Rising American Expats
And where to start with your visa options…
Hello fellow culture curious, travel people: I mainly post on my website blog, my Travel Oracles podcast and my Substack Newsletter these days, but given my work and living in different places, I often get asked about what options there are for moving and working abroad, and see it being discussed on social frequently, so I thought this information may find and help some of you too.
There has been a steady uptick in the number of Americans moving abroad, and on my most recent trip to Spain and Italy I was running into them left and right. From retirees to digital nomads, people claiming their ancestral citizenships, people running companies remotely, and more, there are more options than ever with many citing lifestyle, education, healthcare, safety, affordability and more as key factors. Let’s discuss.
Listen to my Travel Oracles podcast conversation with Marsha, an American retiree in Spain
First of all, there are multiple reasons and types of people moving abroad. Students, retirees and job transferees from America have always been abroad in high numbers, and over the past few years, many countries have extended digital nomad visas (basically an extended stay for a year or two) to capitalize on those working remote jobs. However, with remote work on the rise and people running businesses rooted on the US, many visa options await you too and I have discovered huge numbers of US citizens basing themselves in places like Portugal, Spain and Italy. Of course, there are considerations to be had from taxes to what is required to prove steady income from the US when applying, but there are so many options (including ancestral citizenship for some of you lucky folks — being part of the EU is an excellent thing indeed). I too have been considering EU options as I learned of what is possible — and you could too.
FIRST: Americans — so you are ready to move abroad, or at least explore your options. You need to start with what your situation is to best identify which path to follow:
- Are you are digital nomad making income online, that is just looking to stay in one country for up to one year on a visa?
- Are you student looking for a visa that offers you 1–2 years in another country as ‘young talent’?
- Are you a retiree looking to move FT abroad and only bring in passive income from social security, pensions, investments, etc?
- Are you looking for a job in another country?
- Are you looking to start a business in another country?
- Are you looking to live abroad long term while still working remotely or running a business back in the US?
- Are you looking for a path to citizenship? How about permanent residency? There is a wide swing for these options in Europe, and you need to consider taxes, because citizenship vs residency has different financial implications, and same with different visas.
- Can you invest a substantial sum into a new countries business and/or real estate? (Some global countries offer citizenship for home buyers)
- Are you a lucky one able to apply for an ancestral passport? (If so, I’m also jealous, but there is a lot of paperwork, so prepare yourselves)
For those looking to move to Europe FT: It is key you are very clear from the start, because the rules are strict in every country depending on your financial situation and how you plan to make money and pay for your living + healthcare, since you won’t have access to local government systems for awhile, or in some case pay for them in a limited capacity. You will also need to prove a substantial amount of assets or savings (except for the short term nomad visa) before you can apply, and prove your business/income — so be prepared. And some countries — the the popular expat haven Portugal — now require you to have a one year lease before your visa has even been confirmed. And some — like Spain — will issue non-lucrative visas if your income is from back in the US, but then you are not allowed to do any business IN Spain. So be clear from the start, and do your research! There are many good articles and outlets to do initial research on, or connect with an immigration lawyer in the country of interest to double check. For example: Lexidy.com for many EU countries or Sterling Immigration Ltd. for the UK
High Interest + Helpful Information
Given there seems to be so much interest around this topic and the possibilities of moving abroad, I plan to add special instruction and option podcast sub-episodes on countries, so TBD! You can also explore some of the many expat websites and groups to get a sense of the transition in various places, or youtube channels like ExpatsEverywhere for some insight from fellow expats.
Be Respectful and Do Your Research
Of course, with more expats in many countries, comes rising prices and gentrification. Not to mention often skirting taxes that are very high on locals. We live in an ever-changing, global world that is far from fair or equal — so be sensitive and responsible, do your research and learn at least some of the language of where you are looking into — it’s never a good look to come crashing into a new country expecting it to be what you just left (*same rules apply for travel). Immerse yourself, learn, and be supportive of the local culture and community. Expat forums are a good place to start.
Articles to read on this:
LA Times: Welcome to Portugal, the new expat haven. Californians, please go home
NY Times: How to Be an Expatriate
CNBC: American expats find better work-life balance
Telegraph: New “high potential individual” visa introduced for grads to come to the UK
Work from Europe (and other places): Digital Nomad Visas
With the world going remote, the last few years have offered more opportunities than ever to live somewhere new on special stay visas across Europe, and the world. I watched with envy as groups of friends rented Italian villas together or beach side homes together, for welcome space from pandemic restricted cities. Given people are increasingly open to new experiences and testing out new places, there is an ever-growing list of countries offering year long stay ‘digital nomad’ visas to capitalize on roaming workers in order to benefit from the economic impact. The lists are always changing, and subject to different rules, citizenships or offers so be sure to look at the fine print (especially around potential taxation). As EU digital nomad visas are now available for several countries, this is a short round up of places in Europe specifically, but there are more global options (see this handy blog list or this one), and excellent updated EU rules on ETIAS VISA
Croatia: Croatia launched a new digital nomad visa program for digital nomads in 2021, as part of its ‘Croatia your new office’ campaign. Requirements include proof of remote work, sufficient yearly income, health insurance, security background checks, and a rent contract. The digital nomad work visa comes with tax exemptions (foreign digital nomads are not subject to pay income tax in Croatia) and a validity of up to 1 year.
Czech Republic: Offers a special business visa (trade license) that digital nomads from outside the EU can benefit from and it must be requested in person at a Czech consulate or embassy. The visa requirements include an eligible trade license, enough funds in the bank account, health insurance, and proof of accommodation for at least 1 year.
Estonia: Estonia was the first to adapt to change and implement an e-residency program for foreign online entrepreneurs. Then, in June 2020, it announced a digital nomad visa for freelancers and remote workers.
Germany: In Europe, the first nation to create a freelance visa was Germany. There are 2 types of freelance visas: one for artists and one for other professionals. Digital nomads must register with the German tax office and submit a series of documents such as their portfolio, bank statements, and in some cases, evidence of their expertise. Freelancers must have clients based in Germany.
Greece: The new digital nomad visa for Greece is valid for a period of up to 12 months. Before the visa expires, the holder can apply for a Digital Nomad residence permit to stay longer. To be eligible for Greece’s digital nomad visa, the applicant must provide evidence of sufficed resources (€ 3,500 per month). Also, the Governor of Crete hopes that the Greek digital nomad visa will greatly boost the island’s “Work from Paradise’’ initiative.
Iceland: The digital nomad visa for Iceland allows foreign citizens to work remotely in Iceland for foreign companies long-term. The visa is intended to be used for stays longer than 6 months. To obtain the Icelandic digital nomad visa, applicants must provide proof of employment and sufficient funds as well as health insurance coverage.
Italy: New tax incentives introduced in January 2020 mean that more digital nomads are choosing to work from Italy. Freelancers who set up legal residency in Italy are now offered 70% detaxation of all income they generate in the country. While an Italian visa for digital nomads has yet to be announced, non-EU nationals who wish to work remotely from Italy are able to apply for a self-employment visa. This visa type is valid for 2 years from the date of issue, but it is also possible to obtain an extension once it expires. (*Also see the new offer from Venice aimed at the younger nomads)
Malta: The digital nomad visa for Malta is issued for one year and can be renewed. Applications are open for people who can continue in their current jobs whilst residing in Malta for a year. Malta was the first EU country to have a nationwide 5G network. In addition, English is one of the official languages, making it a convenient option for digital nomads. To apply for a digital nomad visa for Malta, travelers must have proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 and take out health insurance.
Portugal: has designed a temporary resident visa that can be used by freelancers and entrepreneurs. It allows its holder to stay in the country for longer than 1 year and can be extended. Unlike others mentioned in this page, this remote work visa can be used as a pathway to permanent residency. The local government in Madeira launched the Madeira Digital Nomads project. Participants will be able to live in the Nomad Village in Ponta do Sol in either independent villas or hotel accommodation and enjoy free wi-fi, co-working stations, and special events. (*This has become so popular, it’s becoming a problem, see this LA Times Article)
Romania: The Romanian Senate has approved the draft law for a new digital nomad visa. The government hopes to attract around 2,000 remote workers annually. The minimum required revenue to get a digital nomad visa for Romania is €1,150, which is lower than many other European countries.
Spain: It’s new a digital nomad visa that will allow people to stay and work for up to 12 months. It is hoped that Spain’s digital nomad visa will help to attract more foreign workers, particularly to rural areas affected by depopulation.
- Global: As I mentioned earlier, there is a long list of other options to research, including: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bali (just added, read more here), Barbados, Bermuda, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Dominica, Dubai, Georgia, Indonesia, Mexico, Mauritius, Seychelles, Thailand
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