OCONUS Moves: What Changes Beyond Hawaii
Command sponsorship, passports, and the OHA/COLA/MIHA allowances that replace BAH overseas.
9 min read · Reviewed by PCS relocation panel
Not every overseas move is a Hawaii move
Germany, Japan, Korea, Italy, Guam, and every other OCONUS assignment share a few structural differences from a CONUS PCS that a general checklist doesn’t cover: your family’s ability to come with you depends on a specific approval, your pay allowances change shape entirely, and the paperwork lead times are longer across the board.
None of it is harder than a CONUS PCS, exactly — it just runs on a different set of rules, and the two biggest surprises for first-time OCONUS movers are almost always command sponsorship and the OHA/COLA/MIHA allowance system replacing BAH.
The checklist
- 1
Request command sponsorship as soon as orders are in hand
Command sponsorship is what gets your family travel funding, housing support, and legal protection at an overseas duty station — and it's a request, not a formality. It can be denied over tour length, the specific location, or limited family support resources there, so ask early and have a backup plan until it's approved.
- 2
Get no-fee official passports for every command-sponsored family member
Required for anyone traveling on your orders. A separate tourist passport is worth getting too, for personal travel within the host nation or neighboring countries during your tour — the no-fee official one is tied to your orders, not general travel.
- 3
Check visa requirements even if the country has a SOFA agreement
A Status of Forces Agreement with the host nation doesn't automatically mean no visa — some countries still require one for command-sponsored family members. Confirm this early; it's not something you want to discover close to your report date.
- 4
Understand that OHA, not BAH, covers your housing overseas
Overseas Housing Allowance replaces BAH and works differently: it reimburses your actual rent up to a locality cap, rather than paying a flat rate regardless of what you're paying. Sign a lease within the cap and OHA covers it; sign above the cap and the difference comes out of your pocket.
- 5
Budget COLA and MIHA as what they actually are
Cost of Living Allowance offsets everyday prices being higher overseas — groceries, gas, services — not a housing budget add-on. Move-In Housing Allowance is a separate, one-time reimbursement for setup costs like a security deposit, utility hookups, and required appliance purchases when you first arrive.
- 6
Start the whole process 90 days out, and run every track in parallel
Housing, schools, pets, and vehicle shipping (if applicable — see the pet & vehicle shipping guide) all have their own overseas lead times. Don't sequence them one after another; start them the same week you get orders.
How OHA is different from BAH — not just a rename
Overseas Housing Allowance reimburses your actual rent up to a locality cap, rather than paying you a flat amount you can spend however you choose the way BAH does stateside. Stay under the cap with your lease and OHA covers it in full; sign above the cap and the difference is out of pocket — so it’s worth knowing your cap before you start touring rentals, not after you’ve fallen for one.
COLA and MIHA are separate from OHA and from each other: COLA offsets everyday cost-of-living differences (groceries, gas, services), and MIHA is a one-time reimbursement for move-in costs like a security deposit or required appliances. Budgeting all three correctly — instead of treating them as one lump overseas allowance — avoids the most common overseas PCS money surprise.