forums and communities as you'll get a good flavour of life in your new country and honest advice. It’s also a good way of making friends before you move. Try before you buy Rent a place before you buy because it will give you experience of the area and will help you to establish if it works well for your family. It’s better to try it first because if you rush in to purchasing a home, you could be unhappily stick with a decision you made without knowing all the facts. Make sure your visas and residence permits are in order You'll probably need to arrange for visas, work permits and residence permits. Without these, you won't be able to open a bank account, register your children for school, etc. Visa and permit requirements and processing vary with every country. Document requirements may take some time to fill, especially if you need to present original documents with your application. Be sure to understand what you'll need to provide, and how long the processing will take. Prepare well in advance for moving your pets When your start arranging your own visa and permits, you should be starting on the paperwork and any vaccinations required for your pets in your new country. If you're required to place your pet into quarantine, be sure to know your options, investigate the quarantine options, and try to talk to people who've brought their pets into the country. If you're moving overseas, you may want to consider a professional pet transport company to smooth the path for the furry members of your family.