First steps after moving abroad: what to do in the first week, month and six months

The first months after a move are a string of compulsory tasks, many with strict deadlines. They are easy to miss: everything in a new country is unfamiliar, and the information is in a foreign language. We have put the essentials in order. The exact rules depend on the country, so the examples come from several countries, while the general principles apply almost everywhere.

Before you leave

Some things are easier and cheaper to do at home.

Documents. Birth and marriage certificates, diplomas and transcripts will be needed for residence permits, recognition of qualifications and enrolling children at school. Many countries require an apostille and a certified translation — check the requirements in advance. At home this is usually faster and cheaper, and some documents are hard or impossible to obtain from abroad.
Money to start. A deposit, rent in advance, the first months without a salary — plan a buffer for 3–6 months. We wrote about this in detail in «How to choose a country to move to».
Health cover for the first weeks. Public insurance often does not start straight away. Bring prescriptions and a supply of the medicines you need, and arrange temporary insurance for the start.
Copies of everything. Scans of your documents in the cloud save the day when something gets lost or a copy is needed urgently.

The first week

Address registration — the strictest deadline. In many European countries it must be done within days of moving in:

in Germany — within 14 days, with a fine of up to €1,000 for being late. Registration triggers your tax number, and for non-EU citizens it is a prerequisite for the residence permit;
in the Netherlands and Denmark — within 5 days; in the Netherlands late registration costs €50 to €325;
in Austria, according to overviews, 3 days, in Belgium 8;
in Spain there is no fixed deadline for registration («empadronamiento»), but almost every office will ask for it.

The trap: registration usually needs a rental contract or a confirmation from your landlord. Short-term housing — a hostel or a short let — often does not provide one. Look for a first home that allows registration, or check this with the landlord straight away.

A local phone number is needed almost everywhere — for the bank, doctors' appointments and dealing with authorities. Get one in the first days.

The first month

A bank account. Without a local account it is hard to get paid, rent a home and pay bills. The good news: in the EU everyone legally resident has the right to a basic payment account — even without permanent residence or a fixed address, including people waiting for an asylum decision. This is required by the EU Payment Accounts Directive. A bank may refuse only on grounds set out in law — for example, if you already have such an account in that country. In Germany this right has applied since 2016.

Tax and public-service numbers. They have different names in different countries: in Germany the tax number arrives by post after you register your address, in Portugal you cannot rent a home or open an account without a NIF, in Spain a foreigner needs an NIE. Find out in advance which number comes first — everything else often depends on it.

Health insurance. In some countries it is compulsory from day one, in others it starts with a job, and in others a foreigner without work needs private cover. This makes a big difference to the budget: our country pages show what healthcare costs for people in work, without work, and for children.

Nursery and school. Apply straight away: many cities have waiting lists for nursery places. Schools usually take a child quickly, but sometimes first into a language class.

The first six months

Driving licences. A licence from outside the EU is usually valid only for a limited time — in Germany, for example, 6 months after you settle in the country. After that it must be exchanged, and for some countries you have to take tests.

Special rules apply to Ukrainians: during temporary protection, Ukrainian licences are recognised in all EU countries without exchange or translation. In Poland temporary protection and recognition of licences have been extended to 4 March 2027. And in Germany, from 18 August 2026 Ukraine is on the list of countries whose licences are exchanged without tests — important for anyone planning to stay long term, because recognition under temporary protection ends with it.

Language. Start straight away, even if English is enough at work. You will need the language for bureaucracy, doctors and your children's school — and almost everywhere for permanent residency and citizenship. Many countries offer free or low-cost state integration courses.

Recognition of your degree. If you want to work in your profession, find out whether your qualification has to be recognised and start as early as possible: it can take months.

Renewing your residence permit. Put the expiry date in your calendar and find out how early you can apply for renewal. Appointments are often booked up weeks ahead.

The bottom line

The strictest deadlines are for address registration and driving licences; the longest procedures are degree recognition and permit renewal. If you do at home everything that can be done at home, and sort out registration, a bank account and insurance in the first weeks, the rest gets noticeably easier.

If you are still choosing a country, our questionnaire shows which routes are open to you and what life costs in each city.

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules and deadlines change — check them on the official websites of the country you are moving to.