Moving abroad as an LGBTQ+ person: a practical checklist

Before you say yes: laws and culture

Moving abroad is one of the biggest things you can do for your life, and as an LGBTQ+ person it comes with a question most of your colleagues never have to ask: can I be myself there? Start with the law. Read your own government's official travel advice for the country, which usually covers LGBTQ+ issues, and look up whether same-sex relationships, gender recognition and anti-discrimination protections are recognised. Then read beyond the law. A country can be legally fine and socially cold, or legally patchy and warm in the right city.

Talk to queer people who live there now. Local LGBTQ+ organisations, expat groups and the comment threads under city guides will tell you more about daily life than any statute. Our LGBTQ+ travel guide covers the short-trip version of this check and is a good warm-up.

Choosing the city and the neighbourhood

Within a country, the city matters more than the country, and within a city, the neighbourhood matters more than the city. Look for the gayborhood, but also for the mixed areas where younger queer people actually live now. Think about your commute at night, how you will get home from the places you want to go, and whether you can hold hands on your own street without thinking about it. Our city guide covers the queer neighbourhoods and venues in the cities we know best.

If you can, visit before you commit and spend an evening in the neighbourhood you are considering, on an ordinary weekday rather than during Pride.

Paperwork, especially for couples

Immigration rules are specific to each country and change often, so take what follows as a list of questions to put to a qualified immigration adviser, not as advice.

• Will your relationship be recognised for a partner visa? Some countries recognise marriage only, some recognise registered partnerships, some recognise neither for same-sex couples.
• If you are married, is the marriage recognised locally, and what does that mean for tax, housing, inheritance and hospital visits?
• If you are trans, will your documents be accepted as they are, and what is the process for updating them locally if you need to?
• If you have children, how is parenthood recognised for both parents?
• Keep official copies of every document, translated where required, somewhere you can reach from anywhere.

Finding community before you land

The loneliest moment of a move is the first weekend in an empty flat. Shrink it by arriving with names already in your phone. Join the city's queer groups online a couple of months ahead and introduce yourself as someone arriving soon. Ask the local LGBTQ+ centre what happens for newcomers. Find one regular event, a run club, a book group or a quiz, that you will go to in your first week, and tell them you are coming. Our guide to finding your LGBTQ+ community in a new city goes through this step by step.

Apps that show communities and places, not only profiles, let you see what is near your new address before you have even unpacked.

Healthcare continuity

This is not medical advice; it is a reminder to plan. Before you leave, ask your current doctor for a summary of your care, your prescriptions with generic names and any ongoing treatment, and ask how much medication you can legally carry with you. Find out how you will access healthcare in the new country, how long registration takes and whether there is an LGBTQ+ friendly clinic or doctor nearby. Local LGBTQ+ organisations often keep a list.

Check that any treatment you rely on, including HIV prevention or treatment, hormones or mental health support, is available and how it is prescribed, and arrange to bridge any gap. Make sure your travel or private insurance covers the period before you are in the local system.

The first month

• Week one: sort the essentials, then go to the one regular event you promised yourself. Say you are new; it is disarming in any room.
• Week two: walk the gayborhood in daylight and find the community centre, the queer bookshop and a café you could become a regular at.
• Week three: say yes to every invitation, even the odd ones. Invite one person you have met to one thing.
• Week four: pick two things to keep doing weekly. Register with a doctor if you have not. Call home and notice how much you have to tell them.
• Throughout: be patient. A life takes a few months to grow, and the second month is always easier than the first.

A short checklist to copy

• Official travel advice read; LGBTQ+ legal position understood.
• City and neighbourhood chosen with queer life and a safe route home in mind.
• Visa and relationship recognition questions answered by a qualified adviser.
• Documents copied, translated where needed, and backed up.
• Doctor's summary and prescriptions in hand; new clinic identified; insurance covers the gap.
• Two online groups joined and one event booked for week one.
• Emergency numbers and your embassy's address saved; a friend at home knows your new address.
• Waimz™ installed, so you can see the LGBTQ+ friendly places, communities and people around your new home from day one. Waimz is live on Android, with iOS coming soon: see the download page.