Are you ever too old to move abroad?

Okay, okay, hear us out. Before we get a lot of angry comments from people of all ages. We’re going to lay the bottom line out right here.

No. You are NEVER too old to move abroad.

What we are going to do, is argue why this is the case.

Because whether you’re 18 or 81, single or with a family, we strongly believe, that if you want to move abroad that badly, then you should be doing everything in your power to make it happen.

There are some things to consider, however, because although moving abroad might be a life-long dream, there are also some restrictions.

Visas

The biggest international restriction of moving abroad, is obviously, the required visa. Those countries which offer a working holiday visa, have an expiry of 31.

However, there are ways to get around this if you’re beyond than 31 (because let’s face it, 31 is not exactly ‘old’), then you don’t need to kill those dreams just yet.

One of the easiest ways to get a visa for those who are beyond the WHV age, is to have a specialist skill which is highly desired in your destination country. This is particularly for Australia, the UK and America, where getting into the country to stay for a long time is notoriously difficult.

An alternative to this, is if you have immediate family who are already in the country. Your children, siblings, grandchildren and parents are all viable options for a visa.

And finally, there is the golden ticket of all long-term, free travel. Being an EU member. If you hold an EU passport, you are able to live and work in any country of your choice within the EU, without a visa, and with very little limitations to those which you’d have back home. Those with dual-citizenship are also entitled to this right, however, if that dual-citizenship happens to be British, we definitely recommend starting the process ASAP, because the option may not be on the table for too much longer.

But why move abroad?

There are hundreds of reasons to move abroad, but we’re going to restrict them to ones which are not obligations. AKA, there are far more reasons to move abroad than simply because of a job.

One of the most obvious reasons to move abroad when you’re older, is to retire. Move away from your home country, and experience something brand new. You’re never too old to learn a new language and immerse yourself in a new culture. You can pick up new hobbies, meet new people. Frankly, if you do it right, it should keep you young!

If you’re a couple interested in moving abroad, then it could be the most rewarding thing you do to your relationship. Moving is admittedly, a stressful process, and whilst we endeavour to make it as smooth as possible, moving abroad does have a bit more to it. However, if you and your partner successfully move to another country, find new jobs in a strange place, make friends with locals and create a whole new life for yourselves, it’s going to make or break you – and we like to think it will be the former!

For younger people, with no ties and nothing concrete keeping you at home, why move to the big city of your home country… when you could do it in Italy? Or France? Or New Zealand? When you can experience a whole new environment, meet new people, and have the time time of your life. Every country has a different work/life balance, and living abroad for a period of time is a fantastic employability trait if/when you decide to return home!

The truth is, there’s no ‘perfect’ time to move abroad. With hundreds of different reasons, and plenty of different opportunities, you may find the timing isn’t as you planned. But it’s a risk which may turn into the best decision of your life. And honestly? If you truly, absolutely hate it, there’s always your home country awaiting your return.

If you’re thinking of moving abroad, we have offices in America, Europe, the UK and Canada, to help you ship your belongings affordably and securely. UPakWeShip is a self-packing international moving company, offering over 30 years of advice and experience, and a no-hidden-fees price.