This might have been posted already. Countries accepting U.S. citizens

[agalisgv]

As each day draws closer to January 20, 2025, I feel a sense of urgency to leave the United States. Permanently. I was born in Spain so it would not be difficult for me to move there. Wish I was just being paranoid.

Here are some countries currently seeking American immigrants (2024).

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-seeking-american-immigrants

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. Duplicate post

The “powers” button allows you to self delete.

[agalisgv]

2. How do I delete a post? I forgot!

[Fiendish Thingy]

4. I just told you

Click on the powers button and select “self delete”

[agalisgv]

7. It took me a few minutes, but I finally saw it.

Sorry about that.

[Dave says]

25. Don't delete it

I didn’t see this info before

[mopinko]

30. dupes r only forbidden in lbn.

[LakeArenal]

3. Many of you know, I totally recommend it.

🇺🇸🇨🇷

[walkingman]

6. Thank you!! I can dream. I live in Texas so it is like living in another country.

[agalisgv]

9. I, too, am surrounded by Republicans

You have my sympathies.

[GreenWave]

10. I will stay and fight if necessary!

[agalisgv]

15. I admire that

Just don't have much fight left in me.

[Skittles]

43. damn straight

I served once and I will SERVE AGAIN

[Lady Freedom Returns]

64. You and me both Skittles!

Been debating it, but I think I have one more ride in me. Let's ride!

[Skittles]

65. EXCELLENT

I will NEVER cut and run, NEVER

[Lady Freedom Returns]

66. As long as I can.

Don't trust trump to not take my wheelchair from me. At least make it where I can't replace it. 🤬 I wouldn't trust him to babysit a rock. And here is.... again.... "running" the country. 🤬

[Skittles]

67. it absolutely disgusts me, anyone looking at Trump and seeing somethng of value

it's just PATHETIC

[LeftInTX]

12. Yeah, if you have $500,000 to spare!

That's how much many first world countries charge.

[agalisgv]

14. If you see any info about Spain requiring $500k pleae let me know

I haven't read anything about that for Spain yet.

[LeftInTX]

16. 528,373.66 United States Dollars

As a citizen of a non-EU country, you will need to get a short-term “Schengen Visa” that will be valid for 90 days within a 180-day period. If you plan to stay longer, you’ll need to simultaneously apply for a long-term visa. To obtain a Spanish visa of any kind, you will need to meet certain requirements, such as having a clean criminal record, a certificate of overall good health, and proof of sufficient financial funds. Visa costs vary depending on your nationality, and the cost for Americans may range from $120 to $1180, depending on the type of visa.

If you are an American moving to Spain, there are several kinds of visas to choose from: the work visa, the self-employment visa, the tourist visa, the retirement visa, and the investor visa. Americans retiring in Spain can either apply for a retirement visa or an investor visa.

Obtaining the Spain investor visa has many benefits. However, you’ll need to make an investment of at least €500,000 in Spain’s economy to qualify. Getting this prestigious visa is also the easiest way to obtain a Spanish passport.

If you’re considered a highly skilled worker, you may even be issued a European Blue Card, which is the equivalent of a Green Card in the United States..

https://suddath.com/moving-company/moving-tips/guide-to-moving-to-spain-from-the-u-s/#:~:text=If%20you%20are%20an%20American,visa%20or%20an%20investor%20visa.

[agalisgv]

17. Thanks. I don't need that fortunately. nt

[LeftInTX]

20. It's cheap to live in Mexico, but I would want to.

They don't have anything like the ADA and even their nice buildings have weird steps and narrow doors, unless you are young and healthy or alot of money to afford a really nice place. I looked at rentals, but everything is piecemeal down there. If you are young and healthy like my son when he lived in the dump in NYC, then great. (My son's place in NYC had the most narrow steps ever. It was very hard to get in and out of that place. And as luck would have it, he ended up having foot surgery, so he had to slide up and down the steps on his butt for several weeks)

[agalisgv]

22. I wouldn't want to live in Mexico

It's going to sound ridiculous, but most Mexicans don't understand my Spanish (Castilian Spanish ). It's true.

[LeftInTX]

26. It's not weird. I don't watch movies from Spain!

It's like Australian versus American English. Or Cockney versus American. Or American English versus Indian English.

[DFW]

45. When I was in Mexico, they understood my Castellano Peninsular perfectly

They always asked me what part of Spain I was from. In Madrid, they hear my Catalan accent, but in Latin America, they just hear “Spain.” That may just be a quirk, though. When I’m in Barcelona speaking Catalan, they all “hear” that I’m from Mallorca. Kind of odd, since I’m originally from Virginia.

[LeftInTX]

57. But you didn't live in Mexico!

You were probably dealing with business/tourist class who are used to different Spanish dialects. (And also English etc) Plus the business class knows that European Spanish is the "OG Spanish" and are expected to interact with businesses from Spain.

[DFW]

59. It was a two person road trip, stopping in a lot of cities

San Luís Potosí, Querétaro, Guanajuato, DF, Puebla, Taxco, Tampico, and this was in the days when my budget definitely did NOT put me in big touch with businesses that catered to tourists. More like lodging where I wondered if the locks on the doors worked, and the beds were really free of creatures that found humans on the menu. Meals consisted of cheap taco stands where $1 was enough for a meal, and a Tang licuado was about as fancy a beverage as the budget allowed. Plus, the guy I was traveling with spoke no Spanish. He knew some Yiddish, since his dad was a Ukrainian rabbi, but I knew none. We spoke a mish-mosh of English, Russian and German, since we both knew all three. We didn't want to come across as typical Gringos, and we definitely didn't. For fun, we started playing balalaika duets in the Taxco town square, and people started crowding around as if we had just dropped in from the moon. We were invited to come play on a live radio show, so we did. The show's moderator seemed very much in charge for a small town radio announcer. We asked him if had another job beside hosting local radio, and he did. His day job was being the town's mayor. This was college days stuff, over 50 years ago, so I have no idea if the same scenario would ever repeat itself nowadays. But we were definitely NOT dealing with business/tourist class people who are used to different dialects. These were clearly simple folk.

The only other time I got out into the boonies was my first road trip through Mexico when I was 18. We got totally lost on New Year's eve somewhere around Popocatépetl. There were no lights anywhere, and no moonlight, so when we saw a house with lights on, we stopped to ask for directions. When we saw the people, we weren't sure if they understood anything other than Nahuatl, but their Spanish was impeccable. The house was primitively appointed, but they were so welcoming that instead of letting us go on our merry way in the dark, they practically dragged us into the house for drinks and a simple meal. We were almost ashamed at accepting their food, since they didn't look to us like they could afford it, but we figured don't go by appearances, and just enjoy the evening, which we did. I doubt these people had interacted with other tourists frequently, if ever. But we had no trouble understanding each other at all.

But no, we didn't live there. We did, however, interact with a LOT of people who did, and all their lives, too. I wasn't enthralled with DF, other than being welcomed as an honorary Swede (!!) at the Scandinavian Club of Mexico, but I had a great time out in the hinterlands.

[LeftInTX]

68. Cool!

How you got lost around there has got to be another story! Ah simpler times!

[DFW]

69. For sure!

Like I said, 50 years ago it was a different world. I’m sure most of Mexico has changed as much as the USA did, if not more so.

[LeftInTX]

70. In 2011 my crazy son ( as in history of poor judgment) is living a few miles away. It's his 25th birthday

Last edited Fri Nov 29, 2024, 05:15 AM - Edit history (3)

Hubby calls son to wish him a happy birthday and gets an "out of service" message in Spanish.

I say, "I knew it!! I just knew it when we got that call about the expedited passport"


When we got that call from the post office a few weeks prior, I asked my son: "Are you gonna take off for Mexico?"
Son "Oh that was a wrong number"
Me: "How come they know your name?"

I can't remember when we connected with him, but he was in Guanajuato at friend's parents house (thank God for the house part)
I think on the day he was coming home, we must have called him about 100 times. (Calls weren't gonna go through anyway, so we weren't pests).
Finally, he picked up: "We're almost at the bridge".
We didn't breathe a sigh of relief until they had crossed back over the border.

So yeah times have changed. We were worried about police and gangs on the highways. My son is a bit reckless....

[milestogo]

34. Ecuador is a beautiful country with good health care

and a lot of expats.

[DFW]

46. I was there a few times.

I liked it there very much, although I was a guest of the government, and didn’t get to see much of how the common people lived, which didn’t appear to be the picture of affluence.

One funny thing—I was asked to give a talk to the board of their Central Bank. A colleague of mine from Dallas was along. Before I started, I asked if they all understood English, or should I give the talk in Spanish. A few pleasantly surprised and VERY relieved board members said Spanish, please. They thought this Anglo (me) was about to bore them death for an hour in English. I said no problem, I had lived in Spain and would be happy to speak in Spanish. My poor colleague from Dallas (originally from Seattle), sat there trying his best to look engaged, while not understanding a word.

[milestogo]

47. I was there on vacation earlier this year and I would love to go back.

I didn't get the impression that there were too many people speaking English in Guayaquil. I speak a little Spanish but would have been in trouble if I were not in a group.

One thing I did learn on my trip is that Spanish is not the same everywhere. I understand a lot but I am not very good at producing speech. However, when I was around people who were speaking Spanish I found that some I could understand completely and others I could hardly understand a word. I was in the Galapagos for most of my trip.

I did meet expats in the airport and they told me they were on their way back from a visit home (US) but had moved permanently to Ecuador.

The nature reserves were wonderful, with horrible mosquitoes.

[DFW]

51. Ecuadorian Spanish is actually quite standard

Not at all like what is spoken in places like Venezuela or Cuba, where (apparently) consonants are forbidden by law.

[milestogo]

52. Good.

I'm not planning to leave, but if I do this will be at the top of my list. I will keep working on the Spanish though.

[LeftInTX]

55. LOL consonants are forbidden by law..LOL

And everyone says Spanish is easy to understand

Don't get me started on someone I know from the DR.

[drmeow]

41. That is for

an investor visa - the page talks about three other long term visas you can apply for.

[Celerity]

48. they are talking about an investor visa, not moving there if you have a job offer

[ramedy]

54. Spain doesn't require 500k.

In fact the “Golden Visa” program has been eliminated as of January 1st.

There are several other types of visas available to foreigners.

I am retired and living in Spain.

[Just_Vote_Dem]

13. Thank you for this!

I'm half Portuguese, so Portugal looks very inviting. I have also heard good things about Costa Rica.
I'm so tired of the U.S. and "two steps forward, one step back" nonsense we go through in our politics.
And no fucking Electoral College is especially tempting.

[sinkingfeeling]

18. Not all of those countries are open to US retirees. Most of those listed are

requiring work visas and most of those require one being offered employment before the visa.
If retireed, the countries offering 'golden' visas are fewer or some require much more than $500,000 in investment.

[agalisgv]

23. That is one reason I feel the sense of urgency

I predict, by 2026 it will be much more difficult for Americans to relocate.

[standingtall]

21. For most people unless their wealthy young in good health

or have parents who are citizens of other Countries moving out of the U.S. is not a viable option. So they must stand here and fight. I never realized how close Canada is to me before, but I can't go there. I'm to old to go to another Country on a work visa program.

[agalisgv]

24. It really terrifies me to think of the fight

Guess I am just a coward.

[LiberalLoner]

35. I've been looking at Egypt. Easily doable for most Americans.

[VMA131Marine]

27. I'm not planning to leave ...

but, I am going to apply to get a UK passport for the first time since I’m a dual citizen.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

28. Every four

years we plan to leave but never do.

[agalisgv]

29. Yeah

This one feels different. Truly extremist.

[Escape]

32. Thanks for the info

We all have to keep our options open. I could easily leave what's left of the United States of America.

But I don't think I could leave New Mexico. I have lived here 45 years and built us a nice house in the woods in '21. (I am a building contractor). My wife teaches and we love everything about our surroundings here.

Santa Fe County and San Miguel County, here in the Northern part of the state, vote about 75% BLUE.

I don't mean to dismiss the real concerns some of the rest of you might be feeling.

But, at 72, I am going to stand and fight against all the evil hypocritical sonsabitches!

[agalisgv]

38. It sounds like you have a great life

And it must be wonderful to live in a blue state.

[Xolodno]

33. This is a bit misleading.

For example, Australia has a lot of hoops to jump through. Even if you are married to one of their citizens, just ask my cousin.

Mexico will gladly take you, if you bring a significant amount of wealth.

That's just a couple that come to mind.

US citizens that move to a number of nations are looked upon as a bunch of moochers. We take thier subsidized health care, etc. while not paying out for it while in residency in the USA.

[agalisgv]

39. Yes, I am realizing that

It's much more involved than I thought, sadly.

[DFW]

49. Germany does not fit that description with the "subsidized" health care.

Germany doesn’t have subsidized health care. Since my employer is still non-EU (i.e. USA), and I pay full boat (and then some!) German taxes, I get NOTHING in return, least of all ANY kind of health care insurance, which is required for non-EU foreigners to get a residence. I showed them my useless Blue Cross card, and they accepted it, even though in the States, it’s practically worthless.

I DID check out what is called “Privat” health insurance, but they checked out my pre-existing conditions, and quoted me around $35,000 a year in premiums. I said thanks, I’ll pay out of pocket. My wife, a German citizen, was completely without government-related (much less subsidized) health insurance from age 60 to age 65. There is something similar to COBRA in Germany, and I paid that for her every month, between €550 and €600 a month for five years until she turned 65, and her German version of Medicare kicked in.

[DFW]

50. Dupe deleted

[soandso]

36. If you want to leave

But are too old to work, lack a highly prized and needed skill, or don't have 500K to outright buy citizenship in a place you'd like, what's wrong with just moving to a solid blue state, like on the west coast? A lot easier!

[agalisgv]

40. I've tried that

Even found a home I love, with 5 acres of land, which was affordable. Unfortunately, my spouse doesn't want to live in any of the blue states I'd want to move to.

[soandso]

42. It's a big deal to move to another state

but it's a bummer for you if you're up for it and your spouse is not. If your spouse won't consider another state, certainly wouldn't consider another country.

[neverforget]

37. Or look into your families ancestry. My daughter and I are now dual citizens of Luxembourg

(and therefore the European Union) because my great grandfather was born there. I've heard there are other countries that do the same, but I don't know which ones. We're now just waiting for an appointment at Luxembourg Consulate in San Francisco to get our passports.

My wife is a dual citizen of Canada because of her dad. She was born here but got her citizenship a few years ago.

[Six117]

44. AmerExit Reddit - great info for those who are considering leaving.

See:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AmerExit/comments/urwlbr/a_guide_for_americans_that_want_to_get_out_of/

[LeftInTX]

56. I see an error already:

If you have Mexican parents, you were technically always a natural born citizen of Mexico. You just have to claim it and fill out the paperwork.

Its definitely a solid argument to try.

Not sure about other latin American countries.

No! Your parents must be Mexican citizens for you to claim Mexican citizenship. My in-laws could have become Mexican citizens, but they didn't follow through. Hence, hubby is not eligible because his US born parents did not claim citizenship. The chain ended a generation ago.

[WarGamer]

53. Thailand is possibly the easiest...

I love Thailand.

Deposit $20,000 in a Thai bank account... fill out an application with proof from the bank.

They give you a 1 year visa.

In one year you AGAIN show $20k in a Thai account or leave the country.

Meaning... you can deposit $20k in the account and live off of it for a whole year. They only check the balance upon application.

And every year... just make sure there is $20k there whenever you apply for a year extension to the visa.

Thailand is safe and pretty awesome... just get out of Bangkok.

[agalisgv]

63. I spent a couple of summers in Thailand

It is beautiful, but I wouldn't want to live there.

[Persondem]

58. They will not run me out of MY country. F#*K That.

I will go to war if necessary. My father fought Nazis in WW2 in Europe, and I will fight them here if it comes to that.

Besides, I don't want to go too far because I am looking forward to pissing on The Felon's grave.

[agalisgv]

62. Glad you still have the flighting spirit

I wish I still had it.

[ecstatic]

60. The only reasonable option for me would be Canada. But someone on Youtube convinced

me that it might be a better idea to start with a blue state in the US. California is truly beautiful but I've always been scared off by the earthquakes and now the cost of renting / owning the type of property I'm used to. But I'm going to look into it if things keep going south.

[agalisgv]

61. The best places by the coast are too expensive. nt