You’ve done it—probably every time you took a vacation. You’re relaxed, your worries have been temporarily shut away, and for this brief period of time, life is the way it should be. And you think to yourself, I would love to live here forever.
Maybe you’ve picked up those free real estate magazines, checking house prices, looking at what’s available. Wondering if you could find an equivalent job locally or maybe work remotely.
It is seldom more than wistful thinking.
But what if you wanted to make that dream a reality? How would you go about shifting that vacation spot to home?
First things first:
Are You Allowed to Move There?
If you’re in the US and want to move to another state, you don’t have to worry about passports and visas. But, if you’re vacationing in another country, your first item to check off is whether you can legally move there and if so, what are the residency requirements?
Some countries are difficult for US citizens to travel to and by extension, would be even more difficult to emigrate to. Most of those are not high on the ideal vacation spot list anyway: North Korea, Iran, Libya, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, for example.
Other countries allow US citizens to travel and visit, but they really don’t want us flooding their country, especially if we need a job, i.e., take work away from its citizens. India is the toughest country to obtain a work visa from, charging about $425 for the visa itself, and requires that you have three initial vaccinations and another five after that. (That should tell you something about the living conditions.) Australia is next most difficult. It has a “temporary skill shortage” visa that takes four to eight months to process and costs around $2,000 USD. Finland offers a “Blue Card” visa that requires applicants earn a minimum of almost $68,000 a year.
Every country has its specific requirements. Some want you to have passive income with a minimum threshold. Others will accept savings and investments, but again, you will need to show you have enough assets to live for whatever required number of years at the country’s minimum annual earnings threshold.
If you can pass the income/net worth requirements, you then need to pass a background check. Portugal required an FBI background check and permission to do an additional background check on me in Portugal. If you have been convicted of a crime, you may not be allowed to emigrate to some countries. Some countries will accept certain transgressions while rejecting others. Again, it is specific to the country.
On the plus side, some countries make it easier for you to move there…IF you have what they are looking for. New Zealand, for example, has a “Green List” and “Skilled Migrant” residency visa. The Green List has occupations that can lead directly to citizenship, mostly in the healthcare and engineering fields. The Work to Residency list contains more routine jobs, from backhoe operator and dairy farmer to teachers and toolmakers.
Age Can Help
There aren’t a whole lot of upsides to getting older, but having guaranteed retirement income can pave the way to moving to a new country. Thailand has a retirement visa specifically for people aged 50 or over.
If you plan to keep working, you will usually need to have a work visa. It is easier to obtain residency visas if you have a job offer in that country, particularly if your skillset is unique or scarce. Usually when this happens, your employer will do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to arranging for your visa.
Age can also work against you. Let’s face it, as we get older, we run into health issues. All but 43 countries have access to a national health system for at least 90% of their citizens. Many of these countries want you to be in relatively good health when you arrive. Some require that you have private insurance for a minimum length of time (it will vary, of course) before you start accessing the free system. Fortunately, private health care is amazingly affordable in most countries. You need to consider your health before making the big move. If you have a chronic illness, check to make sure you can receive comparable ongoing treatment in your new country.
Make a List of Deal Breakers
What do you absolutely need to have in your new country? For me, because I work remotely, it was reliable wifi (electricity and running water were a given). Some people need to be in an English-speaking country or area. Some want to be near a specific type of church or temple. If you have kids, you want a safe area with good schools. Some people want to be within proximity of a beach, others a ski resort.
Make that list now and know what you’re looking for. Portugal is known for having a “mild” climate, but I am a girl who needs warm weather. I knew that I was going to be a bit too chilly in the winter, even in The Algarve. But knowing that ahead of time meant that I limited my home search to the warmest spot of the warmest part of Portugal.
You might want to make an additional list of Wants. These are bonuses. Not having them won’t kill the deal, but if you can get them, all the better.
Do look for expat groups on social media. See what people are complaining about and what is working for them. Groups are searchable: If you have a general question, do a search and see what has been discussed ad nauseum. The more specific your questions, the better. Many people join an expat group and ask for recommendations of where to live. Well, we don’t know you, your needs, your likes, your hates. Do some basic research so you can ask better questions and get better answers.
If everything is checking out so far, it’s time to see if you can afford to live there.
Cost of Living Research
First of all, don’t trust the glossy magazines and come-on immigration sites that promise you cheap, easy living. These sources are still touting Portugal as “cheap living” and I can tell you right now, it’s not. If you want to be in an area that is comparable to what you left in the States, it will most likely be less expensive (particularly if you lived in a major city), but not cheap.
Many people move to a new country with the idea of living off the grid and restoring an old ruin. Um. No. Think about how tough it is in the States to get building permits and push zoning changes through. Now add more bureaucracy and a language you don’t understand well. You may need more people in on the planning than you would in the States. Renovating a house (ala Under the Tuscan Sun) is a headache and a half. While you can get away with cutting some corners in the US, if you get caught out cutting corners in your new country, you may face deportation. So, no. Not worth it. If you have lots of money to burn, then sure, go for fixing up that 14th century monastery.
Scout Locations
For the rest of us, look at housing prices in areas where you want to live. I recommend renting for at least the first year to give yourself a chance to settle in and decide if you’re going to stay. You may find that you like a charming town seventy kilometers to the west of where you landed. Renting gives you the option to take your time looking for your forever home. One of the major complaints I saw in an online expat group was that people had bought houses, decided they didn’t like living in Portugal, and then sold at a loss because they just wanted to get out.
If you are making a scouting trip to your new country (and you should), stay in an apartment in the area where you think you want to live. Urban areas are more expensive than rural for a reason. They have more amenities and it will make your transition easier. If you are not fluent in the language (or excellent at charades), you will not have an easy time in most rural areas.
Live Like a Local
Go to the local supermarkets. Figure out how to work the washing machine (and rediscover how to hang laundry), the gas pumps, the ATMs. See how much groceries cost and whether going to the farmers’ market every day is something you want to do. What’s quaint and fun on vacation can get real old, real fast.
Check out the average monthly prices people pay for electricity, water, and gas. Go to the local cable office and ask for prices on cable and wifi packages. Will the wifi in the area be reliable enough if you’re going to work remotely? (For that matter, will the electricity be reliable enough?) If you have kids, will they go to local public schools or do you need to enroll them in a private school? Check out the cost of private schools in your area. In many cases, the location of the private school dictates where a family ends up living.
Keep track of how much money you are spending on eating out and grocery shopping. Know that in the first few months you will be spending more than usual as you stock up on all those household goods that you take for granted: vacuums, brooms, electronics, storage containers… Yes, you can ship over all your household items, but that is expensive and can take months. Add to that, many times your stuff gets held hostage in customs. Most of your electronics won’t work in other countries. Your furniture that was so stylish in northern California looks ridiculous in your villa in France. When you figure your budget, add in the cost of new furniture, possibly a car, and replacing items that won’t work in your new country. (Good-bye KitchenAid stand mixer!)
Draw up a budget of projected costs for at least your first year of living and make sure you have that much tucked away. Money transfers can get hung up. (I use Wise.) Your normal monthly deposit, whether its from the government or your employer, might not be able to be deposited directly into your new bank account. Sometimes your credit card doesn’t work or more likely, the merchant doesn’t take a credit card. Things happen. Money solves a lot of problems.
Making the Leap
You’ve done the math. You can work remotely. Your spouse is super onboard with the move (VERY important). All systems are go.
It’s time to take a closer look at the visa requirements and start the paperwork. Again, every country is different. Some countries, like Portugal, have a third-party company that reviews all applications before sending them on to the Embassy (VFS Global). Other countries have you apply directly. From what I’ve seen online, there are tons of services who are eager to help you with the process—you may or may not need them. Tread carefully and vet any of these services closely.
A Quick Note About Golden Visas
Over 100 countries have a “golden visa” program where you can invest a certain amount of money, either in real estate (including your residence) or in a business, and have a fast track to citizenship. Depending on the country, you can “buy in” for as little as $100,000 up to a high of $2.5 million. The application fees can be stiff (putting it mildly) and then you need to make the investment on top of that. But, for people looking for a safe haven (think politicians—just kidding, not), expediency is sometimes key.
Time to Purge
While you’re going through the visa process, it’s time to start shredding possessions. You may want to put everything in storage, just in case you decide living abroad is not for you. (No shame in that. Many people return to their home country for a million different reasons, from health, family needs, to the new country just didn’t meet expectations).
But even if you’re putting things in storage, this is a great time to purge all those possessions that have been weighing you down. Think about what you will need for the first six months to a year in your new country. Many times, when you are on a temporary visa awaiting your permanent residency visa, you are limited to how many times you can leave your new country. If the process gets delayed (and it will), you could be “stuck” in your new country—you can leave but you may not be able to get back in. So, plan ahead.
Be Prepared: Vacation Spots Are Not as Much Fun When You’re Working
That should be obvious, yes?
In fact, people who live near the beach who are still working don’t go nearly as often as you’d think. I walk to the entrance of one of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal four or five days a week. I rarely go the extra bit and actually walk out to the beach. I remind myself that I can and should. But I don’t.
The best thing you can do is become involved in your new community, meet your neighbors, and take part in the culture of the country. You will still get homesick and still miss your friends. They will be happy to visit, if they can. Zoom and Facetime and other online apps can keep you in touch.
Give yourself time to adjust. Moving anywhere new is hard. Moving to a new country is harder still. Things will go wrong and eventually they will get fixed. Your new country will start to feel like home. A home you don’t need to take a vacation from.
