Published On: November 18th, 2023Categories: FAQs, Moving Guides

Expatsi FAQs

We go live every week on TikTok to answer questions about moving abroad and hang out with our Expatsi friends (check our profile for times and days). Here are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions we get during our lives.

Moving abroad is an exciting adventure, which involves careful planning and preparation. The following are very brief answers, and we encourage you to use our country guides to find more reseach, join our Facebook group to compare notes with other people who want to move abroad, join us on TikTok to ask questions, or schedule a consultation if you have additional questions.

Also, take our free Expatsi Test to get a list of the top 10 countries that will meet your specific needs! You can take the test as often as you like! If you have anyone moving with you, we encourage you to take the test separately and compare your results to see which countries you have in common.

What is a DAFT Visa for the Netherlands?

DAFT stands for the Dutch American Friendship Treaty and is a special type of visa that allows US entrepreneurs to obtain a Dutch residence permit if they make an investment of at least €4,500. It’s valid for 2 years and you can apply for a permanent residency permit after five years.

What about temporary residency in Mexico?

You can get a temporary resident visa for Mexico by applying at your local consulate. You’ll need to show monthly income or savings. The amounts you need vary for three reasons: 1) The exchange rate, 2) Different consulates require different amounts, 3) The amounts are based on the minimum wage, which goes up regularly. This is the best guide we’ve found for those amounts.

Once you have your temporary resident visa, you have 180 days to move to Mexico and then 30 days once you’ve entered the country to get your temporary resident card. The Mexico temporary resident card is valid for one year on the first issuance and can be renewed for another one, two, or three years, then you can get permanent residency.

If you need help, you can schedule an appointment with our immigration attorney partners on our Mexico guide.

What about the pensionado visa in Panama?

To obtain a pensionado (retirement) visa in Panama, you must prove that you have a minimum of 1,000 USD monthly income for the rest of your life, or if you can provide proof of a 750 USD monthly income, you would need to also buy real estate with a minimum value of 100,000 USD. Finally, you can invest 100,000 USD locally to qualify. Although it’s a retirement visa, you only need to be 18 years old to qualify, and disability benefits can count as income.

The pensionado visa comes with a number of nationwide discounts, including:

50% off entertainment anywhere in the country (movies, theaters, concerts, sporting events)
30% off bus, boat, and train and 25% off airline tickets; 30% to 50% off hotel stays
20% off prescription medication and 15% off hospital bills

You’ll need a Panamanian attorney to apply for the pensionado visa. If you don’t have one, you can schedule an appointment with our immigration attorney partners on our Panama guide.

What about the D7 visa in Portugal?

To qualify for the D7 (retirement) visa in Portugal, you will need to meet the following minimum income requirements from pensions, social security, or investments: For the lead applicant, you’ll need to present a minimum amount of €8,460 per year. For the dependent applicant (like a spouse or child), you’ll need to present a minimum amount of €4,230 per year (each). The benefit of the D7 visa, is that via-holders are granted full residency rights in Portugal without the need for a large investment.

You only need to be 18 to apply for this visa. If you need help, you can schedule an appointment with our immigration attorney partners on our Portugal guide.

What about “non-lucrative” visas in Spain?

This visa is for non-EU nationals who want to reside in Spain without working (like retirees). The current minimum income requirement stands at €2,400 per month and €600 per month per dependent.

What about the digital nomad visa in Canada?

The digital nomad visa was announced in June 2023 to encourage remote workers to work in Canada, but it’s really rebranding of the country’s existing tourist visa. Americans can travel to Canada for up to six months, work remotely and/or look for work. Canada is actively seeking workers in STEM fields, so consider IT/software training if Canada is your goal. Better yet, get that training in Canada on a student visa to get a head start on living and working there.

What about not needing a visa in Albania?

We don’t know why Albania is so accommodating to Americans, but we’ll take it! Americans can enter the Republic of Albania as a tourist without a visa. Your passport should be valid for at least three months from the date of your arrival. U.S. citizens may stay up to one year in Albania without applying for a residency permit. If you’d like to stay longer, you can leave for three months to reset and come back for another year, or you can apply for long-term residency. Those three months are perfect timing to tour the Schengen Zone.

What about student visas in Germany?

We recommend Germany for people who are interested in studying abroad, as tuition is free or very low cost—even for foreigners. There’s no age cut off to study in Germany, and there are programs available in English.

German student visas may take approximately 4-12 weeks to process. The requirements for a German student visa for Americans are:

You must have an admission letter from a German university or preparatory school.
You must have enough funds to cover your stay in Germany, like a blocked account, a scholarship, or a sponsor.
You must purchase a student health insurance policy.

What is the “Stamp 0” in Ireland?

Stamp 0 indicates permission to stay in Ireland for a temporary period, subject to conditions. You must be of independent means, fully financially self-sufficient. Alternatively, your sponsor in Ireland must be of independent means and can support you fully. Right now, that means you need to show you have €50,000 available each year you want to stay, along with about €100,000 in savings.

Stamp 0 indicates permission to stay in Ireland for a temporary period, subject to conditions. You must

be of independent means, fully financially self-sufficient. Alternatively, your sponsor in Ireland must be of independent means and can support you fully.

What about working holiday visas in Australia & New Zealand?

This type of visa allows you to travel and work in New Zealand for up to 12 months (for Americans), and there’s also a version of this in Australia. All working holiday visas must be applied for online and only if the visa is “open” for applications. The eligibility criteria includes: you must be of good health, you must “have good character,” you must have a genuine commitment to comply with the terms of the visa, and you must be aged 18 – 30. If approved, it usually takes up to 20 working days to get the visa.

What about getting citizenship in Spain if I’m from a country with Spanish heritage?

YES! You can qualify for Spanish citizenship in 2 years if you’re from any of the following countries/territories and have Spanish heritage:

Argentina
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
Mexico
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Puerto Rico
Venezuela

What about good countries specifically for...

Women?
Singles?
Families?
POC?
Seniors/retirees?
LGBTQIA folks?
Disabled people?

The Expatsi Test can help find countries that fit your needs, and then we recommend visiting our country guides to find subreddits, Facebook groups, TikTok creators, Instagram accounts, and YouTube channels to follow for more details.

One area where we’ve struggled is in finding resources for moving with a disability. Here’s what we can tell you:

The idea that you can’t move with autism seems to be an urban myth. Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Canada put limits based on how expensive your healthcare is, but no country seems to have a “ban” on neurodivergent people.
You can use any SSDI benefits as retirement income to get a retirement visa.
Our good friend Dawn has put together this spreadsheet with resources related to moving to different countries with a disability. If you have info that can help us flesh it out, please email jen@expatsi.com!

Trent Anderson

Expatsi Moderator | + posts

Trent has a BA and BBA from Eastern Michigan University with concentrations in marketing and German. He's passionate about traveling internationally and learning foreign languages. Trent has studied French, German, Dutch, and Spanish, and hopes to learn Polish and Catalán someday as well. He's scouting Spain in early 2024 and hoping to move to Barcelona or another large city in 2024 or 2025. Trent enjoys supporting creators on TikTok and can often be found in the live Expatsi chats.

Jen Barnett

Co-founder at Expatsi | Website | + posts

Jen is the co-founder of Expatsi, a company that helps Americans move abroad. She created the Expatsi Test, an assessment that recommends countries for aspiring emigrants based on lifestyle data. Jen has an MBA from Emory University with concentrations in marketing and innovation. She's written for BusinessWeek, Health, Cooking Light, and Southern Living. Prior to Expatsi, she created Freshfully and Bottle & Bone—two businesses in the local food space—and spoke at TEDx on being brave. She's moving to Mexico in 2024, along with her husband and co-founder Brett, pitbull mix Squiggy, and three rotten cats. How can she help you move abroad?

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