A family move can easily involve several dozen documents, spread across multiple people, countries and authorities. Some are being requested, some are with a translator, some are waiting for an apostille and some are about to expire. Without a clear system it becomes difficult to know what is ready and what is holding things up. A tracker does not need to be sophisticated; it needs to be consistent.
What a good tracker records
One row per document per person works well. For each, record:
- Person: whose document it is.
- Document: its precise name, such as a long-form birth certificate rather than simply a birth certificate.
- Purpose: which application or step it supports.
- Issuing authority and country.
- Issue date and expiry or validity date.
- Status: for example, needed, requested, received, authenticated, translated, submitted.
- Format required: original, certified copy, apostilled, translated, digital.
- Location: where the original is kept and where the scan is saved.
- Notes: reference numbers, contacts, anything unusual.
A spreadsheet is perfectly adequate. The value comes from keeping it up to date, not from the tool.
Status and dates
The two columns that matter most are status and dates. Status tells you what needs doing next; dates tell you when.
Time-sensitive documents, such as police certificates, medical reports and recent bank letters, are the ones most likely to cause trouble. Highlight them, and add a reminder well before each validity window closes. Equally, note passports approaching their expiry, as many processes expect substantial remaining validity.
A weekly review, even a brief one, keeps the tracker honest. Move anything that has progressed, chase anything that has stalled, and check the upcoming dates.
Naming and storing digital copies
Scan every document, front and back, in good resolution and in colour. Use a consistent file naming pattern so that anyone can find what they need, for instance the person's name, the document type and the issue date in the same order every time.
Keep the files in a single structured location, with a folder per person and subfolders for each type of document. Store the authenticated and translated versions alongside the originals, clearly labelled, so it is obvious which version has been prepared for which authority.
Keeping it secure
These files contain exactly the information that identity thieves look for, so treat them carefully:
- Use a secure, encrypted storage service with strong, unique passwords and two-step verification.
- Avoid sending documents by ordinary email where a secure upload is available.
- Share access only with people who need it, and remove access once they no longer do.
- Keep a second, offline backup in case an account becomes inaccessible.
Looking after the originals
Physical originals deserve the same care. Keep them together in a single folder or document wallet, protected from damage, and know where it is at all times. When travelling, carry the originals you may need on arrival in your hand luggage rather than in shipped belongings.
When you send originals to an authority, note the date, the method and any tracking reference in your tracker, and record when you expect them back.
Sharing the work within a family
In a family move, it helps to name one person as the keeper of the tracker, even if several people gather documents. Others can update their own rows, but one person keeps an overview and runs the weekly review.
How Kaitu can help
Kaitu clients track every document in their secure portal, where each one is linked to the step it supports and its key dates are monitored for them. To find out more, book a free consultation or visit our resources.
