The visa is approved. The excitement is real. Then three weeks before departure, the scramble starts.
Someone is trying to get their medical records in a format their new GP abroad will accept. Someone else just realised their international driving licence application takes 6 weeks and they needed it last month. Another person is trying to wire money abroad and discovering their bank has limits they did not know about. All of these things were fixable at 3 months. At 3 weeks, they are stressful at best and impossible at worst.
Getting the visa is the milestone most people focus on. What happens between visa approval and departure is where the real preparation lives. This checklist covers everything you should be handling in the 3 months before you travel, organised by category so you can work through it systematically without missing anything that will matter later.
Quick Summary
- The 3 months before departure is your last window to sort things that are genuinely easier to handle from Nigeria than from abroad.
- Documents, finances, health, and housing in your destination country are the four categories that cause the most problems if left too late.
- Digitise and back up every important document before you leave. You will need them in formats you can access from anywhere.
- Do not close your Nigerian bank accounts before you leave. You will need them for receiving naira transfers and handling Nigerian financial obligations.
- Tell fewer people your exact travel date. The pressure and expectations that come with a public countdown create real financial and emotional stress in the final weeks.
Documents: The Foundation Everything Else Sits On
[ ] Confirm your visa vignette or approval letter is correct: Check every detail on your visa: your full name, date of birth, visa type, validity dates, and any conditions attached. If anything is wrong, contact the issuing authority immediately. Corrections take time and you do not want to discover an error at the airport.
[ ] Make certified physical copies of all key documents: Before you pack, make two sets of certified photocopies of your passport, visa, degree certificates, birth certificate, and any professional registration certificates. Leave one set with a trusted family member in Nigeria. Pack the other in your hand luggage, separate from the originals.
[ ] Digitise everything and store in the cloud: Scan or photograph every important document and upload to a cloud storage platform you can access from anywhere, Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox. Include your passport, visa, educational certificates, birth certificate, NIN, immunisation records, professional certificates, and your tenancy agreement or accommodation confirmation. If your bag is lost or stolen, your digital copies are your lifeline.
[ ] Get your academic and professional records in transferable format: Your destination country’s institutions or employers may need your records in specific formats. Request official sealed transcripts from your Nigerian university now, before you leave. Some universities take weeks to process this request. For professional records, contact your Nigerian regulatory body about how to transfer or reference your registration from abroad.
[ ] Sort your international driving permit if you will need to drive: An International Driving Permit (IDP) is issued by the Automobile Association of Nigeria (AAN) and requires your valid Nigerian driving licence. Processing takes time. If you plan to drive in your destination country in your first year, apply for this before you leave. Check whether your destination country accepts the IDP and for how long.
Financial: Get This Right Before the Exchange Rate Makes It Harder
[ ] Confirm your bank statements show the required proof of funds pattern If your visa required proof of funds, your bank statements for the months leading up to your departure should still reflect that pattern. Do not make large unexplained withdrawals that change the picture dramatically before you travel. Your bank statements may be reviewed again on arrival or when you open a bank account abroad.
[ ] Set up a domiciliary account if you do not already have one A USD or GBP domiciliary account at a Nigerian bank allows you to receive foreign currency remittances and hold foreign currency in Nigeria. You will almost certainly receive money back in Nigeria at some point, whether as income from a Nigerian side business, rent from a property, or family support. Set this up before you leave so transfers can come in cleanly.
[ ] Research how to open a bank account in your destination country before arrival Most destination countries have banks or financial services that allow new arrivals to open accounts quickly. In the UK, Monzo, Starling, or HSBC’s international account opening service are commonly used by Nigerian arrivals before they have a fixed address. In Canada, some banks allow you to open an account before you arrive through an international banking programme. Research your specific options so you are not cashless for the first week.
[ ] Set up an international money transfer method You will need to send or receive money between Nigeria and your destination country. Research the most cost-effective transfer options for your corridor: Wise, Remitly, and other regulated transfer services all have different rates and fee structures. Set up and verify your account before you leave so it is ready to use immediately on arrival.
[ ] Notify your Nigerian bank of your travel plans Some banks flag international transactions as suspicious and freeze cards. Call your bank and inform them you are relocating. Understand the limits on your naira debit card for international transactions. You do not want your card declined on your first day abroad because the bank did not know you had left.
[ ] Sort any outstanding Nigerian tax obligations If you have been employed formally in Nigeria, obtain your Tax Clearance Certificate from your state internal revenue service or FIRS. You may not need it immediately, but it is harder to chase from abroad and some future applications may ask for it.
Health: Sort This While Nigerian Healthcare Is Still Accessible to You
[ ] Get a full medical check-up and dental review Healthcare abroad, especially in the UK and Canada before your new coverage kicks in, can be expensive or have waiting periods. Get a thorough check-up in Nigeria now. Address anything that can be treated here. A dental issue, a deferred procedure, or a prescription renewal is much simpler to handle before you leave.
[ ] Get your immunisation records in an internationally recognised format Your yellow fever vaccination card is required for travel from Nigeria to many countries. Keep the original safe. Beyond yellow fever, check what immunisations are recommended or required for your destination country. Your doctor can provide a summary of your immunisation history in English that a foreign GP will understand.
[ ] Carry a 3 to 6 month supply of any regular medication If you take regular medication for a chronic condition, carry enough supply to last until you can register with a GP and receive a local prescription abroad. Nigerian brand names may not be available in your destination country, so ask your Nigerian doctor for the generic (international non-proprietary) name of your medication so a foreign pharmacist can find the equivalent.
[ ] Request a medical summary from your Nigerian doctor A brief written summary from your doctor covering your medical history, current conditions, regular medications, and allergies is useful when registering with a new GP abroad. It is not mandatory, but it speeds up the process significantly and ensures continuity of care.
Housing: Confirm Before You Land, Not After
[ ] Confirm your accommodation for at least the first month Do not land abroad without confirmed accommodation. Whether it is a short-term rental, a hostel, a colleague’s flat, or temporary housing arranged through your employer or university, you need somewhere to go directly from the airport. Searching for accommodation without an address is significantly harder in most destination countries.
[ ] Understand your tenancy agreement before you sign it If you are signing a tenancy agreement from Nigeria before you arrive, read every clause. Understand the notice period, the deposit terms, what is included in the rent, and what you are responsible for. In many countries, once you sign, you are legally bound. Ask questions before signing, not after.
[ ] Research your local area before arrival Know where the nearest supermarket, GP surgery, and public transport links are to your accommodation. Knowing your immediate neighbourhood before you land reduces the disorientation of the first week. Google Street View and local community groups (Facebook groups for Nigerians in London, Toronto, etc.) are genuinely useful for this.
Personal and Administrative Affairs in Nigeria
[ ] Brief a trusted person to manage Nigerian affairs in your absence Identify one person, a family member or trusted friend, who can handle things in Nigeria on your behalf. Things like collecting post, managing any property you own, receiving deliveries, or acting in an emergency. If the level of responsibility is significant, consider granting power of attorney formally through a lawyer.
[ ] Sort any Nigerian property or asset arrangements If you own land, property, or a vehicle in Nigeria, make concrete arrangements before you leave. Who will manage a rental property? Who holds the title documents? Is your car insured if it will be parked for a long period? Vague arrangements fall apart quickly when you are 6,000 kilometres away.
[ ] Download offline maps and essential apps for your destination Google Maps offline, the local transit authority app, your bank’s app, your new employer or university’s portal, and the immigration authority’s app if one exists. Download and test these before you travel, while you have stable Nigerian internet to do it.
[ ] Join Nigerian community groups in your destination city Facebook groups, WhatsApp communities, and subreddits for Nigerians in your destination city are genuinely useful sources of on-the-ground information. People who arrived 6 months before you have already solved the problems you are about to face. Join before you leave so you can ask questions while you still have time to act on the answers.
What 3 Months of Preparation Actually Looks Like
Adaeze is a 27-year-old pharmacist from Enugu. Her UK Skilled Worker visa was approved in October with a start date at an NHS Trust in January. She had 3 months.
In October, she sorted her documents: certified copies made, everything digitised and uploaded to Google Drive, sealed pharmacy transcripts requested from her university. She opened a domiciliary account and set up Wise for transfers.
In November, she had a full medical and dental check, got a 4-month supply of her blood pressure medication with the generic name written by her doctor, and confirmed her 2-bedroom flat in Manchester through a university accommodation portal for international staff.
In December, she briefed her older brother with power of attorney for her Enugu property, joined the Nigerians in Manchester Facebook group, downloaded the TfGM transport app, and notified her GTB account of international travel.
She landed in January without a single major crisis. Her first week was still hard, because abroad life is genuinely an adjustment, but the practical problems had been handled. She was tired, not panicking.
That is the difference 3 months of structured preparation makes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I close my Nigerian bank account when I japa? No. Keep at least one Nigerian bank account active. You will need it to receive naira transfers, pay any ongoing Nigerian obligations like property maintenance or family support, and handle financial matters that arise in Nigeria after you leave. Closing accounts you might need later is a decision you almost always regret.
How do I handle my Nigerian pension (PFA) when I relocate? Your pension with a Nigerian Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) remains in your name and continues to exist whether you are in Nigeria or abroad. You can check your balance remotely through most PFA portals. For withdrawals or transfers, the rules depend on your specific PFA and the circumstances. Contact your PFA directly before you leave to understand your options and update your contact details to an email address you actively use.
Do I need to inform NIN or BVN authorities that I am leaving? There is no formal requirement to notify NIMC (NIN) or the CBN (BVN) that you are relocating. What matters is that the contact information attached to your NIN and BVN, particularly your phone number and email, remains accessible to you from abroad. Update these to a number and email you will continue to use after you leave.
What documents should I carry in my hand luggage on travel day? At minimum: your passport, your visa (or BRP if it is a vignette), your flight tickets, your accommodation confirmation for the first night, contact details for your employer or university, some local currency in cash (in case your card does not work immediately), and a photocopy of your key documents separate from the originals. Do not put anything irreplaceable in checked luggage.
What if something goes wrong and I need to delay my departure? Inform your employer or university immediately. Most have policies for delayed start dates, especially for international hires, but they need advance notice. If your delay affects your visa start date, check the conditions of your visa carefully. Some visas have a window within which you must first enter the country. Check your specific visa conditions on the issuing authority’s website.
Three Months Is More Than Enough Time, If You Start Now
The checklist above is long. But none of it is difficult when you have 3 months. It becomes difficult when you have 3 weeks.
Work through each section systematically. Start with documents and finances in month one. Move to health and housing in month two. Handle personal affairs and final logistics in month three.
Print this checklist or save it to your phone. As you complete each item, check it off. The goal is to board that flight with no outstanding tasks that will follow you abroad and demand your attention during the hardest part of settling in.
DeyWithMe has supporting guides for most of the items on this list, from document authentication to opening a UK bank account as a new arrival. Use them as you work through the checklist so each step has the detail you need to do it properly.
