Before you move
Time
1 to 2 hours, spread over a few weeks
Cost
Free to around €50 for a redirection service
Difficulty
Easy
What to bring
A list of who has your old address, banks, subscriptions, government bodies
A forwarding address, a friend, family member, or your new address once confirmed
Your options
Your postal service's redirection service
Royal Mail, USPS, Canada Post, Australia Post, and similar all offer one
Free to around €50
Covers the transition period while you update senders one by one. Most run from 3 to 12 months.
Virtual mailbox or mail-scanning service
Scans and forwards mail digitally
€10 to 30/month
Overkill for most people, but useful if you're keeping a financial or legal tie to your home country.
Prices checked August 2026
Do it
- 1
Set up mail redirection before you leave
Most postal services let you set this up online a few weeks ahead, it buys you time to update everyone individually. Put the end date in your calendar the day you book it: redirection runs for a fixed term, usually 3, 6 or 12 months, and mail simply stops arriving when it lapses.
- 2
Update banks, employers, and government bodies
These bounce hardest if missed, most let you change your address online or by phone before you fly.
- 3
Cancel or pause subscriptions tied to your old address
Gyms, local deliveries, and anything with a fixed-location contract. Check cancellation notice periods, some need 30 to 60 days.
- 4
Update your billing address on cards and subscriptions
Streaming, software, and shopping accounts often just need a new billing address, not a full cancellation.
Full checklist tracking and task completion live in the Ternli app for Dubai.