If you are planning a long-distance move, you need to get your paperwork together before you move. Long-distance moves often involve your belongs showing up either before or after you do, making it vital that you have all your papers together. Additionally, moving long distance means that you will not only need to move into a new home, but you will need to find a new doctor, a new vet and a new school for your kids. You will need to gather the right paperwork for all of these new things in your life.

Personal Information

You need to make sure that you have personal information handy for all members of your family. Make sure that you have access to the originals or copies of the following information:

• Birth Certificate
• Social Security Card
• Passport
• Photo ID
• Driver's License
• Marriage License
• Adoption Records

You may need access to this information long before you start to unpack all the boxes from your move. 

Home Information

If you are selling your home and purchasing a new home, make sure that you keep out all paperwork you need for the sale of your home. You'll also want to keep the deed to your new home close by.

If you are moving out of or into a rental home, make sure that you have the rental contract nearby. You can use the contract to ensure that everything goes as agreed upon during your move. 

Insurance Information

Make sure you have access to and copies of all your insurance information handy, including your:

• homeowner's insurance
• renter's insurance
• car insurance
• medical insurance

You never know when you may need to use your insurance or contact your insurance company. 

School Records

If you have children, you are going to need to get copies of their official school records. You are going to need these records in order to enroll your children in their new schools. Some schools will transfer the records for you to your child's new school, and others will require you to do so. 

Medical Records

Moving long distance means that you are going to need to find a new primary care provider for your entire family as well as new dentist. If you see any specialists, you will also need to find new doctors in those areas as well.

Before you move, you need to contact all of the medical professionals that your family sees and either obtain copies of your medical records so you have them on hand to give your new doctors. Or you need to visit all your family's doctors and provide them with written permission to transfer your files to your new doctors. 

If you or any of your family members take medications, you will want to make sure that you can transfer the prescriptions to a pharmacy in your new town. Or you will need to obtain new prescriptions so you can have them filled when you get to your new home. 

Pet Records

If you have animals, you need to get all of their paperwork together. You will need to visit your veterinarian and get a copy of all of their medical files. You will also need to see if you will have to register your animals with the local government when you get to your new home. If that is the case, you'll want to make sure that you also have evidence of your pet's vaccinations and any other additional information required to register your animals.

When you move long-distance, you need to do more than get your personal belongings ready for the moving services' truck. You also need to make sure that your entire life is ready to move to a new location. Makes sure you collect all the records you need before you leave your old hometown and set off on the road to a new home.