The 10 Easiest Countries to Move To
The 10 Easiest Countries to Move To
More Americans are moving abroad than ever before. Thanks to digital tools like language translation apps and Google maps along with options for remote work, it’s easier now to make a big move abroad. Combined with challenging times in the United States and ever-present wanderlust, people of all ages are seeking greener pastures.
Here are our picks for the 10 easiest countries to move to, along with the visa options that will get you there.
Netherlands: DAFT Visa
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Who it’s for: entrepreneurs, freelancers, self-employed people
The Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) visa is a type of long-stay visa that allows U.S. entrepreneurs to live and work in the Netherlands for up to five years. You can convert your DAFT visa to permanent residency after five years.
If you don’t already have your own business, you can find ideas online for starting one for your DAFT visa. As a condition of the visa, you must deposit €4,500 into a local account and keep it there for the duration of your stay.
You can apply for a DAFT visa online or at the Dutch embassy or consulate in the United States. The application process takes about 4-6 weeks.
➤ Learn more about moving to the Netherlands
Mexico: Temporary Residency Card
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Who it’s for: Anyone with savings, pension, or remote income
You can get temporary residency in Mexico by showing a certain amount of monthly income or savings or by buying property in Mexico. You can convert temporary residency to permanent residency after four years.
The required amounts are all based on Mexico’s minimum wage, which increases regularly and affects those amounts, along with the exchange rate. In 2023, these are the requirements for your choice of income, savings, or investment:
- Monthly income MX$62,232 (about $3,500)
- Savings MX$1,037,200 (about $58,000). Your savings don’t have to be liquid—they can be in an IRA or 401K.
- Property investment MX$8,297,600 (about $465,000)
You can bring dependents if you have additional income or savings.
Note: it’s not recommended to buy a home as a temporary resident unless you are sure you won’t be selling it anytime soon. Temporary residents have to pay a punishing capital gains tax on the sale. However, temporary residents can drive their own car with U.S. plates. This isn’t possible for permanent residents.
➤ Learn more about moving to Mexico
Panama: Pensionado Visa
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Who it’s for: Retirees or people with passive income
Although a Pensionado visa is technically for “pensioners,” you only need to be 18 to apply for one. You’ll need to show a monthly income of at least $1,000 USD from pensions, social security, SSDI benefits, or investments. Alternatively, you can invest $100,000 in Panama and collect $1,000 each month.
You can bring dependents if you have additional income or savings.
Here are some of the benefits of having a Panama Pensionado Visa:
- You can import household goods duty-free (one time, up to $10,000 in value).
- You’ll get discounts like 30% off public transportation, 50% off sports tickets and movies, 20% off restaurants, 20% off doctors’ fees, 15% off hospital stays, and many more!
- You’ll have permanent residency.
You must use a Panamanian attorney to get this visa.
➤ Learn more about moving to Panama
Portugal: D7 Visa
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Who it’s for: Retirees or people with passive income
As in Panama, this visa is for anyone 18 and up, and the required income is even less: €760/month (about $805). You can bring dependents if you have additional income or savings.
Americans who move to Portugal gain access to the country’s excellent public healthcare system after only three months. Portugal’s tax benefits for expats could be ending soon, so it may benefit you to move sooner. Either way, most immigrants stay in Portugal even after any tax benefits expire.
➤ Learn more about moving to Portugal
Spain: Non-Lucrative Visa
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Who it’s for: Retirees or people with passive income
Again, anyone over 18 can apply for this visa by showing requisite funds. The amounts are based on multiples of IPREM, a benchmark for granting aid in Spain. Here are those amounts, and you can choose to show income or savings:
- €2,400/month (about $2,550) in pensions, social security, SSDI benefits, or other passive income
- €60,000 (about $64,500) in savings
➤ Learn more about moving to Spain
Canada: Digital Nomad Visa
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Who it’s for: Tech workers, remote workers
In 2023, Canada announced several new programs to recruit tech talent, entrepreneurs, and other skilled workers. The country loses thousands of workers each year to high-paying jobs in the United States, and these programs seek to reverse the trend.
One was recruiting H1-B visa workers who’ve moved to the U.S., and another was their new digital nomad program. Americans can travel as tourists to Canada and work remotely for up to six months at a time. Those who’d like to seek local employment can work remotely as they search.
➤ Learn more about moving to Canada
Albania: No Residency Needed
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Who it’s for: Digital nomads, retirees, self-employed people
There’s no easier option to move abroad than to head to Albania. The Balkan gem will allow any American to stay for a year with no visa at all. If you’d like to extend your stay, you can apply for residency while you’re there, or you can leave for three months to restart the clock. If you opt for the latter, we recommend heading to a Schengen country for your 90 days.
Albania is extremely affordable, if developing.
➤ Learn more about moving to Albania
Germany: Student Visa
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Who it’s for: University students
Germany believes in the value of an educated global community, which is why anyone can attend a German university and pay nothing for tuition. You’ll pay a €75 fee with your student visa application; allow for up to 12 weeks for processing.
Here are other important details to know when applying for the student visa:
- There’s three different student visas: Language course visa; student applicant visa (looking for the right program); student visa (already accepted to a German university).
- If your study programs lasts longer than 90 days, be sure to get a residency visa to go with it. Residency visas can be renewed, while tourist visas cannot extend past 90 days.
- You’ll need to show at least €934 per month for living expenses.
- Students under 30 and pursuing a regular degree will be able to access Germany’s universal healthcare scheme. If you’re over 30, you’ll need to carry private insurance for the duration of your program.
➤ Learn more about moving to Germany
Ireland: Stamp 0 for Retirement
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Who it’s for: Retirees
Many people are interested in retiring to the United Kingdom, but it’s no longer an option unless you have millions to invest. Instead, consider neighboring Ireland. You’ll need monthly retirement income of at least €4,166 (about $4,400) for each person who’s moving there, but you’ll have access to excellent healthcare and free rein of the EU.
➤ Learn more about moving to Ireland
New Zealand: Working Holiday Visa
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Who it’s for: Adults under 30
The working holiday visa allows adults under 30 to work or study for up to 12 months in the country. Applicants must apply online and pay the NZ $420 fee (about $253), which takes about three weeks to process.
Here’s some things you should know about the working holiday visa:
- You can’t accept a permanent job while here on the working holiday visa.
- You have at least NZ $4,200 (about $2,500) to live on while you’re here, as well as a ticket for your flight home.
- Children are not allowed to join you on the working holiday visa.
➤ Learn more about moving to New Zealand
10 Countries Where You Can Retire With $2,000/Month (One Will Make You Say Ooh La La!)
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Are you looking forward to retirement? Do you imagine peaceful days spent socializing with family and friends, pursuing hobbies, and catching up on things you put off during a long career with limited time off?
While we all long for those days, you may look at your bank account and bills and wonder if they’ll ever come. If retiring in the U.S. feels unattainable, there are options for moving abroad that may be within your budget.
➤ 10 Countries Where You Can Retire With $2,000/Month
10 Countries Where You Can Retire With Just $150,000 in Savings
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The median amount that Gen Xers have saved for retirement is $40,000, with as few as seven years left before reaching the retirement age of 65. The good news is that with a little hard work, you can still find a comfortable retirement abroad.
In these countries, you can fully retire with $150,000 in savings, or even less if you collect social security payments.
10 Countries Where You Can Retire With Just $150,000 in Savings
5 Easy Ways to Find the Best Country to Live In
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How do you find the best country to live in?
It’s an impossible task, really; a great country for someone else might be a disaster for you. You might want low cost of living with universal healthcare and income equality. Maybe personal safety in an attractive destination where English is widely spoken. Perhaps you want a small country offering quality education in an international school system.
With nearly 200 countries to choose from, picking your top countries gets tough quickly. Here are a few ways to find the lifestyle that suits your needs:
➤ 5 Easy Ways to Find the Best Country to Live In
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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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?