Leaving The US -- Has Anybody Moved Or Are You Considering?

[Luna Bliss]

This is a breakaway from the Pet Peeve thread where people are discussing leaving the US.  Has anybody done so, or are you contemplating a move? Or do you have information about other countries that could be useful?

I'm considering a move to Mexico.

[Sorciaa]

I looked at the Azores a while back.. only really an option if you were retired

 

oh, and Canada.. you think migrating into the US is tough...

Edited May 6, 2022 by Sorciaa

[Ayashe Ninetails]

Yaaaaaaaay thanks for the thread, @Luna Bliss! Curious to hear everyone's experiences (if there are any successful experiences out there!).

I've already mentioned in Pet Peeves that I up and left in the very early 2000s to study abroad in London, and I did say that going away to college is technically the easiest way to become an expat, but I should mention that it's definitely not without its problems, too, so big warning to anyone considering that - get your financials in check before you get on that plane! 

Mine was an entirely spur of the moment decision as one afternoon I got extremely pissed off with the president of my company constantly questioning my skills as a designer while I was quite successfully running the entire company's print and web design department by myself after he literally fired every experienced in-house contractor we had in favor of bumping me from newb intern to FT (massive eyeroll), so I got it into my head that my Associate's Degree would never be enough to shut him the hell up.

Got so mad I gave two week notice and within another few weeks, I was on a plane to continue my education in a whole other country (yeah I got mad enough to leave the entire US on a whim LOL) but here's the kicker - I got held at the airport for hours upon hours until they could verify my financial aid and personal finances. 😵 They called my bank, my school, everybody I knew, went through all my paperwork with a fine-toothed comb... thank goodness the person I had picking me up from the airport was patient because woooo. Finally got let in, but renewing that student visa later was no joy, either. Immigration does not PLAY. My roommate's boyfriend was doing his OB/GYN residency in London (from India) and even he got harassed by Immigration! HMPF.

Sad part is I didn't actually get to finish the degree before financial aid collapsed (it turned out to be one of those scam colleges oh joy - the less said about that the better), but the experience was AMAZING despite all of that, so I've been quite eager to get out again!

Edit: A very close SL friend did offer to help me relocate to Australia should I want to live where nature is completely out to get you, but I believe the process there is quite similar as I checked into student and work visas when I vacationed in Melbourne many many years ago after high school.

Edited May 6, 2022 by Ayashe Ninetails
Added stuffs

[Janet Voxel]

I went to Aruba for vacation last summer. They make it very easy for American retirees to live there. They use the dollar and they speak English.

Since I have about 25 years before I retire, I didn’t look much beyond that into the process. But it’s now on my list.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

37 minutes ago, Sorciaa said:

I looked at the Azores a while back.. only really an option if you were retired

 

oh, and Canada.. you think migrating into the US is tough...

Canada just gives you a whole list and says add up these points - got enough? No? Sucks for you, stay mad, bye. 🤣

[Love Zhaoying]

I know a retired gay married couple who just moved to Mexico. My tax specialist was going to move there with his wife but changed his mind.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

1 minute ago, Love Zhaoying said:

My tax specialist was going to move there with his wife but changed his mind.

Did he tell you what changed his mind? I'm so nosy lol.

[Love Zhaoying]

10 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Did he tell you what changed his mind? I'm so nosy lol.

The crime, I think. Not sure if he was looking at the same place as the couple who just moved to Merida.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

2 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

The crime, I think. Not sure if he was looking at the same place as the couple who just moved to Merida.

I used to know someone who would hop over to Mexico for medical care that he couldn't afford here. I'm not sure how he did that exactly - maybe had family who lived there or something, but that's when I started telling myself high crime shouldn't necessarily be a deterrent and added a few more places to the list. Yolo!

 

[Love Zhaoying]

1 minute ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

I used to know someone who would hop over to Mexico for medical care that he couldn't afford here. I'm not sure how he did that exactly - maybe had family who lived there or something, but that's when I started telling myself high crime shouldn't necessarily be a deterrent and added a few more places to the list. Yolo!

 

My birth-mother used to drive over to get meds.

[Arielle Popstar]

1 hour ago, Luna Bliss said:

This is a breakaway from the Pet Peeve thread where people are discussing leaving the US.  Has anybody done so, or are you contemplating a move? Or do you have information about other countries that could be useful?

I'm considering a move to Mexico.

Depends on why one is thinking of moving. Climate, Political climate, economics? Cheap or free health care?

[Ayashe Ninetails]

Just now, Love Zhaoying said:

My birth-mother used to drive over to get meds.

That's just so sad I can't even. I mean good that it's an option, but sad that it needs to be.

[Love Zhaoying]

Just now, Ayashe Ninetails said:

That's just so sad I can't even. I mean good that it's an option, but sad that it needs to be.

Perhaps. But, she went more for meds that were hard to get here, which she liked a LOT. Less than a financial thing, but that's just my memory.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

Just now, Love Zhaoying said:

Perhaps. But, she went more for meds that were hard to get here, which she liked a LOT. Less than a financial thing, but that's just my memory.

Oh oh I thought you meant because of costs. Okay that's a bit better! 

This all reminds me that I've never actually been to Mexico. Weird considering how close it is (I mean geez I've been to Canada a few times).

[Cube Republic]

Uruguay is easy to emigrate to  

[Orwar]

   I left the US once .. 

   After having spent a week in Boston. I was tiny though. Only thing I really remember from coming home was that, there was a bit of a snow storm greeting us as we got off the plane, and that I got strangely excited that I overheard strangers speaking in Swedish again. Oh and that my expectations for American hamburgers were completely destroyed by The Cheesecake Factory. And that the chips sucked. The cheesecake was decent, but putting it in the company name felt like a stretch. Also that the first time we stepped into an American grocery store and I saw the size of the ice cream tubs I was baffled - those things wouldn't fit the upstairs freezer, and who the heck wants to go into the basement to dig through the remains of a moose to haul up ice cream after dinner? Also that I saw coffee being poured in a Dunkin Donuts and thought they were serving tea; I didn't drink coffee at the time, but I'd seen coffee and that sure as Hell wasn't it. The donuts were fine, though. But again, huge. I ended up giving about half of mine to the pigeons. 

   I also didn't quite get the thing with the skyscrapers. I mean we got tall buildings here too, but no one ever aspires to live in an apartment complex; it's just a means to pile the impoverished in as little space as possible, until they have the financial means to get themselves something proper with an actual garden, like proper people. Where else will you observe the Midsummer festivities? On your balcony? And where would you plant your potatoes? Potatoes muss sein. If you serve your pickled herring with store bought potatoes in summertime, you're doing it wrong. It was a bit like going to Stockholm, but worse. I couldn't tell whether the people there were quite as constipated as Stockholmers though, as I didn't quite grasp the lingo - but as a 9 year old I found the whole thing mostly peculiar and not all that interesting. The aquarium was nice though. 

   Now, Egypt, there was an interesting country to visit. I'd much rather go back there. Or Italy, perhaps. But right now I kind of feel like visiting Czechia or Poland - good food and drinks? Yes, please. Or Bavaria .. Mm, food, drinks, and yodelling? Now that's culture. 

[Ceka Cianci]

My family didn't come this far just to watch me up and quit on them now!! \o/

hehehe

 

[Persephone Emerald]

I've traveled to other states and countries. I have no desire to live anywhere other than Northern or Central California though - unless I had much more money or the fires here get too bad and my housemate lets me have a trailer on her future lot in Oregon.

[Kimmi Zehetbauer]

I moved to Canada about 6 years ago.  Since I was a duel citizen the process was slightly easier.  My man's family is from here too which is a bonus. We did do all our paperwork and such ahead of time to to eliminate some pain in the rear stuff.

2 Years ago I gave up my US citizenship since the IRS still requires filing for all their citizens --- even if they move permanently to another nation. If was a tough decision, but something needed to be done.

[Rowan Amore]

36 minutes ago, Orwar said:

I also didn't quite get the thing with the skyscrapers. I mean we got tall buildings here too, but no one ever aspires to live in an apartment complex; it's just a means to pile the impoverished in as little space as possible, until they have the financial means to get themselves something proper with an actual garden, like proper people.

Impoverished?

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/432-Park-Ave-PENTHOUSE-New-York-NY-10022/2069500049_zpid/

[Orwar]

1 minute ago, Rowan Amore said:

Impoverished?

   If art has taught me anything, it's that people throwing silly amounts of money at trash doesn't make it any less trash. I'd rather live in a tent. 

[Rowan Amore]

5 minutes ago, Orwar said:

   If art has taught me anything, it's that people throwing silly amounts of money at trash doesn't make it any less trash. I'd rather live in a tent. 

I agree.  I'd never want to live in any type of apartment structure.  However, many people aspire to live in upscale buildings such as the one I posted although that one is extreme.  I'd never want to live downtown in any big city but some thrive on the excitement.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

12 minutes ago, Persephone Emerald said:

I've traveled to other states and countries. I have no desire to live anywhere other than Northern or Central California though - unless I had much more money or the fires here get too bad and my housemate lets me have a trailer on her future lot in Oregon.

California is a lot like NY in that it'd be just as expensive to bounce from one coast to the other. It's how I settled on London for college since I had narrowed it down to Hawaii vs. London and I said wait a sec - why in the world would I stay in the US when I could fly across the world - the costs are kind of the same? And at least there will be cute accents!

But no seriously - I'd live almost anywhere. Almost. Getting out is something I've been wanting to do since high school. A few of us in my family feel the same, but so far my brother, uncle, and I are the only three that have made it out (temporarily - we're all back here and grumbling about it regularly lol).

 

25 minutes ago, Kimmi Zehetbauer said:

2 Years ago I gave up my US citizenship since the IRS still requires filing for all their citizens --- even if they move permanently to another nation. If was a tough decision, but something needed to be done.

Oh wow. That's absolutely something I've seen recommended if you're lucky enough to gain permanent residency outside of the US as you'd still be paying taxes in both countries. Giving up citizenship is something I wouldn't at all hesitate to do if given the opportunity (for many many reasons), but I know how hard a decision that is for most people.

Congratulations!

Adopt me? 

[Qie Niangao]

1 hour ago, Kimmi Zehetbauer said:

I moved to Canada about 6 years ago.  Since I was a duel citizen the process was slightly easier.  My man's family is from here too which is a bonus. We did do all our paperwork and such ahead of time to to eliminate some pain in the rear stuff.

2 Years ago I gave up my US citizenship since the IRS still requires filing for all their citizens --- even if they move permanently to another nation. If was a tough decision, but something needed to be done.

Yeah, the tax filing burden is huge on US citizens living abroad. I moved from US to Canada over ten years ago, dual citizen now, and because of US income sources it wouldn't really help that much to give up the US citizenship in my case, but still, it's kind of a nightmare. US citizens truly should consult a tax attorney before moving abroad because there are so many special cases. And once you move, be careful how you invest to reduce a potentially endless stack of US Department of Treasury paperwork. 

That said, the total tax doesn't have to be all that much more than in the US, especially if you compare provincial tax for healthcare with remotely comparable health insurance in the US. There will be some extra because foreign tax credits aren't perfect (e.g., what's deductible in the US may not be in Canada and vice versa) but… well, good tax advice can pay for itself many times over.

[Bree Giffen]

I think I would try to move to a less expensive state than move to a completely different country. Many governments around the world, even in so called democracies, are considerably less considerate of freedom and independence.