You may imagine that once you arrive in your new home you can sit back and enjoy yourself. Not a bit of it! In the first few weeks you will have to get organised, and this can mean time spent at local council offices or with the police dealing with residence permits, tax and so on. Let’s look at those matters which will need to occupy your attention during the first few weeks.

BANKING

If you are taking up permanent residence you are almost certainly going to need to open a bank account. You may already have used a bank in the foreign country for the transfer of funds to pay for your new home, and you can, of course, open an account there provided it is convenient.

However, first of all it is sensible to ask other expatriates which banks they use: it clearly makes sense to use a bank which is used to handling the accounts of foreigners. Although many banks throughout the world offer cheque books, standing orders, cash cards and credit cards, not all of them do so and the service can vary considerably from one bank to another.

In order to open a bank account you may have to provide proof of residence and a declaration of your income. A reference from your bank in the UK can sometimes come in handy. Note that banking law differs from country to country, and in some places you are actually breaking the law if you run up an overdraft, and your account could be frozen.

BRITISH CONSULATE/EMBASSY

Sooner or later (and preferably sooner) it makes good sense to register with the local British consulate. If you have problems with the authorities the consul may be able to intervene, and he is a person you may need to contact in an emergency. If you are involved in an accident or civil disorder, or become entangled with the law, the consul should be called in. He can also register births, marriages and deaths.

Consulates can provide you with useful information (eg English-speaking doctors, lawyers, hospitals, churches), put you in touch with expatriate self-help organisations in the vicinity, and advise you on your voting rights in the UK.

Under the Representation of the People Act 1989 you may register as an overseas voter in the constituency where you usually vote, and for this you need to obtain an overseas elector’s form from the consulate. This must be completed, witnessed and returned before 10 October if you wish to be included on the electoral register which comes into effect on 16 February of the following year. You will be eligible to vote in all parliamentary and European elections, but not in local elections in the UK.

CAR

If you have imported a car into the country you will normally need to register it and get local number plates. In most countries you will need to pay a car tax.

You should also check insurance arrangements. In some countries you have to insure your car with a local insurer – at least for basic third-party insurance. If you can continue to be insured by your UK insurer, you will need to inform him of your change of residence and change of registration number. Do not be surprised to receive an increase in premium, since accident rates are often higher elsewhere.

Note that the rules of the road may differ on the Continent and in North America. In Australia they differ from state to state! Also an increasing number of countries impose on-the-spot fines for traffic offences. Drivers are often required to carry a warning triangle, a spare set of lights and a first-aid kit in the car and you should always keep your driving licence and insurance certificate with you.

CHURCH

Even if you do not regard yourself as particularly devout, there is much to be gained from making contact with the local expatriate church, synagogue or mosque, especially if you are living outside the English-speaking world. This is an ideal place to meet fellow expatriates and, if necessary, seek help.

The Anglican church has chaplaincies all over the world whose prime purpose is to minister to English-speaking communities. It is particularly well represented in Europe and welcomes English-speaking Christians of all denominations. In larger centres there may be other churches serving the expatriate community, including Scottish Presbyterian, Baptist and Methodist.

For further information on the church overseas you should contact organisations such as the Church of Scotland Overseas Council or the Methodist Church Overseas Division. The Intercontinental Church Society publishes a useful Directory of English-Speaking Churches Abroad.

DRIVING

In many countries you can drive for six months or more on your British driving licence. Eventually you will need to exchange it – perhaps with an accompanying translation – for a local driving licence. This is normally a straightforward procedure: you simply have to show your current British licence and provide a few photographs and perhaps a medical certificate, but you may be required to take a driving test.

Although the road signs may be familiar, driving regulations and habits differ from country to country. Further information on this is provided in the book Driving Abroad.

LEGAL MATTERS

I have already mentioned the importance of making a will to cover your assets in your new country of residence, since your UK will may not be recognised there or administrative delays may occur in obtaining probate. If you fail to make a will in France, for instance, your beneficiaries may have to pay 60% of the value of the property to the tax authorities.

In some countries the will has to be prepared by a notary and deposited in a central registry, and you may need to appoint a qualified executor rather than a member of your family. Make sure that your executors (and legal advisers) in Britain are kept informed of any foreign wills you make.

If all your assets are in your country of residence you may decide to dispense with your British will. However, you must bear in mind that inheritance laws vary from country to country, and you are not always free to dispose of your assets as you wish. For example, you may have to leave a proportion of your assets to different members of your family.

LOCAL AUTHORITIES

If you are a householder you will doubtless have to register with the local town hall. In parts of Europe this may entail completing forms, providing proof of identity and proof of ownership of the property. Do not be surprised if you are asked for a few photographs as well. In due course, you will receive a demand for payment of local taxes.

RESIDENCE PERMIT

Although you will have been issued in the UK with a residence visa, this is probably valid for only a short time (typically three months from the issue date) so you cannot begin too soon to register with the appropriate authorities, often the local police department. In Italy, you need to register with the police within three days of your arrival.

You will normally have to take your passport with you and supporting documentation. In Spain, for example, you will need to provide

• four passport photographs;
• a certificate from the British consulate that you are resident in Spain;
• a papel de estado;
• a certificate from your Spanish bank stating your current bank balance or income;
• evidence that you belong to a private health insurance scheme valid in Spain or are eligible for Spanish national health insurance;
• evidence of accommodation (eg title deeds, rental agreement);
• the first names of your parents.

You may well find that your residence certificate has a finite life and that you have to renew it after a period of years.

SOCIAL SECURITY

If you are receiving a state pension, you may be entitled to state health benefits in your country of residence (and you certainly will be within a member state of the European Union. You will normally have to go to the local branch of the health service and present Form E121 and perhaps other personal documentation (eg birth certificate, passport, marriage certificate). You will then receive a certificate of entitlement and possibly be allocated a doctor.

If you are not yet a pensioner and you wish to make use of the state health system you will need to make regular contributions. In several countries you will not be eligible for state benefits and will have to rely on private insurance.

TAXATION

You should take advice on whether you need to register with the tax authorities and obtain a tax code. If your income falls below a certain threshold you may consider this unnecessary, but bear in mind that some countries impose other taxes (eg a wealth tax, based on the value of your assets) for which you may be liable.

Filling in a tax form can be a problem if it is in a language you do not understand very well, and there may be penalties if it is not submitted in good time. For this reason a number of expatriates engage an accountant to complete the form for them.

UTILITIES

If you have bought a new property from a developer the chances are that arrangements will have been made to connect you up to the electricity, gas and water supply. If not, you will need to contact the different companies involved and arrange for connection, for which a charge may be made. You will normally be required to sign a contract and possibly pay a deposit.

In some countries it is customary to complete a direct debit form which enables the different utilities companies to debit your account when payments become due. This avoids the possibility of disconnection if for some reason your payment is delayed.

YOUR NEW ADDRESS

If you have not already done so you need to notify various people and organisations of your new address. Here are some suggestions:

• next of kin in the UK
• other relations
• friends
• bank or building society in the UK
• solicitor in the UK
• Inland Revenue
• insurance company or broker
• journals to which you subscribe
• The Pensions Agency
• pension fund administrator
• tenants or letting agent
• financial adviser.

If you move back to the UK, you will need to go through the same procedure and also include the equivalents in your country of residence.

ACCLIMATISATION

Living in a foreign country is not quite the same as spending a holiday there. Holidays are usually short affairs during which there is no time to get bored because you are surrounded by novelty. But when you are in the same place for years, the novelty wears off, and you need to adjust to your new circumstances.

‘Settling in involves trying to understand what is going on and assimilating new ways of doing things before the next stage of settling down arrives. Some people feel challenged to insist on doing things the British way and fail. The key is to accept a different way of life. It is not always easy.’1

J A S Abecasis-Phillips’ words actually appear in a guide to living in Germany, but the idea they express can be applied to British expatriates in most countries, especially countries that fall outside the Anglo-Saxon tradition – which means most of Europe, for a start.

In non-English speaking countries there is often a communication problem, particularly if your knowledge of the local language is only rudimentary, and it is unwise to assume that everybody will understand you perfectly. If you are prone to making jokes, you should exercise restraint since words spoken in jest might be taken literally by the locals if their standards of humour differ from yours.

Some people try to erect a cordon around themselves in an attempt to create a Little England in the sun. There are, of course, British colonies in Florida whose members hardly ever encounter a real live American despite the absence of any language barrier. This state of affairs may well stem from the fact that people have not really got to grips with their new environment – which, naturally, includes people, as well as climate and scenery.

People in other countries are different, even if their appearance is similar to ours. Their value systems have been shaped by their education, the history of their country, their religion, the attitudes of their leaders (perhaps) and their traditions. This should come as no surprise. We ourselves are a product of a similar process.

Unfamiliar attitudes

The following illustrations demonstrate a few attitudes that may differ from our own:

Attitudes towards authority

In some countries the state appears to have draconian powers, but people are not in the habit of questioning rules and regulations that have been laid down, no matter how illogical they may seem. There may be an underlying fear that if you remove strong controls chaos will ensue.

Attitudes towards time

In some countries punctuality is regarded as a virtue; in others it is a vice. The warmer the climate the less people seem inclined to rush around to meet deadlines. As a retiree you should be happy to adopt a more relaxed attitude towards time.

Attitudes towards privacy

Most British people like to keep their lives private; in other countries participation is the order of the day. People like to do things together rather than alone. This can have advantages, in that complete strangers may be prepared to strike up a conversation with you in trains or restaurants.

Attitudes towards noise

In some countries noise is the inevitable accompaniment to having a good time, and if you complain to the authorities you will be greeted with a blank stare. Perhaps the best policy to adopt is: ‘If you can’t beat them, join them.’

Attitudes towards animals

The Koreans eat dogs; we look on them as friends. The French and Italians shoot birds; many English people prefer to watch them. In parts of the world people look on donkeys as just a means of transport, while we might regard them as creatures with feelings. On the other hand, in countries with a poor animal welfare record chickens run about freely while in Britain most are confined to battery cages.

Attitudes towards women

Although women are supposedly emancipated, in some places old habits die hard. The further south you go the more you will find that men are still very dominant. On the other hand, in many such societies age is revered, and a woman retiree may well be treated with considerable courtesy.

Attitudes towards children

The idea that children should be seen and not heard is quite foreign to certain societies abroad. Children are creatures to be cosseted and spoiled, and parents positively dote on their offspring. The idea of leaving them at home when you go out to dine would be anathema to many a Mediterranean parent.

Once you start to recognise such points of difference you are well on your way to understanding the people of the country you have retired to. Their behaviour may sometimes strike you as strange, but just consider how odd British practices may seem to them.

Rather than criticise or kick up a fuss you have to try to meet people on their own terms. Then, instead of remaining an outsider, you will come to be accepted as part of the local community. In other words you will start to feel at home.