While it might be a time of great excitement and rejoicing in the family that you would be relocating abroad, one of the critical decisions that you have to take is what to do with your most favorite item of possession – your personal car. Firstly remember that taking a car along with you when you going to settle abroad, is not an easy matter and not a very chap proposal at the same time. It is not like taking your car from one State to another. You are going to another country in the globe, which has its own set of import and export rules, different customs and immigration rules, tougher traffic and road rules and most importantly will require you to have an international driving permit to drive in that country. Over and above all these points there are some other matters involved in international car shipping which requires a bit of brainstorming. Here are some of the thoughts on the matter which deserve your consideration:

• Do you really need a personal car in the foreign country?
• How easy or difficult is it to move your car abroad?
• What could be the customs and import limitations applicable to the host country?
• Will your employer cover the cost of relocation of your car?
• What are the car maintenance standards in that country? Can you afford to maintain your car there?
• Can you bring it back with you when you return to your home country?
• Will you be able to re-sell the car in the host country or even when you bring you it back?
• Are you aware of the International driving permit rules applicable to the new country?

There are many similar questions, which you should be able to answer and be convinced that you indeed wish to relocate your car and then take informed decisions.

Taking your car to a foreign car is only half the job complete; you need an International driving Permit (IDP) to be able to drive your car in that country. While some countries will allow you to drive your car if you have a valid driver’s license from your home country, some countries need an additional IDP. There are some countries which allow you to use the IDP while you are in the process of acquiring a local driving license from the host country. Remember, and IDP by itself is not a driving license but a certification which is available in nine languages - Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish. While driving in a foreign country, if for any reason you are accosted by a police officer and you show the IDP, this means that you are a owner of a proper national license of your home country and your credentials should not be ignored. The IDP is convenient to have in the sense that it can save you from hours of delay or harassment in case of an unfortunate case of traffic violation in a foreign country.