Families rarely begin with a clear question. More often there is a feeling: that a child would thrive in a different education system, that the family wants more options for the future, that a career or a business might grow further somewhere else. This worksheet helps turn that feeling into a decision you can explain, to each other and to yourselves.

It is designed to be printed and filled in by hand, over two or three sittings rather than one. Work through the chapters in order:

1. Values and goals — what the family is really trying to achieve.
2. Each person's priorities — what matters to each member, in their own words.
3. Constraints — the things that are fixed, or nearly fixed.
4. Timeline — when things need to happen, and what cannot move.
5. The paths — a short description of each option.
6. The weighted decision matrix — a structured way to compare options.
7. Conversations — prompts for parents and children to talk openly.
8. Preparing for a consultation — what to bring if you would like expert help.

There are no right answers here. The aim is not to reach a score, but to understand your own reasons clearly. It is perfectly normal to finish this worksheet with more questions than you started with. Those questions are useful.

A note on accuracy: rules on visas, residency, citizenship, tax and admissions differ by country and change often. This worksheet helps you think; it does not replace advice from official sources or qualified professionals.

Start with the why. Each adult, and each child old enough to take part, should answer separately first, then compare.

Individual reflection

• In five years, I would like our family to be: ______________________________
• The main reason I am thinking about a move or a change is: ______________________________
• If nothing changed, what would I regret? ______________________________
• What would I be sad to lose if we did change? ______________________________
• What does "a good outcome" look like to me? ______________________________

Ranking what matters

Tick the five values that matter most to you, then number them 1 to 5.

Family goal statement

After comparing your answers, write one or two sentences you all agree with.

Our family goal: ______________________________

A decision that works for one family member and not another rarely lasts. Give every person a column. Children can answer with help, in their own words.

After filling it in:

• Circle any answer that appears in more than one column. These are shared priorities.
• Underline any answers that pull in opposite directions. These need a conversation (see Chapter 7).

Constraints are not failures of ambition. They are the edges of the map, and knowing them saves time.

Tick every constraint that applies

• A child is at a key stage of school and timing matters (for example, before examinations or before secondary school).
• One or both parents have work commitments that are hard to move.
• A business needs ongoing presence in the current country.
• Care responsibilities for older relatives.
• Health needs that require particular care or continuity.
• Language: a family member would find a new language difficult.
• Budget: some options may be out of reach. (You do not need to write figures here; simply note whether budget is a significant constraint.)
• Nationality: some destinations have different rules for different passports.
• Tax or legal complexity that needs specialist advice.
• Pets, property or other commitments.

Describe your main constraints

• Our firmest constraint is: ______________________________
• A constraint that might be more flexible than we think: ______________________________
• Something we have not yet checked: ______________________________

Key dates and windows

Questions about timing

• When would we ideally like a decision? ______________________________
• When would we ideally like to move, if we move? ______________________________
• Are we deciding now, or preparing options for later? ______________________________

Remember that processes for admissions, visas, residency and citizenship each have their own timelines, which vary by country and change. Build in generous margins and confirm current timings with official sources.

Here is a short description of each path, with questions to help you judge whether it fits. Many families combine two or more.

Study abroad

A child, or an adult, studies at a school or university in another country.

• Does the student want this, in their own words? ______________________________
• Which education systems suit the student's strengths? ______________________________
• Would the family move too, or would the student go alone? ______________________________

Relocation

The family moves to live in another country, usually through a work, family, study or other visa route.

• Which countries are we seriously considering? ______________________________
• Which visa or permit routes might suit us? (Check official sources.) ______________________________

Residency or citizenship by investment

Some countries offer residence rights, and a smaller number offer citizenship, to people who make a qualifying investment. The rules, requirements and availability of these programmes change often, and each deserves careful due diligence.

• Do we want the right to live somewhere now, or an option for the future? ______________________________
• Do we understand the difference between residence and citizenship for our family? ______________________________
• What questions do we have about tax and obligations? (Take qualified advice.) ______________________________

A career abroad

One or both adults pursue work in another country.

• Is my profession regulated in the destination, and would my qualifications be recognised? ______________________________
• Would I move with an employer, or look for work after arriving? ______________________________

A business abroad

Starting, expanding or moving a business to another country.

• Why this market? ______________________________
• What would the business need locally: an entity, staff, licences, premises? ______________________________
• Does any visa route depend on the business? ______________________________

The matrix turns your values into a structured comparison. It will not make the decision for you, but it often shows where the real disagreement or uncertainty lies.

Instructions

1. Choose your criteria. Use your top values from Chapter 1 and add anything essential from Chapters 2 to 4. Five to eight criteria is usually enough.
2. Weight each criterion from 1 (nice to have) to 5 (essential). Agree the weights as a family before scoring anything.
3. List your options across the top. These can be paths ("study in the UK") or combinations ("relocate to Japan, children in international school").
4. Score each option against each criterion from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). Score honestly; where you do not know, write "?" and note what you need to find out.
5. Multiply each score by its weight and write the result in the small box.
6. Add up each column for a total.
7. Discuss the result. If the top option surprises you, ask why. The surprise is often more useful than the number.

Worked example (illustrative only)

For example, a family might weight "education for the children" at 5 and "close to grandparents" at 3. If Option A scores 4 for education and 2 for grandparents, its weighted scores are 20 and 6. This is an invented illustration of the method, not a recommendation.

Your matrix

After the matrix

• The option that scored highest: ______________________________
• Does it feel right? Why or why not? ______________________________
• Which scores were guesses ("?")? ______________________________
• What would change the result? ______________________________

Tip: ask each family member to score separately, then compare. Large differences in a single cell are a good place to begin a conversation.

These prompts are designed to be used calmly, perhaps over a walk or a meal rather than around a table with papers. Choose two or three at a time.

For parents to discuss together

• Are we both trying to solve the same problem?
• What would each of us give up for this, and what would we not?
• How will we decide if we disagree?
• How much of this is about the children, and how much is about us? Both are valid.
• What would "not yet" look like, and would that be acceptable?

For parents to ask children

• What do you love about where we live now?
• What would you miss most?
• What would you be curious to try somewhere new?
• What worries you about moving or studying abroad?
• If you could design your ideal school or university, what would it be like?

For older children and young adults to ask parents

• Why are we thinking about this now?
• How much say do I have in the decision?
• What happens to my friends, activities and plans?
• What if I do not like it?

Ground rules for good conversations

• Listen fully before responding.
• Treat worries as information, not obstacles.
• It is fine to pause a conversation and return to it.
• Nobody is "for" or "against"; everyone is thinking.

Notes from our conversations: ______________________________

• Choosing a country before choosing a goal. Start with the why.
• Leaving children out of the conversation. Even young children can share what matters to them.
• Treating one person's constraint as everyone's. Check whether it is truly fixed.
• Relying on outdated information. Programme rules and requirements change. Check official, current sources.
• Deciding everything at once. Some families decide the direction first and the details later.

If you would like expert help, a consultation is most useful when you arrive with some of your thinking already done. You do not need to have completed everything.

What to bring

• Your family goal statement from Chapter 1.
• The priorities table from Chapter 2.
• Your main constraints and timeline (Chapters 3 and 4).
• Your decision matrix, including the "?" cells.
• Nationalities and current countries of residence for each family member.
• Children's ages, current schools and year groups.
• Any countries or routes you have already researched.
• A short list of your most important questions.

Questions you might ask

• Which paths genuinely fit our family, and which do not?
• What should we check first, and with whom?
• What are the realistic timelines, given our situation?
• What documents should we start gathering now?
• What would working together look like?

My three most important questions:

Criterion — something you use to judge an option, such as education quality or distance from family.

Weight — how important a criterion is to your family, used to multiply scores in the decision matrix.

Residence — the right to live in a country, usually under specific conditions.

Citizenship — full membership of a country, usually including a passport and the right to live there permanently.

Due diligence — careful checking of a programme, provider or route before committing.

Tax residence — the country or countries where you are treated as resident for tax purposes. It is often linked to days of presence, but rules differ, so take qualified advice.

Whatever you decide, the thinking you have done in this worksheet has value. If you would like to talk it through with an experienced adviser, you are welcome to book a free, private consultation with Kaitu 開途 at /consultation. You will speak with one senior consultant, who will give you honest advice, including when a path is not right for you.

You can also write to us at hello@kaitu.org.