Moving can be stressful. Moving overseas is worse. Your best ally through what is sure to be a hectic move is organization. As soon as you know you're leaving get a calendar that is specifically for the move. Put all the important things on it to help keep your move on track. The following are some of the things you'll need to add to your timeline:
-Passports: as soon as you get word you're going. Go to the Navy (or Army, etc) Travel Office and start the process. The timeframe to get passports is 4-8 weeks...although it can be quicker. The Navy Travel office will help you acquire no-fee passports. These will allow you to go anywhere in Italy. If you want to travel outside the country you'll need to get tourist passports. All family members moving with you need passports. You can read about no-fee passports HERE.
-Visas: as soon as you have a passport. If you have dependants moving to Naples with you, they will also need Visas. The Navy Travel office will assist you with the Visa application. You cannot apply for a Visa until you have a passport. Visa turnaround depends on your current location, but is generally about 3 weeks.
-Pack-out: your choice, usually a few days before your flight. You will have 3 packouts: an express shipment (arrival appx 4-6 weeks), your regular shipment (goes by boat - arrival in 2-6 months) and a storage packout (item you're putting in storage in the states for the duration of your overseas tour - the military pays for this storage).
-Pet rabies shot: 2 months before you leave. The rabies vaccine needs to be given within a year but not within 30 days of when you arrive in Italy. You will need the rabies certificate to check your animal onto the flight.
-Pet health certificate: Within 10 days prior to your arrival in Italy. Your pet will need a health certificate from your State Veterinarian in order to enter Italy. Call your vet and arrange for the check-up, and make sure they can issue the certificate. They need to be USDA endorsed. This certificate will also need to be signed by your State's Veterinarian. You can see a list of state veterinarians HERE. Leave this to the last day possible, in case of a flight delay. The certificate needs to be within 10 days of your pets arrival in Italy...you don't want to do it too early.
-Overseas screening: Immediate. You must have your orders to begin this process. As soon as you get orders START. It is a long process. You get the overseas screening packet from Staff Transfers at PSD.
-Mail: One week to ten days before arrival in Italy. If there are things you want to have when you arrive, that you don't want to pack with you on the plane, mail them a week to ten days before your arrival. Your sponsor should be able to give you your FPO address. Packages must be shipped US Postal Service - use the flat rate boxes, you can pack them heavy and they are only $12.95 (as of 1.1.12) to ship. Items good for this shipment are litterboxes, baby food & diapers, medications, etc. There is a NEX in Naples but the last thing you'll want to do after you land is go find a litterbox for fluffy.
-Household Goods: The first business day you are in Italy, call the moving company who packed your Household Goods Shipment and tell them you've arrived so they can send your stuff. It goes by boat and isn't quick, so the sooner they get going, the better.
-Rx's: One month before you leave. Ask if you can get double refills, explain that you're moving overseas. You don't want to have to worry about refilling an Rx within the fist few weeks that you're here.
-Household Goods: The first business day you are in Italy, call the moving company who packed your Household Goods Shipment and tell them you've arrived so they can send your stuff. It goes by boat and isn't quick, so the sooner they get going, the better.
-Rx's: One month before you leave. Ask if you can get double refills, explain that you're moving overseas. You don't want to have to worry about refilling an Rx within the fist few weeks that you're here.
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