Getting the right help
What kind of help might I need?
Some questions depend on your own situation. Here's how to tell, where to find the official rules, and what to ask a professional.
Three different kinds of help. Members' experience helps you understand the question. Official sources tell you the rules. A qualified professional can apply those rules to you.
SecondChapter doesn't recommend, check or list professionals, and nobody pays us to appear here. Nothing on this page is legal, tax, immigration or medical advice.
Residency & visas
You may need help when: You're deciding how you could legally stay longer than a visit, or your plans depend on a particular visa.
Who usually helps
- An immigration lawyer licensed in the country you're moving to
- A registered immigration adviser, where that country has a registration scheme
Where the official rules are
- The country's official immigration or foreign-affairs website
- That country's embassy or consulate in the country where you live now
What to check before you hire anyone
- They are registered or licensed in the destination country, not only where you live
- You can look them up yourself on the official register of the bar or regulator
- Fees are written down before work starts
Questions worth preparing
- Which options fit my nationality, age, income and plans?
- What can I do from home, and what must be done in person there?
- How long does it usually take, and what could delay it?
- What happens to my status if my circumstances change?
Tip: save your questions to Your Chapter so they're ready when you speak to someone.
Tax, including cross-border tax
You may need help when: You'll have income, pensions, savings or property in more than one country, or you're unsure where you'd be taxed.
Who usually helps
- A tax adviser qualified in the destination country
- A cross-border tax specialist who knows both your current and future country
Where the official rules are
- The tax authority of each country involved
- Any tax treaty between the two countries, usually published by the tax authority
What to check before you hire anyone
- Their professional qualification and registration
- That they work with people in your exact two-country situation
- Whether they'll also prepare filings, or only give advice
Questions worth preparing
- When would I become tax resident, and what triggers it?
- How are my pension, savings and any property taxed after I move?
- What should I do before I move, rather than after?
- What do I need to file in each country, and when?
Tip: save your questions to Your Chapter so they're ready when you speak to someone.
Healthcare
You may need help when: You need to know how you'd access care, whether you'd be covered, or how to manage an existing condition after moving.
Who usually helps
- Your current doctor, for records and continuity of care
- A licensed insurance broker for private cover in the destination
- A doctor registered in the destination country
Where the official rules are
- The destination's health ministry or public health system website
- Your current health system, about what coverage continues abroad
What to check before you hire anyone
- Insurance brokers are licensed to sell in that country
- What a policy excludes, especially existing conditions and age limits
- Doctors are registered with that country's medical council
Questions worth preparing
- Would I be eligible for public healthcare, and when?
- What private cover is needed until then, or instead?
- How do I keep my prescriptions and records going?
- Are there age limits or waiting periods on insurance?
Tip: save your questions to Your Chapter so they're ready when you speak to someone.
Be wary of anyone who contacts you first, asks for payment before explaining their fees, or promises a guaranteed result.