Aspiring to live and work in another part of the world is a wonderful thing but the realities of going through with a property purchase and a job relocation can weigh on you when the time to pull the trigger rolls around.
The first thing you can do to quell your nerves and minimise the administrative hurdles involved is to get a handle on exactly what obstacles you’ll face. So, to that end, here’s a short explainer on what you’ll have to contend with and how to come out triumphant.
Reckoning with the legal red tape
There are two main stumbling blocks for people plotting out their overseas relocation. First, there are the legal hoops you have to jump though as a foreigner to buy property. Then there are the requirements associated with applying for and being issued a work visa.
In the case of buying your dream home you’ll need all sorts of paperwork to prove who you are, what assets you have, your family and employment status and any number of other specific factors that a given destination might have written into its housing laws.
Work visas come with just as many caveats and there’s often an overlap. The main point of all this admin is to make sure that you’re an honest, upstanding person and that you aren’t trying to bend or break the law.
Overcoming administrative annoyances
Because so many people move between countries every year, there are systems in place to make this process more fluid. Of chief interest to anyone hoping to buy their dream home and move their work life to sunnier climes is the apostille. But what is one? Well, it’s a certificate recognised in more than 120 countries which proves the authenticity of various official documents.
To authenticate documents for overseas acceptance, you’ll need an apostille issued by the country where you currently live. For instance, Brits looking to buy homes abroad will need UK apostilles for documents such as birth certificates and other important paperwork. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office provides apostilles, but there are registered third party services that can handle the admin for you and get documents certified more quickly.
Other things to know
Apostilles can help with many home purchases overseas and also play a role in work visa applications. The main sticking point is that they aren’t accepted in every country, only those that are committed to the Hague Apostille Convention. Every EU member state, as well as the US, Canada, Brazil and many other major nations are members, so it’s only fringe cases where you’ll have to go through a different document legalisation process.
Last but not least, keep in mind that just because an apostille has been issued for a document, that doesn’t guarantee that the contents of the paperwork are accurate or that overseas authorities will process it without further enquiries. All of this makes working with an apostille service and getting professional input in every aspect of your dream relocation more than worthwhile.
Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels
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