Let's make sure you are ready.

My Checklist

1. Certification

   1. Most countries and schools require some form of certification. TEFL is the most common but many also accept TESL, or CELTA. ​Make sure that you are certified to the level that the country you want to move to requires. 

2. Passport

   1. This should be an obvious one but we have run into multiple people over the years that assumed that they did not need to have a passport to move to a new country. Have it ready and make sure there is still plenty of time before it expires.​

3. Appropriate Clothing

   1. Do not move to northern China in mid winter with a T-shirt and shorts. I saw a girl almost freeze outside the airport in Beijing in the snow in flipflops.

   2. Pack for the weather but also the culture. Some places will want you to have professional attire and others will be much more relaxed. If you work in some countries you can have no visible tattoos so make sure you have the clothing to match where you will be.​

4. Money

   1. Yes you are going for a new job but the amount of papework that you need to complete to settle in when you arrive can get a expensive. ​

   2. You also usually need to find your own apartment and possibly pay a deposit and pick up some furniture.

   3. You probably also want to eat before your first payday arrives. 

   4. Make sure you go with enough.

   5. If you are taking a credit card then make sure you are going to be living in a place that accepts it. Not all cards work in all places. 

5. Job offer

   1. Get a job offer and contract before you go. Most countries require it to issue you a visa and the few that do not you still want to get one. There are schools that will try to lowball you when you arrive without a contract. We try to only work with reputable schools but always get agreements in writing.​

6. Birth Certificate

   1. This is going to be required to get a visa in 90% of countries. You are going to have to notarize it and apostille it. This is all just par for the course but it can be a bit daunting.​

7. Background Check

   1. The country you plan to live in is going to want to know that you are a good person. There are plenty of online services that will provide you a quick background check but once again you need a notary and Apostille.​

8. Visa

   1. Once you have all of your paperwork in a row you are ready to drop everything off at the embassy or visa processing center.

   2. Make sure you set an appointment and stick to it. Many schools will want you to move as quickly as possible and missing an appointment and delaying your travel date could mean losing your contract.

   3. If you live somewhere like America we recommend using a visa courier because for me Washington DC was 12 hours away by bus and taking that trip 4 times was not something I wanted to do.​