Expat families hold official paperwork issued in two or more countries, and five documents in particular are worth reviewing on a set date each year. Expiry dates, name spellings and addresses can fall out of line across countries, and the differences are usually spotted when a deadline is already close. Keeping the originals in one folder, with scanned copies stored where they can be reached from anywhere, makes the yearly check quick and easy to repeat.
1. Passports and visas
Check the expiry date of every passport, residence permit and visa in the household, and diarise the date renewal should begin rather than the date of expiry. Most countries expect passports to have at least three or six months left on arrival, and a child’s passport often runs out sooner than a parent’s, so the family’s dates rarely line up. A note of each visa’s conditions and sponsor belongs in the same folder, and starting early leaves room for appointments in the country of residence.
2. Wills and guardianship
A will that names a guardian shows courts and local authorities who the parents would choose to care for their children. Where no guardian has been named, the local authorities may decide where children live, and the options can include foster care. Wills made in one country aren’t always recognised in another, so have each one checked by a lawyer locally, note where the signed copies are kept and tell the named guardians where to find them.
3. Civil certificates
Schools, employers and local offices abroad often ask for a recent certified copy of each birth, marriage and adoption certificate rather than a photocopy, and some also want a certified translation, so it’s worth getting fresh copies early. Check that names and dates are spelled identically on every record, because a single different spelling can hold up an application, and keep the originals flat in a sealed folder away from damp. Some offices accept a copy only if it was issued in the last few months, so check the local rule before ordering more copies.
4. Health cover
Keep the current insurance policy, the policy number, the claims contact and a list of what’s covered together, along with each child’s vaccination record and a note of any ongoing treatment. A new doctor or school abroad will often ask for these, and cover is worth rereading at every renewal, since a change of country or a new family member can alter what the policy includes and what the excess is.
5. Tax paperwork
Day counts often decide where a family is treated as resident for tax, so hold on to recent tax returns, proof of the days spent in each country and any certificate of residence issued by a tax authority. Filing everything by tax year, with the days recorded as they happen rather than rebuilt later, saves a good deal of effort.
Once the review is finished, scan each document and keep digital copies with a trusted contact as well as in cloud storage, so replacements are quicker to arrange from wherever the family is living. Booking the next review in the calendar before closing the folder keeps the habit going.
