Your first 90 days abroad: what to do, and in what order

The first three months in a new country are mostly paperwork, and the order matters more than the speed. In most countries a few documents unlock everything else, and people who leave them for later end up stuck: no bank account without a number, no number without an address, no health insurance without registration.

This checklist is organised in four phases. Each country example comes with its official deadline and the source for it.

Before you fly

• The visa or permit, if you need one. Citizens of countries outside the EU usually need an approved visa before travelling for a long stay. EU citizens moving within the EU do not.
• A tax number, where you can get it in advance. Portugal is the clearest case: the tax authority describes the NIF as essential for employment, contracts, opening a bank account and social security, and a non-resident can request it online through a legal representative. A tax representative is not mandatory at that stage.
• Documents from home. Birth and marriage certificates, school records for children, driving licence and professional qualifications. Many countries ask for official translations or an apostille, which take time to get once you have left.
• An address to register. Registration usually needs an address. Temporary accommodation often works for a first registration.

Week 1: registration

This is the step that most often blocks the rest, and several countries give you very little time.

• Germany: anyone who moves into a home must register with the local registration office within two weeks of moving in. This is the Anmeldung, and it is set by federal law.
• Netherlands: if you will live there for more than four months, you must register with your municipality in the Personal Records Database within five days of arriving. Your partner and children must come with you. You receive your citizen service number, the BSN, when you register, and you will need it for things like healthcare and taxes.
• Spain, if you are not an EU citizen: you must request your foreigner identity card, the TIE, in person within one month. For a non lucrative residence visa, the month counts from your entry into Spain. For employees, it counts from registration with Social Security.

First month: money, phone and health

• Bank account. With your registration and tax number in hand, opening an account is usually straightforward. Having a local account makes rent, salary and utilities much simpler.
• Phone number. A local number is often needed for banking apps, two factor codes and government portals.
• Health insurance. Rules vary widely, and some deadlines are strict. In the Netherlands you must take out Dutch health insurance as soon as possible and no later than four months after arriving, even if you already have insurance elsewhere. If you take it out on time, coverage starts from the day you arrived. After four months it is not backdated, and you may be fined.
• A family doctor. In systems built around a general practitioner, registering with one early saves time when someone gets sick.

Up to day 90: settling in

• Portugal, EU citizens: if you stay longer than three months, you must request an EU citizen registration certificate from the town hall (Câmara Municipal) where you live, within 30 days after the first three months.
• Spain, EU citizens: if you plan to stay longer than three months, you must apply in person for registration in the Central Register of Foreigners within three months of entering Spain. You receive a registration certificate with your foreigner identity number.
• School enrolment. Start as early as possible, especially if you arrive mid year. In many public systems the school place depends on your registered address, so registration comes first.
• Driving licence. Check whether and for how long your licence is valid, and whether you need to exchange it.
• Local language. Starting a course in the first months pays off everywhere, even in countries where you can work in English.

The official deadlines at a glance

Three habits that save time

1. Book appointments before you arrive. In many cities, registration offices and immigration services work by appointment, and the first free slot is not always soon.
2. Keep a folder of originals and copies. The same documents are asked for again and again: passport, visa, rental contract, registration certificate, tax number.
3. Write down every number you are given. Tax number, social security number, registration number and insurance number. Each one tends to be a prerequisite for the next.

The full version, country by country

This checklist covers the pattern. The exact order, forms and offices change from country to country, and so do the traps. Each country guide has a full chapter on the first 90 days, with the procedure for that country step by step: see the country guides.

Country profiles: Germany, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.