Who to Notify When Moving and Changing Your Address to a Different Country

Relocating is exciting and challenging, and the whole process requires doing a lot of different things and handling various tasks. If you start wondering who to notify when moving, you are already on the right track. This article can help you remember all the important people and institutions you need to update about this change, so the whole process goes smoothly and without any unnecessary complications.

Who All Needs to Be Notified When You Move?

You must be head over heels from the excitement that the long-awaited relocation day is finally approaching, and you want to be sure everything goes smoothly. But an efficient move requires more than just a strong will, especially if you are relocating internationally. In order to experience only the benefits of relocation and avoid common moving mistakes, you need to follow a strict relocation guide. 

Every good moving abroad checklist must have an address changing task and other tasks that are related to this one. Unfortunately, this is one of the most common things you forget to do when relocating. This is actually a pretty simple thing to do, but out of many other responsibilities, people often leave this one out. This can later cause many unnecessary complications that could have been easily avoided if only you remembered to do this on time. Luckily, now that you found this convenient reminder, there should be no such problems. 

You can follow step by step guide and avoid making mistakes during your relocation process. If you want to keep in touch with friends when relocating, they should definitely be the ones notified about your upcoming move to another country, especially if you are relocating abroad alone. No matter what your reasons for relocating are, you want to keep in touch with important people in order to feel less lonely once everything changes. You should also inform authorities – you’ll be in contact with some of the important institutions while gathering documents needed to travel abroad, but this is still not the end of the list. Dive into this article and find out who to notify of a change of address.

When Should You Change Your Address When Moving?

As soon as you decide where to live overseas and start packing for your move, you should start thinking about the best way to notify the change of address. Some experts advise that you should make these changes at least two weeks before the relocation date – this way, you’ll prevent important mail from getting lost in the process. Everything after that makes the risk of losing something important bigger.

When You Move, Who Should You Notify? Changing Your Address Formally Is Very Important

If you do not want to risk losing important bills and information, it is good to begin at the local post office. If you inform them on time, every mail that goes over the post and gets to your old place will be forwarded to your new place for 12 months. 

How to Change Address in the Post Office?

One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to make the necessary changes at the Post Office by filling out PS Form 3575. This is a simple process that won’t require any significant expenses, so there is no need to worry even if you are relocating on a low budget. 

Unfortunately, you can’t finish the whole process online – if you’re moving out of the country, you need to do this in person. Once you fill out all the needed information, including details about your name and old and new address, you can set all the changes for a specific date. This can be very convenient because you’ll still get the mail at your old place until the last day you stay here.

After the selected date, mail will be arriving at your new house – maybe even before you get there, so the fun letter that your friend sent you can wait for you and help you adjust to a new country knowing that your loved ones think and care about you. It is recommended that you do this at least one week before the move.

You Should Also Inform Tax Agencies

After successfully notifying the post office, you should proceed with the process, and the next on your to-do list should be tax agencies. You need to inform both the state agency and the general revenue agency that you are relocating. The IRS also offers a convenient online form where you can simply type in the necessary details and make all the changes without any complications.

For the state tax agency, it is required that you go to a specific state government’s website (there is no one universal website for the whole country) and find directions there. Luckily, in most states, there is a way to make all the changes online as well – just be sure to follow the required steps from the checklist. 

Ensure Social Security Administration Is Aware of Your Move

This is an essential rule for those who are receiving any kind of social security benefits, but for all the other residents as well. You should inform the Social Security Administration that you are about to move and where you are going to live from that moment on. You can also find the online form for making necessary changes on their official website. If you do not find this method convenient, you can also contact them at (800) 772-1213 and ask them for additional information if you have any questions about the whole transition. 

Transfer Your Utilities and Other Services on Time

Depending on the sort of utilities you’re responsible for and the bills you’ll be receiving at your house, you also need to plan all the necessary changes when it comes to this aspect. Some of the most important utility providers  everyone should consider notifying are:

• Gas and electricity,
• Phone,
• Cable,
• Internet,
• Water department,
• Garbage and recycling.

Gas and Electricity Should Be First on Your List

Who gets notified when you change your address? As soon as you know that the move is happening, changing information for your gas and electricity is mandatory. You do not want to forget about this one and risk spending the last days in your old home or your first days at the new one without electricity or heating. While making the electricity transfer, you want to ensure that the shut-off is scheduled at the end of the relocation day and the electricity service starts in the morning of the first day at your new home or during the evening before.

You Should Also Transfer Your Cable, Phone, and the Internet

Don’t lie to yourself that you can comfortably spend some time without cable and internet – this can easily turn the first days at your home into a nightmare, so avoid potential drama by transferring these on time. You just have to call your providers or contact them in any other way you find convenient to let them know that the change is happening and give them the details about your requirements.

If you’re not pleased with the current provider’s offer, this can be an excellent chance to make some changes in that field as well. Also, ensure to inform your cell phone provider to send your bills to your new home – you do not want to risk not paying them because they got to your old address. 

Inform Home or Renters’ Insurance Agency

If you are planning to move, do not wait for some fragile objects to break in order to remember that you should update your insurance policy. In case you have renters’ insurance or are in the process of getting it, there is a chance that your landlord will require proof of your relocation prior to the move-in date. You can ask them for additional options that are related to protecting your inventory during the relocation process, but most companies do not offer this kind of insurance. It is highly recommended that you hire a professional international moving company and get the proper insurance they offer. This is an essential part of the relocation service, especially if you’re relocating internationally.

Ensure Your Bank and Credit Company Is Notified as Well

Making big transitions is significant for your bank and credit company. For example, if you do not let them know that you moved and they see suspicious usage of your card far away from the place that you suppose to be, they might suspect that your card has been stolen or there is some unauthorized usage of your bank account. 

This is one of the many reasons why you should inform your bank that you’re relocating to another home and give them information about your new apartment – where it is located and where they can send you mail, such as monthly reviews of your transactions. You can simply call them or update the information online. It would be great if your loans couldn’t find you, but unless you want to get into some problems because of unpaid debts, you should inform loan providers about your move as well. 

Who to Notify of Address Change? Other Important Agencies and Organizations

Apart from the previously mentioned authorities that should be notified first, you should also inform:

• Other financial agencies and platforms – PayPal, Investment account holders, Credit unions, Credit reporting agencies, and so on,
• Magazine subscriptions and other subscription services,
• Online shopping sites and other delivery companies where you have accounts that include your personal details,
• Clubs and organizations that you’re a member of,
• Other individual service providers.

Don’t Forget to Inform Family Members and Friends

Family members won’t charge you any fee if you don’t inform them about your move, but it might hurt their feelings if you don’t tell them important news. They can also send you invitations for birthday parties or weddings to your home, but without you there to accept these invitations, you can miss out on some of the most important moments in their life, which can be really sad. You can simply send them emails or call them to inform them that you are relocating, so you prevent these kinds of problems. 

You Can Notify Your Friends and Family at Your Going Away Party

If you are looking for a way to notify all of your friends and family members about the relocation, organizing a going away party could be a perfect opportunity to do it. They will be more than happy to hear all about big changes in your life, and you can feel comfortable knowing that they are all informed and know how to reach out if necessary. 

Now That You Know Who to Notify When Moving, the Only Thing Left Is to Look for a Trustworthy Overseas Moving Company

Considering how many people, institutions, and businesses you have to inform about the move, finding a trustworthy overseas shipping company and getting professional relocation services can make the whole process much easier. You won’t have to bother about packing furniture and other tasks – you can simply get professional packing services and focus on deciding who to notify when you move before moving overseas. Since you’ll be shipping overseas, it’s better to leave these tasks to the professionals.