Moving Abroad With a Family

Moving to Another Country from the USA with Family

Starting anew with your family in another country sounds like a dream, but what does it entail? When deciding on the best place to live abroad with a family, consider factors like the language, job opportunities, taxes, international schools, healthcare, and cultural fit.

How’s the quality of life and education system? Is healthcare accessible and affordable? Do you need to pay dual taxes and what are the income tax rates? And how family-friendly is the country? These are all questions to find the best place to move overseas with a family.

Best Places to Live Abroad with Family

With the entire world at hand, how do you find the best place country for expats with kids? We’ve made the choice easier and narrowed it down to the top destinations for expat families. This will help you find the best country for expats with kids.

Scandinavia (Norden)

Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland are all known for their safety, quality of life, and family-friendly environment. The educational and healthcare system is top-notch and affordable (if not free) in all these countries. There’s a high emphasis on work-life balance, sustainability, equality, and extensive parental leave. English is widely spoken too.

Canada

With a strong economy and multicultural society, Canada is a great place to live abroad as a family. You’ll find excellent healthcare, family-friendly policies, and large international communities. There’s free and accessible public healthcare for residents. Their education system is inclusive and among the best globally. Expat families enjoy child benefits, paid parental leave, and tax credits for families.

New Zealand

Low crime rates, a strong community, and a relaxed pace of life characterize New Zealand. The public and private schools are well-regarded, with tuition fees that are often much lower compared to other countries. With generous parental leave, both parents can spend a lot of time at home with their newborn(s). The landscapes in New Zealand are great for outdoor family activities such as biking, hiking, and swimming.

Switzerland

With clean air, excellent healthcare, safety, and reliable public services, Switzerland constantly ranks high on quality of life. Cities like Zurich and Geneva make life easy with their well-maintained infrastructure and safe parks and playgrounds. The world-class education system offers bilingual classes in most regions, with the opportunity to learn French, Italian, or German. This country is all about efficiency and balance.

The Netherlands

Expats love the Netherlands for its progressive family policies, like generous parental leave for both parents. The public schools are high-quality and nurture creative and critical thinking. Plus, they’re free for kids up until eighteen years old. Especially in bigger cities, people use public transport or bikes to move around. The strong safety net of the Netherlands includes healthcare, childcare benefits, and a pension system.

Portugal

With lower prices for rent and groceries, Portugal is one of the more affordable places in Western Europe to move abroad to as a family. With warm summers and mild winters, it’s also the most enjoyable city year-round on this list. There are plenty of parks, beaches, and outdoor sports! Portugal offers generous parental leave, free or low-cost public education, and subsidies for families. Public healthcare is affordable and well-rated. With many expats flocking to Portugal, you’ll have no issues finding a community after moving abroad as a family.

How to Move Overseas with a Family

You’ve decided to move to another country from the US with your family, what now? Each country has specific rules and regulations, but moving your family abroad generally starts with understanding the visas and immigration. The family visa application process will be the biggest and longest hurdle—so start early.

Once approved, your move abroad with the family will be much smoother. An international mover can help ship your household and local realtors can help you find suitable housing abroad. Expat forums or Reddit threads are a great resource for researching the best areas and international schools. Working with a financial advisor can help you understand the (dual) taxes, and the rules, tools, and deadlines around filing taxes.

Moving Abroad with Kids

While parents are often excited about the positive changes the move will bring, kids might not be as keen on moving overseas with the family. Your kid’s age and personality will determine the reaction, among other factors. Young kids often find it harder to comprehend what’s happening.

Talk frequently and openly about moving abroad with your kids, so they can adjust, understand why, and ask questions. Organize a proper goodbye for their old home and spend time with the friends and family members they’ll have to miss.

Here are some strategies to lessen the culture shock on kids moving abroad:

• Introduce your kid to their new home country and culture well in advance. Watch videos, read books, and chat about the customs, cuisine, and language.
• Stick to familiar routines to help your kids feel more secure and rested.
• Learn the local language before moving abroad with kids, through apps, tutors, interactive games, or language (audio) books.
• Host theme nights at home that celebrate the country you’re moving to as a family, including the food, music, and customs.
• Decorate their new rooms with familiar things like their toys, pictures, and personal items.

Once settled in and living abroad with kids, you can sign them up for clubs, social groups, and family activities. Most countries have expat groups, (solo) mom groups, and other initiatives that help to build a community.

13 Practical Tips on Living Abroad With Kids

To wrap up, let’s look at some practical tips on living abroad with kids. From family budgets to setting up healthcare and finding the right neighborhood, this is what you need to think of when moving abroad with kids.

1. Budget: Create an overview of all the living costs in your new home country. What are the prices for food, rent, utilities, education, childcare, healthcare, taxes, insurance, etc. Include the costs of the visas and international move as well.
2. Currency: Install a conversion app and understand the local currency, so you know what you’re spending after moving overseas as a family.
3. Immigration requirements: Research which visas your family needs to move overseas and enter the country. You’ll need valid passports, bank statements, job contracts, health certifications, school registrations, etc.
4. Neighborhood: Consider the safety, proximity to schools and amenities, and recreational areas. Research the demographics of different areas (age, families or singles, locals or expats, etc.).
5. Education: Research and understand the local education system. Find out the fees, education language, and curriculum. Compare public schools with private and international schools.
6. Healthcare: Compare the public and private healthcare plans. There might be different benefits for residents and expats and in some countries, you’ll need additional insurance for full coverage.
7. Language: What languages are spoken in life and business, and how’s the expat community? This determines how well you can get by until you learn the local language.
8. Culture: How different is the culture and how will your kids adjust? Learn about the culture and customs beforehand for a smoother transition.
9. Childcare: Check nannies, daycare centers, and after-school programs to get an idea of the child support that’s available and affordable for you.
10. Support: Moving abroad with a family is a large undertaking, so a support network is essential. Connect with expat families through local groups, events, or online forums.
11. Mindset: The chances of everything going exactly as planned are slim, so adapt your mindset to be flexible, patient, and positive. Each family needs time to adapt to new routines!
12. Routine: Double down on regular meals and bedtimes to help the kids adjust to moving abroad with their family.
13. Explore: You moved overseas with your family, so go out and have fun! Explore museums, go sightseeing, visit theme parks, or enjoy outdoor activities together.