Are there any American expats here?

[Mrsz1ppy]

I have been an expat in England (student visa for myself 1978-79 and one for my daughter 2001-2005) and in Ireland through my husband 2018-2022. Wonderful to get a different lens on the US and how our politics are important to other countries. As an adult with no school or work, found it difficult to make friends. Still, we are discussing returning to Ireland, as Covid interfered with our plans for being there.

 

[seaurchin]

We (Americans) aren't exactly expats but we have permanent residency visas in Mexico. It was annoying to get (they all are lol) but among the easier countries to qualify for, since you don't have to invest money in their economy or even live in Mexico at all to get it.

We're in Mexico now, waiting to close on a condo in a coastal area with lots of other Americans, which we plan to live in for three or four months of the year, for now. We'll probably try putting it in a short-term rental pool for the rest of each year.

I'd start by hanging out on online expat groups for the country/countries you're considering, long enough to get a feel for who's a good source of information and who's... not. Then pick out your immigration attorney or facilitator from what you learn there. We used an attorney for Panama (required) and a facilitator in Mexico (customary). These professionals are based in the foreign cities we picked, not based in the USA btw.

We also have permanent residency visas in Panama, done the same way, though we later decided Mexico was a better fit for us. Portugal would be a better fit for us than either Panama or Mexico, in a couple of ways. But, unlike Panama and Mexico, Portugal permanent residency not one you can just easily pick up and keep around as an option. Portugal has stricter requirements. That didn't work for us since, at this point, we want options, not having to make too much of a commitment (money-wise or time-wise) to any one place.