The Horticulturalist

I need some help with our moving plans!

At the moment we are booked to go to the Embassy in London for interviews the first week in June so that's all in order (hopefully).
I have contacted shipping companies, had a pickfords guy out this morning and have some other firm coming on thursday.

I have made a list of all the electrical items and other stuff I need to sell, plus all the myriad of companies we will need to contact to let them know we are leaving. I will book flights once we know we have the visas.

So - what have I missed out? The whole thing is so overwhelming that I'm all over the place these days

If you can think of anything else I need to consider before the big move (probably August) I'd love to know!

Optimus Prime

Don't forget to bring your sense of humour with you...you are going to need it more than ever.

paul1968mcr

Oh how very true!!

MsElui

make sure the whole families passports have plenty of life. the may only stamp your i94 on entry with the lowest date on the passport. (my son has a shorter i94 than the rest of us because of this reason)

mail redirection forms (if you dont know where you will be staying bring the form to the us and send it in from there).

chicagojlo

Get copies of medical and dental records, if possible get your dental x-rays so you don't have to get them all done again over here right away.
Also if you have kids make sure you have any vaccination records to ensure they don't have to go through them all again.

The Horticulturalist

Thanks, those are helpful suggestions.

We have passports pending, should arrive in the next day or two, my husband had his renewed last year.

Did you copy your entire medical records or just a summary? The childrens records are not very long, but mine might be more than a few pages!

Tujeste

If you are moving with a job you may want to keep track (and receipts) of your moving expenses. You may be able to use these expenses to knock down your tax bill

Notify HMRC (Pensions, National Insurance) that you are leaving - depending on age and working record it may be worthwhile making voluntary NI contributions for you and / or spouse
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/osc.htm

lj2

Make a list of the people you need to see before you go. If you forget some posessions, you can buy more but it may be a long time until you see your friends again.

chicagojlo

If you have a long medical history because you've had a lot of medical problems then yes taking the full thing would be better - the more info a doctor has on you when treating you the better.

Bob

P-85 for the inland revenue.

Vaccination records from the doctors.

Depending on where you'll be staying when you first move over, bring over a can opener and a couple of the basics in the suitcase because it won't do you any good if that's shipped and stuck in the container and you've got to open a can of soup in your new gaff...

The Horticulturalist

Hi Bob,

I am at home with kids, but my hubby works. I have a tax return to complete for him for last financial year, and then a little bit of this current year to file for as well.

What is the P-85? I don't recall ever getting one when I worked, just a P60 and P45 on occasion.

chicagojlo

P-85 informs IR that you are leaving the country, and also gets you an early refund of your taxes if you are lucky. It's a form you fill out with your forwarding address etc.

snowbunny

Don't bring your gardening tools unless you've sterilised them first. and get used to a vast difference in gardening, because you're leaving Eden!

The Horticulturalist

An early refund? *cha-ching!*

We had no idea about that form, that's really helpful! Have any of you used Craigslist to sell stuff? We are in London and I have looked at the site a few times but not sold anything on it yet. I see a lot of people are selling stuff only a week or two before they go, do you think that's enough time to get rid of a few sofas and all my electrical accoutrement's?

We are not planning a move until July, though it might be the right time for a sharp exit if Boris gets elected on Thursday

The Horticulturalist

(How do you do that thing where you highlight the text from a previous post in your own? )