LGBTQ Americans Moving Abroad: The Complete Guide 2026

LGBTQ people are under attack in the U.S. and looking for the exits. Expatsi is here to help you find them.

Moving abroad has long been considered this adventurous move that mainly retirees or the independently wealthy explored. Today, regular people are starting to come around to this journey. For members of the LGBTQ community, especially transgender and nonbinary people, adventure isn’t the first motive behind the move. They’re planning to relocate based on human rights, personal safety, and healthcare access.

Why LGBTQ Americans Move Abroad

The bulk of this anti-LGBTQ sentiment stems from rising right-wing sentiments in the West. We see this reflected in the legislation that’s been introduced across the country. Over 900 anti-trans bills have been proposed as of June 2026, leaving many feeling anxious for their well-being in the U.S. Other queer communities are under fire, as well.

We often get asked how LGBTQ Americans can seek refugee status abroad. The short answer is, you can’t. Refugee status is preserved for those who are fleeing imminent, mortal danger in their home countries. To qualify as a refugee, you must demonstrate that nowhere is safe in your home country. Since you could theoretically move to a U.S. region that’s more responsive towards your needs, you would likely not qualify for refugee status. Thus, we need to examine other paths out of the country.

Political persecution isn’t the only factor that’s leading the queer community to move abroad. According to Expatsi’s 2026 Pride Report, two-thirds of LGBTQ respondents listed “personal liberties” as their reason for leaving the U.S. Safety & crime, adventure/new experience, and healthcare round out the top 5 responses in our results, which considers Expatsi Test results from over 24,000 LGBTQ users from October 2025 to June 2026.

Those LGBTQ expats who are looking to leave tend to skew towards older people, though not as old as you’d think. Roughly 65 percent of queer respondents who are looking to leave the U.S. are between ages 25 – 54, with the great majority of those being solo expats or couples. Retirees and young families are less likely to move abroad at this time.

What Values Matter the Most to LGBTQ Expats

The obvious answer to this would be that LGBTQ people want to find rights and acceptance in their new home countries, and that holds true for our respondents. Beyond rights like gender self-determination and same-sex marriage, the queer community believes in rights for others. Factors like women’s equality, DEI, reproductive freedom and stable democracy all matter deeply when considering a new country. LGBTQ people seek social equity for all.

Moving abroad is not a passive thought for many of them, either. Over 60 percent of queer respondents reported on the Expatsi Test that they plan to exit the U.S. within the next five years. Where are they wanting to go?

Where LGBTQ Expats Want to Move

Countries that appeal to the LGBTQ community run the gamut of budgets, locales, and languages. What is consistent, though, is each countries’ commitment to welcoming the community from all corners. We also prioritize country selection on features like same-sex marriage recognition, LGBTQ anti-discrimination laws, and gender self-determination. Most often, finding countries with these features also provides the most vibrant communities for LGBTQ expats.

Here are the safest countries for LGBTQ Americans in 2026, according to our Pride Report:

1. Portugal
2. Uruguay
3. Ecuador
4. Spain
5. New Zealand
6. Philippines
7. Netherlands
8. Mexico
9. Germany
10. Belgium
11. France

Bear in mind that not all countries offer the same visa paths. Places like Portugal, Uruguay and the Philippines offer visas for passive income (think retirees) and digital nomad options, bringing outside investment to their growing economies. Others like the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Germany seek skilled workers or entrepreneurs above all, inviting outside talent to reinforce their workforce. Our You CAN Move Abroad webinar, offered every Sunday at 2p EST, covers the potential visa paths and more; you can register here to attend.

The Best Destinations for LGBTQ Communities

The queer community is by no means a monolith. With that in mind, here’s a sample of the best destinations we’ve found for different LGBTQ communities:

Best Cities for Lesbian Expats:

1. Antwerp, Belgium
2. Barcelona, Spain
3. Montevideo, Uruguay
4. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
5. São Paulo, Brazil
6. See the rest of the list

Best Countries for Transgender Adults Moving Abroad:

1. Uruguay
2. Sweden
3. Norway
4. Peru
5. Iceland
6. See the rest of the list

Best Cities for Gay Men:

1. Berlin, Germany
2. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
3. Amsterdam, the Netherlands
4. Lisbon, Portugal
5. Taipei, Taiwan
6. See the rest of the list

Best Countries for Trans Kids:

1. Belgium
2. Cyprus
3. Denmark
4. Uruguay
5. Malta
6. See the rest of the list

Best Cities for LGBTQ Retirement Abroad:

1. Bangkok, Thailand
2. Sitges, Spain
3. Montpelier, France
4. Punta del Este, Uruguay
5. Cuenca, Ecuador
6. See the rest of the list

Where to Find LGBTQ Expat Community Online

Expatsi has been gathering the expat community since 2022, so try starting with us. Take the Expatsi Test to generate your expatsiGo profile, then check out the various threads in our private Community Hub. You can also try following Jen on Instagram and TikTok for content covering a range of expat interests.

Beyond that, try searching for country expat groups on Facebook. More popular countries like Portugal and Spain often have LGBTQ-centered groups that you can join. They tend to be private, as well, which allows for more open dialogues than the public groups can offer. On Reddit, consider r/expats and r/lgbt, as well as r/expatsi.

We’ve helped hundreds of people just like you leave the U.S. in the last few years. Why not you?