Moving and living abroad
How do you build a document plan for a visa or residence permit abroad?
Last reviewed .
Start with the facts that pick the route: your nationality, where you live now, what you will do abroad, how long you will stay, who is coming with you and which consulate serves you. Then list every document the official program page asks for, with its issuer, maximum age, authentication and translation rule. Treat the visa, the right to work, tax residence and later citizenship as separate questions.
Key facts
| Fact | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What sets the route | Nationality, current residence, activity, duration, family and consular jurisdiction | Official source |
| US records commonly asked for | FBI check, birth and marriage certificates, degrees, sometimes proof of income | On this site |
| Authentication | Apostille or legalization depending on the destination | Official source |
Which facts decide your visa route?
A visa page is a decision tree, not one list. Remote work for foreign clients, study, a local job offer, self-employment and living on savings or a pension usually lead to different programs. Family ties to a citizen or resident can open other routes. Your consulate is normally the one that serves your place of residence, and consulates for the same country can publish different checklists.
What should a destination worksheet include?
- The exact program name and its official application page.
- The document list, with each record's maximum age.
- Translation and authentication instructions.
- Where and how to apply, and how appointments work.
- Government fees, health insurance and proof of funds.
- Rules for each family member.
- Tasks after arrival, such as registering or collecting a residence card.
- The date you checked each source.
Why keep visa, work, tax and citizenship separate?
Permission to enter, permission to stay, permission to work and tax residence are decided by different rules, often by different agencies. A visa that lets you live somewhere may not let you work for a local employer. Becoming tax resident abroad does not end US filing. A tool that estimates one of these does not answer the others.
When should you order the US documents?
Work backwards from the appointment. Many programs want records issued within a recent window, so ordering too early can be as bad as too late. Add time for fingerprints, the FBI, the apostille, courier delivery and translation.
Checklist before you start
- Write one sentence describing your move: who, where, what for, how long.
- Find the official program page and the consulate that serves you.
- List every document with its issuer and maximum age.
- Mark which need an apostille or legalization.
- Mark which need translation and by whom.
- Separate proof of funds from what you will spend.
- Schedule orders back from the appointment date.
Common questions
Do I apply for a visa at any consulate?
Usually not. Most countries assign consulates by where you live. Check the consulate's jurisdiction page.
Does a residence visa let me work?
Not always. Many residence routes, such as those based on savings or a pension, do not include the right to work locally. Read the program rules.
Does moving abroad end my US tax filing?
No. US citizens generally keep filing while abroad. See our guide to US taxes while living abroad.
Official sources
- Find a US embassy or consulate. US Department of State.
- Apostille Section. Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH).
Sources checked . Official pages change. Use the source over this summary if they differ.
Want us to prepare it?
The official route above is free to follow yourself. If you would rather hand it off, we prepare it for you.
FBI background check with apostille. USD 217 standard case. Government fees pass through at cost. The written quote is final.
Tools and data on this site
Related guides
General information from official sources, not legal advice. The receiving authority decides what it accepts. Confirm its current instructions before you order or send anything. US Expat Desk is a private company. We are not affiliated with the US government, the State Department, or the FBI.