Thinking of becoming an expat

[Farmgirl1961]

Are any of you expats or planning on being expats?

If so, where do you reside or where will you go? Been giving a lot of thought to México. Any of you live there? If so where? And why that location?

[rurallib]

1. We are giving Canada some serious thought

[Farmgirl1961]

10. We too are looking at Canada

But feel restricted by a 6-month stay. How can one live in Canada long term? Otherwise we are looking at Mexico

[thesquanderer]

12. It's not easy to become a legal permanent resident there. (n/t)

[Deep State Witch]

2. Thinking about it

In a few years. The remaining relatives that we have are elderly. One is in good shape and would probably come with us. The other is not. She's in Florida, and is mentally slipping.

We've considered some of the Caribbean Islands. I would love to move to Italy, but they have their own problems with a Fascist president right now. Maybe Greece?

[KnoxVol]

3. Thinking about a move to NC

I've traveled enough around the world to know that my home is right here in the USA. However, I'm thinking a move away from deep red is much needed for my own sanity. Geographically, it's closer for me and mine to make the move to NC, which seems to still have some semblance of intelligence about it. Otherwise, maybe Colorado.

I hate this so much. I love my home state, but I just don't think it's the place I once thought it was or could be anymore.

[Jilly_in_VA]

4. I wish

But my husband is still working full time and we have a decent little side business also. It would be hard to pick up and move all that. Sometimes I fantasize about moving to Uruguay. Or Belize. Or maybe Botswana, where I understand there's a huge demand for tech people and also a thriving trade in minerals, which is our side business.(It's also the most stable country in Africa and speaks English for the most part.)

[Magoo48]

5. Fuck no.

I’m an old man. This is home. I like it here. My family and friends are here.
All I’m thinking about is how I can strengthen my community, how I can fuck with fascists and best resist.

[róisín_dubh]

6. Look, unless you have a skill or a lot of money...

most countries don't want you.

And Mexico? I have spent my career studying it and just yesterday spent hours reading asylum affidavits from women fleeing there for the safety of the US (that job will be drying up soon, but I take "solace" in the fact that it's a transferable skill). Find somewhere very safe. And speak Spanish. I love the country, but I wouldn't move there (the Mexican expats will pile on to tell me how wrong I am- I'm a victim of my work knowledge, YMMV).
Sorry to be blunt. I am an expat. I live in the UK. I quit my job, spent a fortune studying for a year here, got a work seeker visa (more money), found a poorly paying job for which I'm wildly overqualified, got sponsored for a 5 year visa (spent more money, around $6500) and now I run out the clock until I can get indefinite leave to remain (a green card).

If you have family, it ain't happening. If you can't find a job or don't have about £500,000 to invest, no luck. If you're not a Global Talent (I qualify in that route, but it's tricky), no luck.

Europe is equally difficult.
South America might be easier, but they too have dalliances with dictatorship, so not exactly a safe bet.

[Srkdqltr]

7. Well don't let the door hit you in the ass. Or maybe it should.

[Maru Kitteh]

8. I am a nurse, so we're thinking about Canada or Mexico. I will want an annual trip

to see our children and another to bring them to us so wherever that is most affordable from. That will be important. It doesn't have to be Mexico or Canada. I was looking at Portugal.

As a refugee, I would like to land someplace with other expat refugees who can help me with assimilation and getting along in a new culture.

[Footay]

9. Maybe?

Almost bought a vacation home in Mexico during Covid when a lot of Canadians were selling because of their stricter travel requirements. I was too afraid to pull the trigger then, but I wish I would have.

I travel there multiple times a year, and even spent a week in September having dental work for a fraction of the price I was quoted in the US (8k vs. 33k). After that amazing experience, and yesterday's outcome, which will have a significant impact on my full-time job, I am seriously considering moving to Mexico full time as soon as I am able. My father is in his mid-80s, and my MIL just turned 90. I don't expect either of them to be around much longer. They are the only things keeping me here. I can work my side job from anywhere, and my passive income will be enough to sustain me there.

[Farmgirl1961]

13. We are talking about making a recon trip in January and see how that feels to us

We too would make this a gradual transition and make annual or semi-annual trips back to Oregon to visit our daughter and SIL.

[DFW]

11. I have lived in Germany for many years now

But I came with a lot of advantages and no baggage.

My wife is German. I speak and write fluent German, as well as most of the languages of adjacent countries (not Polish or Czech). I had my US health insurance, a steady job that I had already held for decades, a clean health check-up, and, even though I have so far not transferred it over here, a savings account and Social security that could sustain a modest lifestyle without my ever asking the German state for a cent. On the other hand, they get to take 50% of my income, over and above what I have to pay in US income taxes, so I get stuck with an effective 73% income tax rate (Heil Honecker!), while getting zero in return from the Germans, other than having permission to live with my wife, which is worth everything to me.

If you show a legitimate social reason--having a longterm German spouse definitely qualifies--speak their language fluently, convincingly show that you'll never ask them for money or benefits, and will hand them money for essentially nothing, they will probably look favorably on a request for residence.