Paperwork at home during travel
 

Of course,this is dependent on the country you come from.
But some problems are probably generic.

You are not forgotten by the bureaucracy, just because you go on a long trip.
Or neither are you independent on them.
Most things can be done on-line and with automatic transactions but some problems still remain.


How have you solved things like this, during long trips:

Drivers licence
Ours are valid for 5 years. To renew it can't be done abroad. They do not send papers need for application nor drivers licence abroad. 5 years is a long time. But the license can expired during your trip.
I tried a dirty trick. I had 1½ year left on my card. I "lost" it to get a new one. But I got the same valid until as on the old one.

And to replace it not a fast procedure. In case you think that is just to return home for a week and replace it.

International drives license
Comes in 2 forms. Valid 1 or 3 years. Most countries seems to require the 1 year version. Trips longer than 1 year ? (And the international license can not be valid longer than the normal. )

MOT or equivalent
My bike needs MOT every second year. It has been abroad for 2½ years. So I can ride it "shortest way to MOT station" So the is what I will do . It will pass Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Denmark.....

Taxes
Most are done on line. But since I am not living in Sweden any longer (I am citizen, but not resident). I can't do it on-line. Once per year I receive a letter with paper that I have to fill in and return. No E-mail, on-line or Electronic mail box(not E-mail) is accepted.

Portugal's procedure is supposed to be on-line. I have given my log in information to a lawyer. I e-mail my scanned documents. Done. But of course they also required a six page document filled in in paper format. And signed.

Payment
I receive payment from Sweden. To be sure that I am still alive, they send me a letter once per year. I have to sign it to prove that I am still alive. And send it back. Else they will cancel all payments

Passport
It can be issued be several embassies. But it not easy....

More that I don't thing of now...
....

A useful post, addressing some worthwhile issues.

My experience on some of them has been as follows:

1) International Driving Permit - it's just a language translation of one's driver licence, nothing more. So long ago I stopped getting a new one every year, I'm still carrying the one I got about 15 years ago. I've only had to pull it out twice in 15 years, no problems with the date either time.

2) MOT or equivalent - most European countries don't use an "expiring" licence plate system. So I don't bother renewing my Canadian licence plate when the bike is outside Canada. Never had a problem, police in other jurisdictions don't know what the requirements in Canada are for renewing licence plates. They just view the plate as something that confirms that the rider owns the motorcycle.

3) Passport - Can be renewed at a local embassy of one's country. In the case of Canadian passports, it's usually a faster process to renew abroad because the embassy system is set up for "emergency" or "I forgot" renewals, rather than routine renewals.

Michael