6 Questions to Ask if You’re Considering Moving Abroad as a Family
Moving home as a family will always be a massive life decision. Even if you’re only moving twenty minutes away from where you currently live, it takes a lot a long time to decide if the choice is right for you. So, of course, it’s an even bigger decision if you’re thinking about moving abroad as a family.
Regardless of your motive for moving, you need to ensure that moving home to a different country is right for your family. With that in mind, here are some important questions to ask yourself when deciding whether to move abroad.
6 Questions to Ask if You’re Considering Moving Abroad as a Family
How old are your kids?
Moving home can be stressful for your kids, even when you move elsewhere in the UK. It might mean they have to switch schools and say goodbye to all their friends, putting them in a situation where they’re the new kid in a new school. This can be so tough for them as they may feel shy and start to miss their old life in their old school.
All of this is made much worse when you move to a different country. It can be even harder for children to adapt to this new way of life and their new school, and having to learn a new language. Everyone they’ve known is now many miles away back in the UK, and it can be tough for them to cope.
This is why I think it’s important to ask yourself: how old are my kids, and how much will it affect them? If you have children that are very young – below school age – then a move won’t be too hard on them. They’ve not really started life in school, and they’re young enough to move without being aware of everything they’re leaving behind. Primary school-age children are also quite likely to find it reasonably easy to adapt to life in their new home as well. This is purely because they’re young, and young kids seem to be able to adjust to new surroundings easily and make friends with anyone.
The process may require you to follow a detailed documentation process. In such aspects, having an immigration lawyer by your side can assist you in many ways. If you don’t have any idea where to start with that, you can read more about immigration and find out the fastest way to sort out immigration and other relevant matters.
It’s kids in secondary school who are more of a concern. That’s such an important time during a child’s development, and they may have friends that they’ve grown to know for ten years. Taking that away from them can crush them during a time when they’re preparing to mature and get ready for life after school. Plus, older children – like 16 to 18-year-olds – have important school exams to think about. The last thing you want to do is move home to a different country and put all their hard work in jeopardy.
So, think about the age of your children and whether or not they’ll be able to handle such a big change in lifestyle.
Can you afford it?
Obviously, this is a pretty big question to ask before you even consider moving abroad. Can you afford to live in the country you’ve chosen to move to? It may have felt like a good idea to move there, but what if the cost of living is so much more than it is over here? What if it costs double or triple what you’d pay for a house in the UK?
To figure out the answer to this question, you need to do plenty of research. First, take a look at the housing market to see how much you’ll pay for the home your family requires. Find an easy-to-use mortgage calculator to figure out the size of the mortgage you’ll need and how much you’d have to pay every month.
It can be worthwhile calculating what mortgage you can get if you stay in your home country, too. If you can’t decide whether to move abroad or not, then working out what you can afford in the areas you would like allows you to see what’s available for your budget, and you might find you can get much more for your money in a particular place.
Then, you obviously need to think about your own money; do you have enough income every month to cover these payments, along with all the other things like bills and things you might need, such as travel costs and moving all of your belongings abroad or buying new furniture. That brings up another thing you have to research: how much does it cost the average person to live in this country, and will you be able to afford it?
Will you struggle with the language barrier?
This is another important question, as many countries throughout the world don’t speak the same language as us. Of course, if you move to places like the USA, Australia, or New Zealand, then they do speak English. People in other countries also speak a lot of English as well, but it won’t be their first language.
Basically, ask yourself if you’re ready for life in a country where you will struggle to talk to other people on a daily basis. Are you ready to learn a whole new language? What about your kids, too? How are they going to cope? It seems like such an insignificant thing, but not being able to cope with a language barrier is what causes many families to give up on their life abroad and come home.
Obviously, if you move to an English-speaking country or you already speak the language, then there will be no issues.
Can you cope without your extended family nearby?
For a lot of us, we live quite close to the place we called home as a child. We often have some of our family nearby and can see each other regularly, and have nice family gatherings that keep us close. When you move abroad, you are likely to see your family and friends much less, and that is too hard for some people.
Also, if you are currently heavily dependent on your extended family for childcare and any other support, then moving abroad can be harder.
What are the job prospects like?
Perhaps you’ve been offered a promotion at work, but you have to work for a branch of the company that operates overseas. In a situation like this, you need to ask yourself if the job prospects are worth moving your family to a different country and trying to call a foreign place home. Can you get a better job over here that means you don’t have to go through all the stress of moving? Or, referring back to the earlier point about money, does this new job even help you earn enough to live comfortably in this new country?
The same goes for anyone who’s not moving specifically for work. Perhaps you and your family had an amazing holiday in a lovely European city, and you fell in love with it and it made you want to move there, but you need to know what jobs are available there and if it is possible for you to find work easily and get a decent job.
If you’re struggling, however, don’t despair! Remember that you don’t have to necessarily work in the same place you live, and remote jobs are increasingly offered by companies everywhere. This can be a great way to take advantage of Amsterdam short term rentals to let your family try out living somewhere for 6 months whilst you enjoy the security of a job that doesn’t require a commute or office presence.
How will you maintain connections and build meaningful new relationships?
Relocating abroad as a family isn’t just about the logistics; it also involves nurturing emotional connections. Will you prioritise regular visits, family video calls, or perhaps schedule holidays back home? Equally important is building a support network where you’re moving to. Consider exploring local parent groups, expat communities, or clubs your children might join – whether it’s sports, music, art classes, or cultural groups.
These connections can help ease the transition, mitigate homesickness, and make your new environment feel like home more quickly. Strong roots – both old and new – support the entire family through the emotional ebb and flow of a relocation.
So, if you’re thinking about moving your family home to a different country, then make sure you ask all these questions beforehand. Slowly but surely, you’ll figure out if it’s the right choice for your family or just a dream that’s not meant to be.
This is a collaborative post.
