ESL WAVE · Teacher Toolkit
Moving Abroad Checklist
Work down the timeline so nothing important is left to the last week.
3 months before
- Apostille your degree and background check
- Check your passport is valid for at least 18 more months
- Gather your documents and apply for your visa
- Get a medical check if required
2–4 weeks before
- Confirm who books your flight — you or your school
- Arrange travel insurance and vaccinations
- Notify your bank and set up international access
- Bring enough cash or a travel card for your first month
- Pack essentials in carry-on: documents, meds, adapters
- Download maps, translation and ride-hailing apps
Pack in your carry-on
- Original degree, apostilles and contract
- Spare passport photos
- Prescription medicine with a doctor’s note
- Copies of every document, saved to the cloud
First week there
- Register your address and residence card
- Open a local bank account
- Get a local SIM and transport card
- Locate the nearest clinic and supermarket
From the ESL WAVE Teacher Toolkit — free resources for English teachers across Asia. Adapt freely for your own use.