Preparing to move to Norway from any other country is quite a big task. So I searched the net for you to help you out with your upcoming move. I wished I had a kind of checklist like this to help me prepare for my move to Norway before I came.

So here is a compiled list of different checklists I found on the net to help you prepare for your move to Norway!

Months before you move:

• Find the Norwegian embassy in your country and check whether you need a visa to get into Norway. Many countries do not need a visa to enter Norway, but if you do need one you should arrange this well in advance. This process can take a lot of time.
• Make sure you have a current and up-to-date passport.
• Start arranging for schooling for your children in Norway. Many preschools have waiting lists and are hard to get into (from what I am told). So you might want to arrange this long in advance.

One month before you leave:

• Cancel your phone service (landlines and cell phone)
• Cancel all newspaper and magazine subscription
• Cancel cable TV / Internet subscriptions
• Arrange to cancel any standing bank transfer arrangements or bank accounts you will not be needing any longer
• Plan how to sell your car by the time you leave.
• Visit friends and family long in advance before you get close to your moving date. Things get really hectic right before you leave. Make sure you get some quality time with loved ones without the stress of the moving date too near.

A few weeks before you leave:

• Make a list of everyone you need to give your new address (family, friends, companies etc)
• Have all of your mail forwarded to your new address
• Get quotes from at least a few different moving companies. to arrange for your move. Find the best price and the company who can guarantee the safe delivery of your things.
• If you are going to be taking any large items (like furniture) to Norway, make sure it is really necessary. You have to remember that whatever you have moved to Norway, you will be charged for every inch of it. It is a good time to decide if you should keep it or get rid of it.
• This move is the perfect time to de-clutter. A good rule is to get rid of anything that you have not used in six months.
• Arrange a garage sale to sell your unwanted stuff. Donate what you cant sell to a local charity.
• Double check that you have settled any outstanding debts or tickets (like traffic or parking tickets). Also double check that you are current with all of your taxes. It is really important to have your finances straight before leaving because you could really run into trouble in customs trying to come back home for a visit.
• Start collecting all the paperwork you will need in Norway. This includes:

1. Passport
2. Drivers license
3. School diplomas
4. University/college diplomas
5. Updated resume
6. Letters of recommendation / testimonials
7. Copies of your previous employment contracts
8. Passport photo’s
9. Original birth certificate
10. Marriage certificate
11. Your children’s birth certificates
12. Dental records
13. Medical records
14. A return ticket (do not buy a one-way ticket to Norway until you have a residence permit or something like it – they will not let you board the plane without a return ticket)

• Book your flights

One week before you leave:

• If you have children, organize a kids party so your kids can say goodbye to their friends. It’s an emotional and stressful time for your kids too.
• Start packing your bags. Make sure any clothing you want to take with you is clean. Also pack your most important parts of your paperwork (do not ship) to take with you. You will have to go through all sorts of official activities such as opening bank accounts, getting a phone etc. and your container will not arrive until next month. Make sure you have all the paperwork you need with you.

Two days before you leave:

• Finish packing all of your bags

One day before you leave:

• One site I found said that at this point, “You will wake up and see the world with different eyes: tomorrow this won’t be your world anymore. Enjoy that warm glow of excitement going through your body. Have lunch in your favorite restaurant one more time”
• Have dinner and spend the evening with your family. Go to bed early.

The big day:

• Cry at the airport with you family and say goodbye.
• Sit back and relax as the plane takes off to Norway, and get ready for an adventure!

So…I hope this give you some direction as you plan your move to Norway!

Have you moved to Norway? Let us know how you prepared for your international move in a comment below!