Must do Checklist before relocation to China
by reachhome on 2018年7月30日
Moving to China – Checklist
When moving to China, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of tasks necessary to successfully complete the relocation process. Individuals regularly move overseas and find themselves in a dilemma once they realize that they forgot to complete an important task. Often times, people who do complete all they intended are still stressed and left feeling that they forgot something. Here at REACH HOME, we want to help reduce the hassle by helping you create your moving to china checklist.
Here are some key points that we recommend you don’t forget!
Pre-Arrival
- Get your passport – While this may sound trivial, many people underestimate the length of the passport process. Typically, the process takes about 6 to 8 weeks. However, we recommend that you begin this process several months in advance to avoid any complications.
- Figure out Visa Requirements – In addition to your passport, you will need to get a Chinese visa. This too may take 1 to 3 weeks. However, we can take care of it for you! Click Here to submit an application for our visa services or go on our app!
- Learn Basic Mandarin – While you do not need to be fluent in the language, knowing the basics will definitely help you get around. As little as half an hour learning the language for two weeks can make a serious difference!
- Contact Visa Agent – It is important to know just how you will be needing to take care of your visa. If your agent is taking care of the process, he can go in on your behalf to the Chinese consulate. If not, you will be needing to plan a personal trip to your Chinese Consulate.
- Successfully Obtain Visa – A very simple thing, but important to make sure of. As long as you allow for at least one month of time before your trip to go through the process, your visa should arrive on time.
- Talk With Doctor About Prescriptions And Vaccines – While not necessary, we highly advise that you have a consultation with your pediatrician prior to traveling to China. They may also recommend some vaccinations to get prior to travel.
- Print Extra Passport Photos – In the unfortunate scenario in which you lose your passport, it is crucial that you have copies with you. It is smart to carry 2 or 3 print copies of your passport and visa, as well as keep a photo on your laptop or phone.
- Choose A VPN Plan – In China, there are many large sights, such as Google and Facebook, which are blocked by the government’s firewall. In order to evade this issue, you will need to purchase a VPN plan for your time in China. CyberGhost VPN, ExpressVPN, NordVPN and AstrillVpn are all good options to consider.
(A good time to buy a VPN is on Black Friday in the United States. You can find deals over 50% off)
- Unlock Phone – In addition to a VPN, you will also need to unlock your phone. This will allow you to use other carriers with the purchase of a new SIM card. To do this, you will need to go online or call your service provider to learn their unlocking process.
- Figure Out Banking – Something t=important to know is that most places in China do not accept credit card. Instead, everyone uses WeChat or Alipay to purchase everything from taxi rides to groceries. In order to do this, you will need to open a Chinese Bank account. For assistance with this, feel free to contact one of our agents!
- Download Wechat – WeChat is the largest app in China. It can be used for texting your friends, making important business calls, posting for everyone to see and even paying for things. You will not be able to adequately function in China without this app.
- Purchas Items That Are Hard To Find In China – Some items like deodorant and protein powder are very difficult to find in China. In addition to this, they are often more expensive. It is important to know and buy these types of materials before coming to China!
You can also talk to your local agent about these items
- Book Hotel For First Two Nights – When you arrive, there is a good chance that you will not be immediately moving into your new accommodations. Because of this, we advise that you book a hotel for at least two nights for when you first arrive.
