Introduction
Enter The Matrix...
And Get Out!
So you want to get out? Well, the world is a big place. Some parts are easy to move to but lack opportunities for work. Others have onerous laws but have jobs for the asking. There are places you can live for a year on a month’s salary and others you’ll need millions in the bank just to consider. There are nanny states and police states. And some people believe those two are one and the same. After all, one person’s hell is another’s paradise.
And then there are all those questions: How do you get permission to live in another country? What does it cost to live there? What will I do? What if I want to buy property, open a business, look for work?
A little overwhelming, isn’t it? A successful Getting Out strategy is best conceived of as a matrix, where your goal is to try and find the best fit between all the variables that make up you the individual and those that make up life in foreign country. So, where do you begin? With the person closest to you—yourself. Before you examine life in other countries, take a good look at your situation. This will bring the world into better focus.
Here are a few things to consider:
Your Age: Some countries, like Canada, have laws favoring immigration by younger people with their entire working life ahead of them. Other countries, such as Panama, make it easy for seniors to retire there. Students and recent graduates can avail themselves of a host of programs that facilitate transfer overseas, and even arrange work permits. Younger folks are probably more willing to take a few months or years doing odds jobs than someone in midcareer.
Income: How long can you live off your savings? Some countries offer residencies at a price, whether through investment or straight cash transaction. Can you afford to “buy” your way in? Many visas are contingent on proving you make a certain amount of money, or have a minimum bank balance. Indeed, few countries will let you in without you somehow demonstrating that you have sufficient income/savings on which to live.
Skills: Having the right skill set makes a big difference. There isn’t a nation on the globe that doesn’t need for nurses, for instance. Information technology professionals, engineers, and business and marketing professionals tend to have the run of the globe.
Preferences: Why are you leaving the U.S. and what do you expect from life abroad? Do you prefer fast-paced urban excitement or lazy days on sunny beaches? Do you want good governance, economic liberty, or cheap living? Easy entry or guaranteed healthcare? And if you can’t get everything you want, what difficulties and restrictions are you willing to tolerate?
Your Family Tree and your Relationships: Having a parent or even grandparent who is or was a citizen or resident of a country can facilitate citizenships and residencies that would be more difficult or even unavailable to others. Likewise, children and blood relatives. Spouses of foreign citizens generally have it relatively easy, and often even domestic partners and engaged couples. Needless to say, just knowing someone there can make a world of difference in helping you through the myriad details of transitioning to a new culture and make the process far less alienating than having to go it alone.
And of course, if you have a spouse or children, then you must factor in their situation, preferences, etc., as well.
Armed with this self-knowledge, you’re ready to explore the nuts and bolts of Getting Out of America. The remainder of the book is divided into the following areas:
Getting In...and Staying In:
Visas, Residencies, Work Permits and Citizenship
Before you can choose a place to go, you need to understand the system of how to legally reside there. The section gives you the lowdown on Visas, Residencies and Work Permits and covers the basic procedures of being allowed to enter, remain, and work in a given country, as well as a few common tricks and tips to getting the paperwork you need. For those keen on going all the way, the Foreign Citizenship section lays out the rules and what your best chance of obtaining a foreign passport would be, and what that means as far as your U.S. citizenship is concerned.
Getting By: Jobs and other Hustles
Addresses the vital question of how you will earn a living—will you go where you can find work, or find work where you want to go? For some, having some kind of employment is a prerequisite for any kind of move; others have access to money from home and are simply looking to live as easily and as cheaply as possible. In “Getting By,” we explore the common gigs and hustles of American expats overseas.
Is it Any Better There? Choosing the Country That’s Right for You
While legal residency and means of support will form the backbone of your Getting Out strategy, there are many issues—from the level of taxation to the care of the environment, sovereign debt to crime and safety—that affect the experience of life in another country. This section offers a host of different questions to consider, and the tools and resources you need to match the place to your preference...or vice versa.
May We Suggest? The Getting Out 61+1
All things considered, you have over 60 countries that offer the most attractive overall package to the would-be American exile: ease of immigration or long-term stay, availability of work, affordability and overall desirability. Then we give the lowdown on what it takes to set up a life there. Of course you don’t have to pick just one. With the globe transforming so quickly in terms of climate, political stability, and economic health, more and more people are configuring their lives so they don’t stay anywhere for very long.
Getting Real: The Transition and Beyond
From moving your stuff to staying in touch, there’s lots of details to deal with once you put a plan into action. Insuring your health, paying your taxes, schooling your kids and driving your car are all covered here.
A World Wide Web of Resources
Obviously, a single book will only get you so far. It cannot possibly contain every answer to all questions that any person might have. But we don’t just leave you high and dry. To get even more specific and individualized questions answered, we point you to voluminous additional resources, user forums and links to many of our contributors around the world.
Of course, no matter where you go, what you do, and for how long you do it, you’ll need to have a few essentials.
Money: While all-inclusive packages provided by corporations for their transfers or Peace Corps for their volunteers take care of most of the moving costs, unforeseen expenses always arise. The consensus is that having three months’ living expenses should be considered the absolute barest minimum. Scrape together what you can, sell what you don’t need, or beg from anyone who will listen. It’s a rare breed of expat adventurer who drops into a country penniless and is able to make a go of it. For the rest of us, in the early going especially, count on dipping generously into your savings. If you don’t have any, then start putting some aside. You’ll need it.
Time: Processing visas, applying for jobs, and arranging myriad other details necessary to pave your way to your new life doesn’t happen overnight. Depending on your choice of destination and job prospects, the process can take weeks, months, and in some cases, even years. Start now.
Patience: Bureaucratic delays are unavoidable and can often be maddening. Try to remember you’ll be dealing with another culture that may involve an entirely different way of doing things. The greatest asset you can have is the ability to wait without losing your head.
And finally...
The Passport: Even if your ultimate goal is to give yours up, you’re not going anywhere unless you first have one. Only 28 percent of Americans—85.5 million—currently possess this little blue book. You’d better be among them. “Stateless” individuals, the official term for people who possess no internationally recognized citizenship, are even lower on the bureaucratic totem pole than destitute refugees, since not even pity will help you.
If you plan on relocating to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda, the State Department is now issuing Passport Cards which are less expensive than a traditional passport, though hardly that much less to make it worthwhile. These wallet-sized cards will let you reenter the U.S. by land or sea but cannot be used if you return by plane.
Passport: $135 for adults, $105 for children under 16
Passport card: $55 adults, $40 for children under 16
You can apply at your nearest post office.
Applications can be downloaded at travel.state.gov