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which gives you access to a 24 hour assistance service and a kind of medical family office can be extremely useful. It can even be critical if you have an accident in a remote part of the world and if the closest adequate hospital needs to be found in an instant, or to help you find and select the best doctor or clinic for a particular medical problem. Indeed, one of the first steps in a planned change of residence should be to obtain worldwide health cover which ensures the necessary international flexibility.
Checklist: Moving to another country
The following table provides an overview of some of the questions to ask when moving to another country.
| Infrastructure | |
| Transport and accessibility | How good is general accessibility in the country including public transportation, train connections, domestic air travel, and condition of the roads? How good are the travel connections by road, air, rail or sea to other countries? |
| Utilities | Are the cost, access, quality and reliability of electricity, gas, water and waste services satisfactory? Is public water clean/safe to drink? |
| Telecommunications, IT, Internet | Are the telephone systems, mobile phone networks, broadband internet access up to date? Are the quality and availability of IT-support services acceptable? |
| Access to services | How good is access to standard services such as local banks, post office, grocery stores, shopping malls, etc.? |
| Medical facilities | Are there reliable and modern hospital facilities? Is there free access to medical services? Are there any waiting times? What is the access to medical specialists? Are private medical facilities available and is access restricted? |
| Social security | Is there a mandatory social insurance scheme? What is the contribution level and is it in fact an additional tax? Is there a mandatory health insurance scheme? |
| Civic facilities | Are there civic facilities such as parks, playgrounds, city halls or public libraries available? |
| Entertainment | What entertainment, cultural, sport and outdoor activities are available? Is there a good choice of cinemas, restaurants, bars, clubs etc.? Are there recreational clubs such as golf, sailing, polo and tennis? |
| Education | What is the reputation of local schools and universities? Is private education readily available? Are there international schools? How do the education system and the schools rank globally? |
| Child care | Are there good public day nurseries/after-school care facilities? Are private nannies and au-pairs easily available? |
| Physical Environment | |
| Geographic location | Is your new home centrally located in the region; is there a larger city in the vicinity? If your home is in a large city, are green spaces and recreational areas easily accessible? Are there any issues/problems with neighboring countries that could lead to conflict or war? |
| Climate | Is the climate to your liking? Number of sunshine hours per year? Average temperatures (summer/winter)? Is the area prone to winds and changeable weather? |
| Pollution | How clean is the environment and what are the levels of pollution of air, water, soil etc.? |
| Natural hazards | Is the place susceptible to flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes or other storms, earthquakes, heat waves, avalanches, landslides or heavy snow? |
| Industrial hazards | Are there any nuclear power or chemical plants in your area? Are there other factories or production sites that may affect you? (Industrial smells, dust, hazardous products etc.) Is your new home located in the flight paths of nearby airports? |
| Business and Economy | |
| Currency and capital restrictions | Stability of local currency, exchange controls? Are there export-of-capital restrictions? |
| Government and political stability | Is there a stable government and political environment? What is the political culture like? Are there frequent protests? Strikes? |
| Cost of living | What is the cost of living? Are import duty exemptions possible? |
| Banking and financial services | Are high-level banking services easily available? Can the local banking and financial services industry support your personal investment and business requirements? |
| Trade restrictions | Are there trade restrictions that could hamper international business dealings (i.e. repatriation of capital restrictions)? |
| Copyrights and patents | Is there a robust protection for copyrights and patents? |
| Company governance | Is it easy to incorporate and operate a company? Are corporate laws, regulations, taxes etc. mature and efficient? Are minority shareholders’ rights protected? |
| Public and private corruption | Is there any public or private corruption? Is it difficult to do business legally without having to bribe or use other illegal means? |
| People, Culture and Lifestyle | |
| Language | What is the local language? Do people speak English, or which other languages? |
| People | Are you moving to an open and liberal society? Are the people friendly and welcoming, non-discriminatory? Are there social tensions or harmony between different ethnic or other groups in the society? |
| Culture and religion | Is there uniformity or diversity in the community with regard to religion, ethnicity? Are there places of worship particular to your religion in the country? Is there discrimination against your own culture/religion? |
| Gender and minority issues | What is the status of women in society? Are there restrictions in public life for women or for people of certain ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, etc? |
| Civil rights and freedoms | Is there freedom of speech, religion, language, press, political expression, information etc.? |
| Quality of living | What is the overall quality of living in the main cities and the countryside? How do the main cities and the country compare globally in terms of quality of living? |
| Residence Permits | |
| Application procedure | What are the minimum time and requirements to apply for a residence permit? |
| Ease | Is it easy to become a legal resident? Are there many steps required, interviews, visits to the country? |
| Physical presence | Are there any minimal physical presence requirements to maintain legal residence status? |
| Time to Permanent Residence status | What are the conditions and the minimum time required to obtain Permanent Resident status? |
| Cost | What is the cost to obtain and maintain the residence permit (including tax considerations)? |
| Visa-free travel | As a resident, are there any visa-free travel benefits irrespective of citizenship? |
| Status | Does residence in the country provide international social status benefits? |
| Revocation | Under what circumstances can residence permits be revoked/not renewed? |
| Citizenship | |
| Time | What is the minimum time of residence required to apply for citizenship? |
| Ease | Is it easy to become a citizen or restrictive? Does the country traditionally welcome new citizens (e.g. Canada) or is it restrictive (e.g. UAE)? |
| Language | Are there strict language requirements? |
| Other restrictions | Are there other restrictions on becoming a citizen (e.g. sub-national restrictions, cultural, ethnic, etc.)? |
| Visa-free travel | Do citizens enjoy good visa-free travel? |
| Cost | What is the cost to obtain and maintain citizenship? |
| Obligations | Does citizenship come with burdensome obligations (e.g. military service, taxation)? |
| Status | Does citizenship provide national or international social status benefits? |
| Revocation | Under what circumstances can citizenship be revoked? |
| Legal and Tax | |
| Taxation | What is the taxable base and rate of taxation of the following?– Income and capital gains taxes– Net wealth and property taxes– Inheritance and gift taxes Are there good tax planning options? |
| Matrimonial and divorce law | Will pre-nuptial agreements be recognized in this country? What impact does residence in the country have on a possible divorce filing? |
| Real estate market | What is the state of the real estate markets (residential, commercial)? What is the availability of residential real estate for rent and purchase? |
| Real estate acquisition | Is it easy to acquire property? What are the transfer duties payable? Are there any restrictions on buying or selling? |
| Estate planning | Are there forced heirship rules? Can you use trusts or foundations? Do you need to adjust your will and other instruments of succession planning? |
| Licensing, business permits | How easy is it to set up a business? Are there license and permit
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