How to Move Out of the US Workshop

[IL Moderator]

Hi @MICASAFAVORITES-0 We’ve checked in with Ted Baumann, our Global Diversification Expert, to get an answer to your question. This was his response,

All countries require a special visa to work there. All those countries require a special work permit. In every case, that means you must have a confirmed job offer from a local employer. There may be some jobs that don't require the local language, but there's no way to tell ahead of time. Getting a work permit requires special skills, and is usually only possible if there are no locals available for the job.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @LEECERNY We’ve checked in with Ted Baumann, our Global Diversification Expert, to get an answer to your question. This was his response,

Switzerland and the Nordic countries are generally quite difficult to get into unless you have a special relationship there, either through relatives or business.Unlike countries on the Mediterranean periphery, most of them don't have independent means visas for retirees and so on. Nor do they have digital nomad visas. Poland does have a citizenship by ancestry process that reaches back several generations, but you would need to have Polish ancestors for that to work.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @KEITHFISHERPT We’ve checked in with Ted Baumann, our Global Diversification Expert, to get an answer to your question. This was his response,

It depends on the nature of your residency. If you have a residency permit like an independent means or digital nomad visa, you can give it up and leave any time you like. Once you become a permanent resident, however, there would normally be a process involved to renounce that.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @TETODEB We’ve checked in with Ted Baumann, our Global Diversification Expert, to get an answer to your question. This was his response,

Remaining inside most countries for more than 183 days Triggers tax residency. Most European countries have significantly higher tax brackets than the US, meaning that you would most likely pay additional tax to those governments. But it depends on the source of your income. If you are still working, you might benefit from the foreign earned income exclusion in the US, which means you only pay tax to the foreign government. If you have passive income like pension, there may be double taxation agreements that exempt part of that income from taxation abroad. In general, you can expect to pay higher taxes in Europe, although in return you get vastly better public services and quality of life. Most people report that their overall cost of living is lower even with higher taxes.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @P-KOEHNKE Kristin Wilson our Move Overseas guru has a great resource on everything you need to consider for a move overseas. It’s a step by step process that’s very easy to follow along.

You can check out the sales page here: https://pro.internationalliving.com/m/2334026

Good luck with your journey.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @AKELLEY333 Kristin Wilson our Move Overseas guru has a great resource on everything you need to consider for a move overseas. It’s a step by step process that’s very easy to follow along.

You can check out the sales page here: https://pro.internationalliving.com/m/2334026

Good luck with your journey.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @ANNEBLAKE1 We’ve checked in with Glenda Cole, our expert in Portugal, to get an answer to your question. This was her response,

Single and moving to Europe? Great idea! Europe is safe, people are welcoming, especially when you are on your own. I came to Portugal on my own for three winters. I sat with a British expat couple at a charity event. Four years later, I am about to vacation in Ireland with those charming people! Challenges are the same you face as a single anywhere. But it's hard to be lonely when you're an expat. There are social clubs, facebook groups and events in most European countries that focus on expats. The Algarve in Portugal has an exceptional number of events where you can meet new people around your age.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @EMMI154 We’ve checked in with Ted Baumann, our Global Diversification Expert, to get an answer to your question. This was his response,

Well, as always the answer depends on your individual circumstances. But if you don't have any possibility of getting an ancestral citizenship somewhere, I would say that Costa Rica, Panama and Uruguay top my list in terms of safety, affordability, and ease of establishing residency. All three countries allow you to become a resident without too much trouble as long as you meet the basic requirements in terms of monthly income. Costa Rica and Panama also have the benefit of having fully territorial tax systems, which means that you only pay tax on income earned inside the country. If you're living on money from the US or Canada, or another country, you wouldn't pay tax on it in those countries. Another possibility is Belize, but it's slightly less safe than the others.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @RONALDGREGORYLUCE We’ve checked in with Jeff our Editor of Global Intelligence, to get an answer to your question. This was his response,

Sure. Portugal, Spain, Greece, France, Thailand, Uruguay, Malaysia. The list is long. Not really sure how to answer your question. If you’re earning income online, then pretty much anywhere you go you can continue to do that. If you’re talking about working locally, then that’s going to be more challenging in some places because they don’t allow certain types of visa holders to earn locally. For instance, if you have a “retiree” or “independent means” visa in a place like Portugal, you will not have any way to work locally. So it really depends on the means by which you earn extra income.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @YHONG8 We’ve checked in with Jeff our Editor of Global Intelligence, to get an answer to your question. This was his response,

I don’t speak Portuguese, and I get along fine. Lots of English spoken here, and where it’s not spoken, like in supermarket checkout lines on occasion or with handymen, you can still get by with pidgin English and pointing and such. Plus, I will use Google Translate when absolutely necessary to convey a specific point. But you’re really not likely to face any meaningful challenges not speaking Portuguese in Portugal.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @DRJOHNAOWENS We’ve checked in with Suzan Haskins, IL's Senior Lifestyle Editor, to get an answer to your question. This was her response,

This is the universal dilemma, isn’t it…the quest for the “perfect” place? I have come to understand that there is no such thing as perfection so we need to find the place that best suits our individual needs. But…do you and all your friends all want the same thing? By that I mean, do you want a city, a village, to be on the beach or in the mountains, in a 4-season environment or in the tropics? There are lots of decisions to be made—some more important than others, such as access to good healthcare and cost of living. Not to toot our own horn, but this book might prove helpful to you: https://www.ilbookstore.com/live-richer-spend-less I’d suggest your group agree on what your priorities are and then try out a vacation or two in the places you are considering. Compare notes and see what you like or dislike. Understand that political regimes can change quickly and climate issues are affecting many countries and communities so sometimes being light on your feet is the best policy. And don’t let the fact that you only speak English stop you. English is the universal language, after all, and you will find English speakers close at hand pretty much everywhere in the world.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @LABO We’ve checked in with Ted Baumann, our Global Diversification Expert, to get an answer to your question. This was his response,

When it comes to getting residency abroad, everything comes down to money. Most countries in Europe and Latin America offer visas for people with independent passive incomes like pension or investments. There are usually minimums for how much you receive every month from passive sources, and sometimes a requirement for bank savings as a backup. In Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece, the minimum is around €3,200 a month for an individual, with 20% or so more for each family member.

Once you become a long-term resident of a country, the clock starts ticking on the time required before naturalization. Typically, this is between 5 and 10 years, but I think Portugal is the only European country that offers European citizenship after five years. In Latin American countries, some offer citizenship after as little as two to three years of full-time legal residency.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @BRANDI-SCHUTTE Thanks for your question.

Ted Baumann's Global Citizen service includes consultations. You can sign up at this link https://secured.globalcitizenliving.com/journey/120SZTCC3-EVG/1?promocode=W1204303&origin=ILPOSTCA&origin_type=list&organization-abbreviation=ILProd

[IL Moderator]

Hi @DJLESTER Thanks for your question.

Ted Baumann's Global Citizen service includes consultations. You can sign up at this link https://secured.globalcitizenliving.com/journey/120SZTCC3-EVG/1?promocode=W1204303&origin=ILPOSTCA&origin_type=list&organization-abbreviation=ILProd

[IL Moderator]

Hi @AMHANDZEL25 We’ve checked in with Jessica Ramesch, our expert in Panama, to get an answer to your question. This was her response,

There are a great many ways to meet expats, we recommend you start networking ahead of time via Facebook, and you can also check other networking apps and sites like LinkedIn (website: www.linkedin.com), Instagram (website www.Instagram.com), Internations.org.

Facebook Groups is generally the number one most powerful online tool. You can create a profile for free and search groups for the particular town you’re interested in. You’ll find groups for many areas. You can peruse the information that has been posted and ask about expat gatherings, expat hangouts, and meeting expats, etc.

As a single lady myself, I am proactive. When someone is kind to me in answering my questions I generally offer to buy them a coffee or something once I get into town. That way I already have one or more “expat dates” to look forward to when I land. Often they will in turn introduce me to other expats. I generally ask if they know any single ladies I can ask questions of. Of course I also check out any expat hangouts or activities I may have read about in the Facebook group. In towns with visible expat communities you will find it easy to talk to expats that you will encounter in restaurants, shops, etc. as well.

Happy networking!

[IL Moderator]

Hi @EGC-HARTMAN Thanks for your question. Although we at International Living do not have any expertise in this area, International Living's Annual Global Retirement Index can help you look at countries that perform well across a range of categories: https://magazine.internationalliving.com/internationalliving/library/item/january_2024/4158109/
You'll probably want to discuss your plans to move with your child's teacher(s) and any other trusted experts (perhaps your kid's doctor, for example).

Also, we always recommend that prospective expats start networking ahead of a move via Facebook, and you can also check other networking apps and sites like LinkedIn (website: www.linkedin.com), Instagram (website www.Instagram.com), Internations.org.

Facebook Groups is generally the number one most powerful online tool for expats. You can create a profile for free and search groups for the particular town you’re interested in. You’ll find groups for many areas. You can peruse the information that has been posted and ask specifically if anyone has autistic kids in the schools there or knows of local resources. People on the ground with kids in local schools can offer important insight.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @DTINTERVAL Thanks for your question. We have reached out to two of our experts to give you the best answer.

Our Portugal expert Glenda Cole says "I can't speak to financing a home in France or Mexico, but I did finance my home in Portugal. I was 63 when I purchased the villa. Mortgages here have to be paid off by the time you are 80. (75 at some banks) The solution? I put it in my son's name. It's a very common practice here. As a result, I have a very affordable 36 year mortgage."

And our Real Estate Guru Ronan McMahon says "I would say that for all 3 countries age is an issue. Portugal e.g. it is relatively easy for foreign buyers to get bank finance but most banks have an upper age limit which is typically 75 so the mortgage would have to be paid off at 75. In Mexico bank finance is usually very difficult to get for foreigners full stop regardless of age, and interest rates are normally a chunk higher than they would be in the US. Many RETA deals come with developer finance and age is normally not an issue with that."

[IL Moderator]

Hi @UNIVERSALPOWERSCEO We’ve checked in with Jeff our Editor of Global Intelligence, to get an answer to your question. This was his response,

In most countries, you’ll find that you become a tax resident if you live locally for at least 183 days per year. As for rentals in Portugal, Airbnb is probably your best bet. You can find rentals on Idealista.pt, but those tend to be longer term rentals of at least a year. You might might Airbnb rentals for a 5 or 6 month stretch, but you might need to communicate with the owner first to make sure they’re ok with a long-term lock up.

Personally, I’d suggest switching Airbnbs every month so that you can live in various parts of Portugal or various neighbourhoods within Lisbon. It’s a better way to experience real Portugal by seeing how locals live in different neighbourhoods and cities, since each can have such a different vibe.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @SHANA1DAWN45-0 We’ve checked in with Jeff our Editor of Global Intelligence, to get an answer to your question. This was his response,

That’s going to be a challenge. A rental agreement is a necessity and it needs to be for 12 months at least. If you happen to know someone who is a resident of Portugal, they can sign a document stating that they are responsible for your housing, and that can buy you the time you need to get to Portugal and look around.

Other than that, your best option would be to come to Portugal and spend a week or so looking around the area where you want to live and try to find a neighbourhood you think you’ll be happy living in, and then sign the 12-month contract. There really are not a lot of options here. You might find a visa-agency that offers access to some kind of digital address or generic address that you can use on your applications, but I haven’t seen those around, frankly. Moving to Portugal is a true financial commitment, for sure, and the necessity of a rental contract is part of that.

Also know that rental agreements in Portugal for foreigners can often require that you pay the entire cost of the contract up front. So if you find an apartment you like for, say, $2,000 per month in a neighbourhood you’re happy with, you could very well have to put about $24,000 for the entire first year’s rent. That’s not universal, but it is common, particularly among landlords renting to foreigners. So be sure you understand what the deposit is before you agree to a contract.

[IL Moderator]

Hi @KAPINCINCY We’ve checked in with Jeff our Editor of Global Intelligence, to get an answer to your question. This was his response,

Inflation has certainly impacted Europe, without question. Prices have been rising broadly, particularly for energy, since the continent imports so much natural gas for its utilities infrastructure. For Spain, in particular, inflation is still running in the high-3% range, though that’s down sharply from north of 10% just two years ago. Part of the reason inflation remains a challenge in Spain is the soaring price for olive oil, which is a staple in Spanish food. Olive oil prices have been running so hot that the government recently eliminated the sales tax on olive oil to help consumers better manage the rising cost. Elsewhere, housing costs are rising as well, though Spain remains a largely affordable housing market, particularly for foreigners living on a Western income.