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Your friendly starting point

Turn “we could move” into a plan your family can research

Begin with the question you can answer today: which destination fits, how the five countries compare, or what needs doing first.

Find your family’s fitCompare the five countries
A calm research route
  1. Comparecountry and city fit
  2. Proveschools, visas and care
  3. Budgetthe whole family move
  4. Preparethe move and UK exit
  5. Decidewith the trade-offs visible

Choose your way in

Three useful places to begin

You do not need to read the site in order. Pick the route closest to the decision currently taking up space in your head.

  1. 01

    Find your strongest destination fit

    Answer seven practical questions and get an immediate shortlist across Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Bali and the Philippines.

    Take the two-minute quiz
  2. 02

    Compare all five destinations

    Put family costs, international schools, visa routes, healthcare and the journey from the UK side by side.

    Open the big comparison
  3. 03

    Put the move in a sensible order

    Work through the family relocation checklist from early research to schools, paperwork, healthcare, housing and departure.

    Use the relocation checklist

The whole move, connected

Six decisions that need to agree with each other

A beautiful destination is not workable if the visa, school, healthcare or budget fails. Research these as one family system, not six separate browser tabs.

Browse the complete guide library
  • Schools

    Curriculum, fees, admissions and the school-home journey.

  • Visas

    Main applicants, dependants, work rights and renewals.

  • Healthcare

    Hospital depth, insurance and medical evacuation planning.

  • Family budget

    Housing, school, transport, care and overlooked setup costs.

  • Where to live

    Fifteen city and island bases researched for family life.

  • Leaving the UK

    HMRC, pensions, ISAs, NHS records and the family home.

The half most relocation sites miss

Plan how your family leaves the UK, too

HMRC, pensions, ISA contributions, NHS access and the family home can all affect the move. Our UK exit hub puts those questions into a practical departure sequence.

Start the UK exit plan

Straight answers

Starting a family move to Southeast Asia

Where should I begin if we have not chosen a country?

Start with the destination quiz, then compare its first and second suggestions in the five-country guide. Treat the result as a research order rather than a verdict: confirm the visa route, school availability, healthcare access and a realistic budget before choosing a place.

How far ahead should a family start planning a move to Southeast Asia?

Nine to twelve months gives many families enough time to compare schools, prove a visa route, organise healthcare and deal with UK departure administration without forcing every decision at once. School application cycles or complex tax and property questions may justify starting earlier.

Does SettleHappy arrange visas, schools or relocation services?

No. SettleHappy is an independent information platform. It helps families research and sequence decisions, then points out where current official rules or individual circumstances require a school, authorised immigration professional, tax adviser, solicitor or regulated financial adviser.

Can I use the guides before visiting a destination?

Yes. The research tools are designed for planning from home. Use them to reduce five countries to a smaller evidence-led shortlist, compare family bases and decide what must be verified during a later research trip or with a relevant provider.

Before you go

Take the family move checklist with you

A practical PDF to help you research schools, visas, healthcare, housing and moving day in a sensible order.

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