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Whether you’re moving to France, Egypt, Japan or Azerbaijan, there’s always someone who gets left behind – a grandmother, old friend, brother, daughter – and sometimes it seems like no amount of the brilliant new culture an expat is living after moving to France etc. can make up for that lost physical contact.

The Big Move itself can sometimes overshadow the future logistics of living in a new country – setting up utilities, getting a mobile phone, organising the internet, finding a decent plumber – it’s no wonder communication with home sometimes gets pushed down the list. Specialist European removals companies like ours can take a great deal of stress out of moving to Belgium and so on, but setting up native links is crucial too; make the most of your roots and nurture pleasurable ties to your home country.

According to some experts, the relocation of a person to a new place – a place where their nearest and dearest have never existed – can create a curious dichotomy whereby expats miss their loved ones, but put off contacting them because to not communicate with them has become normal (e.g. emotionally bearable). But modern communication can make the world seem a lot smaller, so here are a few expat tips to help make contact with sorely-missed folks back home a little easier.

• Create a schedule for phone calls, Skype calls etc – stick to it!

• Lots of little contacts – e.g. short emails – help foster familiar bonds.

• Moving to Belgium or Paris needn’t present too much of an issue should you need to return to the UK in an emergency, but if you’re out in the sticks or further afield it can be incredibly calming to have an emergency UK travel route in place.

Retiring Abroad

Every year, thousands of British people decide to “up sticks” and move to the Continent once they retire. This is quite understandable as it is only natural to seek out a slower pace of life as well as a more amenable climate once you reach your golden years.

Relocating to France?
Thankfully, the proximity of the Continent means you can easily start a new life in Europe yet still take all of your old belongings with you. In fact, furniture removals to France, Germany and indeed most of Western Europe can not only work out to be a lot cheaper than buying new when you get there, they can also help you to feel more at home, as they can provide a certain degree of familiarity to keep you company while you adjust to your new surroundings.

Hassle-free moving
Here at European Removal Experts, we take all of the hassle out of your move abroad. We will deliver your items to your new home on whatever date you stipulate and can even carry out your move in stages if you prefer not to take everything in one go. In addition, we can also store your possessions in the interim if your new property is not immediately habitable and arrange for them to be delivered when you are ready to receive them.

So, if you are thinking of moving to France, relocating to Italy or getting away to Spain when you retire, make us here at European Removal Experts your first port of call.

Lessen the Stress of Moving Abroad with European Removal Experts

Research suggests that moving house can be one the most stressful events that a person will ever go through, right up there with divorce and even bereavement. After the stress and excitement of viewing new properties, making bids, and finally securing your new home, you’ll have a lot of work to do.

Relocating involves packing, getting rid of unwanted possessions, notifying family, friends, banks, and utility companies of your move, cleaning your current house, organising the redirection of your post to your new address and, perhaps, finding and registering your children with new schools. The list can seem endless. And when you’re moving to another country the list can be even longer.

You may be moving to France or another European country for a new job, for a university education, for a change of scenery, for a change of pace after retirement, to relocate your business or simply to start a new life. Whatever your reasons, moving your furniture and other possessions to your new home should not add to your stress. European Removal Experts is a professional company that specializes in household and business removals to European destinations, such as France, Germany, Belgium and Italy.

If you are relocating to France, we offer door to door deliveries to and from London to a wide range of a wide range of French destinations, including Paris, Brittany, Alsace, and Corsica. So if you are looking for a professional, cost-effective and secure company to take care of your removals to France or any other European destination, contact European Removal Experts for a instant and free quote.

Your European Emigration Checklist

A move to the EU is going to be much easier than emigration to somewhere such as America or Australia. As a British citizen you can move freely around the European Economic Area, settling wherever you see fit without need to apply for visas or undergo rigorous interviews or points based tests.

However, whether you are moving to Belgium or moving to Holland it is still not as simple as getting a plane ticket and a passport, and there are still a number of things that you need to ensure you do before you head off towards that sunset.

Before heading off, you need to ensure you talk to HM Revenue & Customs regarding your liability for tax. The laws will differ depending on where you are moving to so don’t just assume that moving to Belgium will carry the same rules as if you were heading to Spain. In fact, you should spend time researching all the laws for the given country that you plan to move to so that you are fully aware of both your rights and the things that could potentially land you in trouble.

Fully understand the situation regarding healthcare. Again the benefits you will be allowed will differ from country to country and it is essential that you are adequately covered from the very start of your life abroad.

Finally, you need to let people know you are going. Even for those who simply want to disappear and get away from their current life, there are certain people who will need to be informed of the dates you leave from schools and banks to any outstanding creditors that may well need paying after you move. You also need to remember to forward your post so that any important letters reach you no matter whether you are moving to Holland or the furthest reaches of the desert.

Reasons to Move Abroad

There probably aren’t many people these days who at some point in their lives haven’t considered packing up and moving on, branching out and settling down in another country. And in fairness, who could blame them. Our summers seem to get shorter every year and the rest if the time we have to settle with a mixture of cold, rain and cold rain.

But our terrible weather is not the only reason why more and more people are not just considering heading off to brighter skies, but actually putting those thoughts into action.

Quality of life in Britain is pretty much the worst in Europe. We die earlier, retire later, and in the meantime get less time off than most of our European cousins. Our diet is worse and many people look to the diets of those in other countries with a great sense of longing, the Mediterranean fare being much more appetising than our cholesterol-packed cuisines.

Moving to France, or even further afield can actually simply just make life much less stressful. The pace of life is usually much more relaxed abroad than it is in the UK, and with such beautiful scenery and of course that old weather being much better, moving abroad often improves people’s moods greatly.

Culture is also often a big reason for people to move to places such as France, whilst meeting new people and learning a new language also rate highly. Moving to Germany is always a great way to learn their language if you’ve always wanted to.

However, it is worth remembering that moving doesn’t mean you want to leave everything totally behind. Moving to some of our closest neighbours will make it much easier to get home and see relatives, whilst still enjoying all the benefits of a fresh start. When moving to France or moving to Germany the channel tunnel is so easy to access that you can be home whenever you want. And you may just find that the UK is a great place to visit, but you just wouldn’t want to live there.

The Best Places to Live In Europe

It may not have come as much of a surprise to those Brits who love to moan, but this year Britain was actually found to be the worst place in Europe for quality of life. So, maybe we’re not a country of people who love to moan after all, maybe we’re just a country of people who are realistic?

Why is it such a bad place to live? Well, the average wage has fallen dramatically whilst we seem to have a higher retirement age and a lot less holiday allowance than most of Europe. Not only that, but we also have a much lower life expectancy than most of our neighbours, with our closest neighbours France, Germany and Holland all long outliving us. Plus, whilst for many years we were miserable but well off, we now seem to be miserable and poor.

Where is the best place to live? Well, for the second year running it is the French who have the best quality of life. Which may explain why so many people are choosing to move there. With it being so close, enjoying better whether than us and with many of us still having a basic grasp of the language, it seems to make perfect sense that moving to France is on so many peoples’ minds.

Not only that, but along with France (which topped the list again), the top ten best places to live in the world includes Germany, Switzerland and Belgium, with Britain coming in nowhere near.

So if you thought you were miserable, then the chances are you were right, but it might not be your fault. For those who want to be happier then moving to France or moving to Germany may well be the answer. Fifty years ago moving to Germany or France would have been unthought-of. But today it might be the best way to be happy.

Woman chases Olympic dream by moving to Germany

A woman has revealed she is moving to Germany to chase her Olympic dream.

According to reports in the Leicester Mercury, Jenn Taylor is determined to compete in the 2012 games, to be held in London. She is part of Great Britain’s women’s volleyball team.

As well as getting ready to head to foreign shores, the sporting enthusiast has also given up a well paid job working in schools in order to try to achieve her goal.

The reason she has decided to make the transition to another country is so she can ensure she plays in enough games before the deadline for the Olympics.

She said: “It means I will be playing week in, week out, getting matches on a regular basis, which is what we all need. The level is far higher than we can find in England.”

Commenting on the prospect of moving to Germany, she added: “It is a massive challenge for everyone. For me, I’ll be taking a huge pay cut and living in a country with people I’ve never met.”

The original plan was to send Ms Taylor and all her team mates to one country to prepare. However, this fell through due to a lack of funding.

Instead, they are being sent to a number of different nations – potentially meaning some will be moving to France.

Meanwhile, talking about her dedication to the task ahead, Ms Taylor remarked: “The sacrifices are huge and I have not underestimated them, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”

She added she would regret it if she did not put in the maximum effort to achieve her aim. This may well be a sentiment shared by the rest of the team, including those moving to France and other countries.

According to its organisers, the London 2012 Games have been the catalyst for the transformation of a section of east London.

On Your Bike

There are many things that Holland is famous for – tulips, clogs, and windmills to name a few, but there is perhaps one thing that has a larger impact on the country and that is that it is very flat. As a consequence of this the Dutch make a large use of bicycles for transport and are probably the largest user of this form of transport in Europe. So if you are considering moving to Holland do not forget to take one.

Unlike most towns in the UK, Dutch towns and roads are designed for the bicycle. For example Amsterdam’s central railway station has parking for over 8,000 bicycles allowing commuters to leave them over night. Also a lot of the roads are specially adapted for bicycles with special lanes solely for their use and special traffic signals at road junctions.

And do not think that this is just for leisure purposes. In Dutch cities you are just as likely to find men in suits and ladies in heels riding bikes as people wearing tracksuits. Also the Dutch can be very adept at balancing large loads such as shopping bags on their bikes.

So moving to Holland can give you that excuse for getting fit by riding a bike. It will also help with your carbon footprint as of course bicycles are perhaps the greenest for of vehicle transport there is.

We at European Removal Experts can provide relocation services from the UK if you are moving to Holland and we are happy to take bicycles. We can even arrange part load delivery for you if you should forget it.

Alternatively you could buy one locally because of course there are also many bike shops to cater for them. They are not particularly expensive so you won’t have to ‘go Dutch’ to get one for all the family.

Is it Permitted?

We all know Switzerland from films and stories. A land of snow capped mountains, picturesque wooden chalets, alpine horns and cowbells. Some may have holidayed there in the winter and enjoyed the skiing or perhaps gone in the summer and travelled on the world famous narrow gauge railways. Although it is known as a European playground how many have ever considered moving to Switzerland?

The answer is probably not many. Although it grants citizens from the EU some special privileges, automatic residential rights are not one of them. In fact, unless you are an independently wealthy person, it is not easy for anyone considering moving to Switzerland.

To live in Switzerland it is necessary to hold a residency permit.

The basic is a B permit. This is an annual residency permit which has to be renewed every year and has restrictions as to what you can do such as owning property or working.

If you are an EU citizen, then you can obtain a CE permit which is similar to a B permit but allows you more freedom such as being able to buy property and be self employed.

After living in Switzerland for 5 – 10 years it is possible to apply for a C permit. This is a full residency permit.

If you are financially independent with an income in excess of £38,000 and wish to be there for more than 180 days a year, then obtaining the necessary permits should not be a problem.

Those moving to Switzerland are not only able to enjoy the picture postcard scenery but also beneficial tax laws and one of the highest standards of living in Europe.

We at European Removal Experts may not be able to assist you in obtaining a resident’s permit but we can ensure that your move will run like a Swiss watch.

The Benefits of Travel

In the recent general election, one of the hot topics was that of immigration and the effects this has on jobs. With the development of the European Union one of the key changes has been with border controls. People who live in E U member states are no longer considered citizens of just their country of birth but are also citizens of Europe. As such they have rights to travel and work in other member states and are entitled to the benefits not only of their country of origin but also of the country they move to. This has led to the development of a more flexible mobile workforce.

When we think of UK citizens moving abroad we usually think of people buying holiday homes and moving to France or Spain. However if we consider countries like Germany it is more likely that people will be moving there because of work.

If you are considering moving to Germany then we at European Removal Experts can help to make the transition as pain free as possible.

Once there it is also good to know that under EU legislation citizens of one country are entitled to the same benefits such as medical help.

Sometimes these benefits continue to be paid directly by the UK directly to you and sometimes they are paid to the country you are resident in and they in turn provide the same service as would be received by a native resident.

Also once you are working and paying into local tax and social insurance packages you are also entitled to additional benefits such as unemployment benefit and assistance when looking for work.

It is therefore good to know that even when making a big step like moving to Germany, you will not be without support should things not go entirely as planned.