So you finally achieved your GOAL!
You have your Visa in one hand and a Bag full of DREAMS in the other, You are ready to take that long-awaited flight to a new life. Before you are ready to fly; Here is a checklist of things to make sure the transition is not cumbersome.
UNDERSTAND YOUR VISA REQUIREMENTS: Before you fly, it’s essential to understand the laws and provisions that govern the VISA you possess. If you are a PR or a Work Holiday Pass Holder (A long shot for Indians), you might not want to spend on insurance as you can apply for government Medicare as soon as you arrive.
PACK METICULOUSLY: Make sure you know the weight limit for your airline and pack; unless you want to get billed almost your entire ticket fare (like me) for your extra baggage. Make sure you make a list of essentials and refresh that list to make sure you carry the things that are important.
BOOK AN INDIAN CARRIER: I wish I had known this before I booked my flight with an International Carrier. Thanks to the changes made by the Civil Aviation Ministry in 2016, Indian international carriers now can only charge Rs 100 per kg of excess 15 Kgs up to 20 Kgs, only Air India allows free baggage up to 23 Kgs.
RESEARCH THE WEATHER: The seasons in Australia are the opposite of INDIA. So make sure you research the weather and buy appropriate clothing according to the weather for when you arrive. To be safe Do carry a jacket or two, coz Australia, unlike other tropical countries, usually has cold winds even during the summer.
CANCEL ANY ACCOUNTS YOU DON’T NEED: Since you are migrating to another country it’s advisable to close all accounts that you do not use but charge you maintenance fee. It could be a Phone number, bank account, Gym Membership or other such subscription expenses.
GET A CREDIT CARD FOR EMERGENCIES: This is a travel essential, whether the move is permanent or temporary. There are always unforeseeable circumstances that might take you by surprise. This could be a medical emergency or a housing expense. It’s good to have an active credit card handy for such expenses. But make sure you don’t use it for frivolous purchases but actual emergencies.
DIGITIZE YOUR DOCUMENTS: This is more to ease your mind than anything else. You will need documents such as Driving License, Passport, Transcripts etc. after you move. It’s best to keep digital copies of the same on the cloud for easy access and store the originals in a safe place, to take out only if necessary.
GET YOUR INTERNATIONAL DRIVING LICENSE: Each country has different rules when it comes to their driving laws. Indians are allowed to drive in Australia; except for NT, for a minimum of 3 Months on an International Driving Permit (to be obtained in English from home country) in the ACT and for 6 months in VICTORIA. The driving laws in Australia differ with different states. To know more about what applies to you, click here.
GET AN INDIAN PREPAID PHONE NUMBER: Worried about staying in touch with friends and family back home without having to pay exuberant prices you have 2 options:
- Get an Indian prepaid number and with least balance, register it on WhatsApp and use free internet with WhatsApp calls
- Buy a local phone number that comes with an unlimited call plan for your home country.
I do not suggest carrying a postpaid or even a matrix abroad since their call charges are sky high.
GET YOUR NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME ACCOUNT: You if you are a movie and television buff like me and will miss your favourite movies and television shows abroad, Buy an amazon prime account and a Netflix account back home. The amazon prime account is a one-time payment of Rs 999 for an entire year and Netflix is around Rs 650 for a month. This should feed your need to keep abreast with your favourite television shows for at least a year. Both offer membership at a lower rate in India than in Australia, though the library access is the same.
CARRY LIMITED CURRENCY: Whether you are a tourist or migrating it’s always advisable to carry traveller’s cheque instead of actual currency. You can change the cheques for actual currency at any currency exchange or bank. This is a better option in case you lose your wallet or bag as your traveller’s cheques are invalid without your signature, So please only sign them whilst exchanging for currency.
BUY A UNIVERSAL CONVERTER OR TWO: So the plug points in Australia are flat, unlike the round ones in India. So if you are carrying an Indian phone or laptop make sure you carry a converter with Flat pins or just get a universal converter as those are handy for all your travel abroad.
Pic Credit: pixabay.com
The Desi Pardesi 