First 90 Days Abroad Checklist

Free planning checklist

Get the First 90 Days Abroad checklist.

A calm, practical checklist for Americans planning a one- to three-month test stay abroad, plus a biweekly email rhythm for budgets, healthcare, documents, phones, housing, and choosing a first base abroad.

Free downloadBiweekly practical emailsBuilt for trial stays abroad

Email me the checklist

Enter your email and the checklist will be sent to your inbox. You will also get practical Settling Abroad emails every other week, with useful destination notes and current links that matter for long-stay planning.

No fantasy-expat funnel. Practical planning emails about budgets, healthcare, documents, phones, housing, and choosing a first base abroad.

This request records your consent for the checklist and biweekly Settling Abroad emails. No site account is created.

What the checklist covers

This is built for realistic long-stay planning, not fantasy-expat daydreaming. The goal is to keep the first stay reversible, organized, and less fragile.

  • Picking a first base without over-researching every country
  • Apartment, Wi-Fi, phone, money, and medication checks
  • Documents and backup access you want before travel day
  • Arrival-week checks before small problems become trip problems
  • A simple 30/60/90-day rhythm for deciding what comes next
  • Clear prompts for deciding whether to stay longer or change course

Practical promise: this is a plain-English planning pass, not a vague newsletter teaser. Fill out the form and the printable PDF checklist is emailed automatically.

Use these guides with the checklist

The checklist works best when it is paired with the deeper setup guides. Start with these if you are planning a one- to three-month stay, a trial retirement base, or a longer stay abroad.

Money access backup planSet up account access before a small banking issue becomes a trip problem. Digital document organizationPut passports, insurance, leases, and key records where you can actually reach them. Prescription refill planningCheck medication rules and refill paths before travel day. First apartment checksTest the basics while problems are still easy to report and fix.

For the short planning path, use this checklist before comparing apartments, neighborhoods, and arrival-week logistics.