Keep Your Mobile Office Supplied When Working Abroad

If you’re heading overseas for business, make sure you have all your bases covered when it comes to office supplies. The last thing you want to worry about when you make it to your foreign destination is where to find pens and paper. When packing up your office and heading abroad, here are just a few business-related supplies to remember.

Packing Priorities: Paperwork and Identification

Before you pack your stapler and your favorite pen, make sure you have the appropriate travel documents for working and living abroad. These include, but aren’t limited to passports, visas, and work permits. Regardless of what you plan to do overseas, you’ll need an up-to-date passport with plenty of time left before it expires. A visa is necessary if you’re staying for an extended period of time. Requirements differ by country, but three months or more usually calls for a visa. Finally, you’ll also need a work permit if you plan on earning an income while living abroad.

Office Supplies

You’re not going to pack your entire desk when you travel abroad for business, but there are a few things you’ll want to bring along for the journey. Office standards like pens, pencils, file folders, and three-ring binders are always good to have on hand, while getting your business bearings straight. Likewise, you’ll also want a dedicated paper calendar and address book. Sure, your smartphone handles all of that, but it’s also good to have important dates and contacts on paper as a backup while traveling. Luckily, Walmart is one of the leading providers of office supplies and has stores in 27 countries worldwide, so you’ll never come up short in the supplies department.

Electronics

Wherever you’re going for business, you’ll likely bring some electronics along for the overseas journey. Whether you’re taking a working holiday in New Zealand or starting a web design firm in Italy, a laptop computer is indispensable. So make sure you have a sturdy travel case that includes plenty of storage space for a charger, external hard drive, and other accessories. Likewise, make sure you have a universal plug adapter kit. According to Forbes, your best bet for making phone calls overseas is to “get a local or international SIM card and use Skype or similar.”

Professional Attire

Don’t neglect your appearance when working abroad, especially if your line of work calls for meeting customers face-to-face. Make sure you pack professional attire or a wardrobe that represents your job appropriately. Be careful when shopping for clothes in a foreign country, size standards often differ from that in North America, and size options may be limited. It’s safer to shop at home and pack your professional attire for travel. Fast Company suggests that you “pack only one color of pants and one (matching) jacket” so that you can optimize the number of accessories you need. By keeping in mind the tips above, you’ll have a successful transition to your new line of work abroad.