Things to do Before Leaving Canada for Long Term Travel

Things to do Before Leaving Canada for Long Term Travel

As we move closer to departure time there are so many lists, things to get rid of, things to sell, clothes we “think” we want to bring, backpack or suitcase Pros/Cons list the “lists” go on. But this is an important list, and as I learn more, I will add to this page everything that we had to arrange before leaving Canada to travel!

Here are some of the things to look into before leaving Canada for long-term travel

• Apply for a passport and if you already have one, check the expiry date and how to renew it from out of the country! Passport processing times vary and sometimes are quick (just 5 business days) and other times you can expect to wait a month. Make sure you are on top of your expirty dates!
• Research the country you will be visiting to ensure it is a suitable destination for you or your family.
• Arrange for storage of your stuff (or sell it, gift it etc)
• Arrange to rent your home or sell it
• Register at http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/registration so that the Canadian Government can get a hold of you in an Emergency
• Apply for a tourist visa if your destination of choice requires it. Lots of countries do not need visas, but they do need electronic travel authorizations. These can take a few days so make sure you check in advance!
• Obtain travel insurance
• Apply for an international driving permit (this can be done at CAA locations)
• Get a VPN. Depending on where you’re coming from a VPN can either help keep you safe on your new country’s wifi or help you keep up with tv and movies from Canada. You can stream some Canadian content while abroad and keep up with Hockey Night in Canada on CBC.

• Medical (MSP): You need to be in your home province for a specific amount of time to qualify for health benefits (for example, BC you can be away for 7 months and still qualify. (This is away from BC, check the fine print. That includes travelling in other provinces in Canada. Don’t think you can be abroad for 7 months and then road trip the country for a few more!). If you lose your health benefits you will need to reapply (after living in a province or territory for approximately 3 months. For those first three months you do not have provincial health benefits and you should have private coverage) You should check with your home province’s health coverage. For those of you in BC, you can check out MSP info here. You can withdraw here
• Obtain a travel adapter.
• Check what you are allowed to bring into the country with you
• Submit a change of address with Canada post or have someone take care of your mail for you
• Make a Will and make sure someone you trust has a copy.
• Research vaccinations suggested for your intended destination(s) and book these well in advance. Also make sure routine vaccinations are up to date. If you are traveling with small children like we are, you may want to look into an accelerated vaccination schedule. For example, the “kindergarten” vaccines can be given between ages 4-6. Mattias just turned 4 so we have already registered him to get the latest round of vaccines, even though he is not technically in “kindergarten”
• Ensure you will have enough medication or arrange refills – keep a photocopy of your prescription brand name and generic name in case yours is lost. Some medications are illegal in other countries. You will want to get a note from your doctor outlining the reasons for taking this medication
• Check into your credit card’s conversion rates for foreign transactions and try to get a credit card that charges 0% or low conversation surcharges. Also notify them of your absence from Canada. It’s much harder to get a card replaced when you are travelling if it gets put on hold. Check out this list of the best no foreign transaction fee credit cards in Canada to learn more.
• Check with the CRA for any tax issues and make sure you have everything in order to file your taxes while you are away.
• Consider having your expensive items identified by CBSA before you leave. You will be given a form you can travel with so you do not run into any customs difficulties, as you can prove ownership of your goods

Here are a few government websites to check out:

http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/publications/living-abroad

if you are looking for more travel tips, click here.