How to Get Out

A Starting Point for Disaffected Americans

Since the election, many Americans are making inquiries about leaving the U.S. So I’m republishing this guide from our friends at r/Amerexit. It reviews common visa types, ways to acquire a second citizenship, and some FAQs. Remember, if things get really bad, there’s always Svalbard!

For Americans who want to move abroad for a better life, it’s not as simple as just getting your passport and hopping on a plane. You will need the legal right to live in another country, as well as the legal right to work there. Unless you’re lucky enough to qualify for a second citizenship, this process usually begins with obtaining a visa. This guide reviews common visa types, ways to acquire a second citizenship, and some frequently asked questions. While this guide is geared primarily towards Americans, most of these options are available to people of other nationalities, as well. This is designed to be more of a starting point rather than a step-by-step guide, so you’ll need to do further research.

Moving abroad is expensive, stressful, and sometimes isolating. Make sure first that you can’t find a better fit for yourself within the U.S. first. MoveMap lets you search for your ideal county in the U.S. by a variety of factors, and offers solid advice for people who want to move to a different area within the same country.

Citizenship by Birthplace: Jus Soil

Some countries will grant you citizenship simply for being born there, provided your parents were not foreign military or ambassadors. Other countries may have additional requirements. For a list of countries with jus soil, see here.

Citizenship by Descent: Jus Sanguinis

Most countries will grant citizenship to people whose parents or grandparents were citizens, and some let you go back even further than that. As a bonus, passing a language or citizenship test is usually not required this way. Family Search is a free website to start building your family tree and see where your ancestors come from, although you will need to create an account. Once you know which countries your ancestors were from, search “[country] citizenship by descent/ancestry” to see if you qualify for citizenship.

For German ancestry, here is a helpful guide. For Italian ancestry, take a look at this flowchart. Hungary will let you trace your lineage back to any Hungarian ancestor via simplified naturalization, provided you can speak the language. Croatia has a similar program, though the language test is currently waived.

Those from Latin American countries are eligible for a fast track citizenship process in Spain, which allows you to naturalize after two years of residency (plus processing times) instead of the usual ten years. You will still need to find a way to legally live in the country for those initial two years. This is open to nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela and persons of Sephardic origin (non-naturalized citizens). Please note that Spain does not allow dual citizenship with the U.S. via naturalization.

Honduras also has a fast track citizenship process for Central Americans by birth who reside in Honduras for at least one year, as well as Spaniards and Spanish Americans by birth who have resided in Honduras for at least two years. Note that dual citizenship is generally not allowed in Honduras except by birth or marriage. Dual citizenship with Spain is allowed via a reciprocity agreement.

Marriage / Partner Visa

While most countries don’t give immediate citizenship through marriage anymore, marriage does put you on a fast track to permanent residency and thus citizenship. Regardless, if you are married to a citizen, you will usually be able to live and work in their country as long as you reside there with them. Some countries have partner visas for couples who are not married but have been together for at least two years. Note that most countries disallow marrying purely for citizenship purposes.

Jewish Pathways

Israel’s Right of Return law allows anyone who is Jewish, has a Jewish parent or grandparent, or is married to someone Jewish to apply to obtain Jewish citizenship upon moving to Israel. Dual citizenship is allowed under this method. Do note that there is a mandatory draft in Israel and though expatriates are generally exempt, it may apply to any future children you have there.

Other countries may also have special paths to citizenship for people whose Jewish ancestors were forced to flee the country due to persecution. Germany and Austria are two examples, though they do require that your ancestor was a citizen at the time.

Portugal also has a pathway specifically for descendants of Sephardic Jews, although new requirements necessitate proving ties to Portugal.

African Descent in the Diaspora

Ghana's Right of Abode is available to persons of African descent in the diaspora, as well as Ghanaians who have lost their citizenship because they have acquired another nationality. You are required to be of good character, able to financially support yourself, and not have been imprisoned for twelve months or more.

Sierra Leone also has a similar pathway for people who can prove ancestral dies via DNA. You must pass a background check, provide two notarized character references from professionals or professional institutions in your state, and travel to Sierra Leone to complete the process.

Citizenship by Investment / Golden Visas

Some countries allow you to buy citizenship, although this can cost you $100K to $1 million depending on the country. If you just want to buy a residency permit and not citizenship this can often be a lot cheaper, though residency can be lost if you do not spend enough time in the country and getting citizenship from residency usually requires mastery of the local language. The cheapest residency is in Paraguay, which will cost you $5,000.

Retirement Visas / Passive Income

Some countries will give you residency if you can prove you can support yourself through passive income or savings. These are usually called retirement visas and they generally forbid you from working, even remotely or via freelancing. 

Fight for Ukraine

Supposedly, those that go to Ukraine to fight against Russia will receive citizenship once the war is over. However, citizenship is of little use if you’re dead, and if Russia wins this offer is obviously moot. Think carefully about if this is worth it for you.

French Foreign Legion

You can join the French Foreign Legion if you are under age 39.5 and meet specific physical, medical, and administrative requirements. The first contract you sign is mandatory for five years. A foreign legionnaire can apply for French nationality after three years of service. It appears you are also required to change your name with this method.

Student Visa

Going to school overseas can often be cheaper than doing so in the U.S., and many countries will let you stay afterwards for a limited time (six months to five years, depending on the country and degree type) in order to search for an employer to sponsor you for a work visa. You can occasionally find programs taught entirely in English even in countries that don’t have it as an official language, though this is usually at the Masters or PhD level.

Keep in mind that many countries do not count years spent as a student towards residency for citizenship requirements, although there are exceptions. For Czechia, Estonia and Spain, your student time counts for half. So, for instance, four years of study would count as two years towards the residency requirement. For more information see here.

Note that many countries do not consider American high school diplomas as proof of college readiness without several Advanced Placement credits, so it may be a good idea to do an associates degree in the U.S. first. However, an associates degree often isn't recognized as a proper degree in other countries, so there is a trade off. If you do choose to study within the U.S., doing a study abroad program can be a great way to check a country out to see if you would like to start planning a more permanent move there. You may even be able to do this in high school if your school has a foreign exchange program.

Language Learning Visa

This visa allows you to enter the country for the express purpose of enrolling in a language immersion school. You are required to attend a certain number of hours per week, and prove that you have enough money to support yourself for the duration of your stay. If you have a country that you are considering, this is a good option to see if you would like it long term.

Work Visa

One of the easier ways to get into a country is to have a job on their skills shortage list, and usually at least two years of professional experience in that field. These occupations are often in healthcare, education, or STREAM (science, technology, research, engineering, architecture, mathematics). Having an occupation on the skills shortage list will often enable you to go to that country to look for work without first having a sponsor. Search "[country] skills shortage list" to find out if your job qualifies.

If your occupation is not on the skills shortage list for your desired country, you will need to find an employer to sponsor you. This can be difficult, as most countries require companies to prove that they could not find a qualified local candidate first. You will also likely be subject to salary thresholds to ensure you will not be reliant on welfare.

Some countries also have an ineligible occupations list of professions they will not issue a work visa for under any circumstances, as those fields are already oversaturated there. If you have a profession on this list, you will need to emigrate some other way or change your target country.

Another way to move abroad via work is through inter-company transfer. If you work for an international company and have some experience, explore whether a transfer overseas is possible. They will usually also help with moving costs and relocation expenses, so this can be a great option.

Digital Nomad Visas

Digital Nomad visas allow you to work remotely or freelance while in country. These types of visas are usually not renewable without a reset period, meaning that you would likely have to keep bouncing between countries to use this method, hence “nomad.” 

Au Pair Visas

An au pair helps with childcare and housework in exchange for room and board. You will also likely receive a small stipend, and may be required to enroll in language classes. Au Pair visas usually have age cutoffs, such as age 26 in Germany and age 30 in Spain. 

Teaching English Abroad

If you have a Bachelor’s degree and are willing to get a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate, this can be a great way to live abroad. Many schools will pay for your room and board in addition to a living stipend. Keep in mind this is much harder to do in Europe as they already have plenty of English speakers, and are usually required to hire E.U. citizens first. 

Working Holiday Visas

Working holiday visas are designed to allow those aged 35 and under who are in college or have graduated within the last year to spend up to a year working abroad. You cannot bring your family with you, and this is not designed as a path to citizenship. However, these visas can make it easier to get your foot in the door by finding a company to sponsor you, or a partner to marry. U.S. citizens can get working holiday visas in the following countries:

• Australia (ages 18-30)

• Canada (ages 18-35): Americans can only do this through international experience Canada via GO International or SWAP Working Holidays

• Ireland (ages 18-25)

• New Zealand (ages 18-30)

• Singapore (ages 18-25)

• South Korea (ages 18-30)

Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT)

The Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) allows self-employed individuals with their own business to move themselves (as well as their spouse and minor children) to the Netherlands if they are willing and able to have a business in the Netherlands that serves Dutch customers, and keep at least 4,500 euros in a company bank account at all times. You cannot have any one client make up more than 70% of your total income. The residency permit is good for two years, and can be renewed for five years. If you want to become a citizen, you will need to speak Dutch. Do note that the Netherlands generally does not allow dual citizenship unless you are married to a Dutch national.

Svalbard

Svalbard is unique in that anyone can live and work there visa free. However, time spent in Svalbard does not count towards residency or citizenship in Norway, and the climate generally makes it an inhospitable place to live.

Non-profit work / volunteer organizations

Nonprofit and volunteer organizations can be a great way to “test the waters” in a foreign country before deciding to move there. There are also certain organizations like WWOOF that allow you to work in other countries for a brief period of time. These are usually not permanent solutions to emigrating, but rather more of a way to get your foot in the door or “test out” a country if you don’t have the means to take an extended vacation there first. Some people also do this via the military.

Global Talent Visa

Australia offers a global talent visa for those that have an internationally recognized record of exceptional and outstanding achievements, are prominent in their field of expertise, and have a current or potential income of AUD $153,600.

China offers the Talent R visa to those that have accomplished achievements in professional fields recognized internationally; including Nobel Prize winners, scholars from the Academy of Science or Academy of Engineering in foreign countries, professors and vice professors taking a position in the world’s top 200 universities, etc. You must also be under 65 years old, have a doctorate obtained outside of China, and not be ethnically Chinese.

The Netherlands offers an orientation year visa to those who have graduated from a Dutch university or obtained a Masters or PhD from a top 200 global university within the last three years.

You can apply for a Global Talent Visa to work in the UK if you’re at least 18 years old and a leader or potential leader in arts and culture, digital technology, or academia and research. You must also be from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.

The U.K. also has a similar option known as the high potential individual visa. It lets individuals who have graduated from a top-ranking university in the past five years to work in the U.K. without sponsorship. This work can be in any field, even one unrelated to your degree, except working as an athlete or coach.

Freedom of Movement

Some countries have agreements with other countries that allow their citizens to freely live and work in any of the member countries without the need for a visa or sponsorship. Examples include:

• Caribbean Community: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

• Common Travel Area: United Kingdom, Ireland, Isle of Man, the Channel Islands

• Compact of Free Association: USA, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau

• European Union: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden

• Mercosur: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname

• Nordic Passport Union: Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland

• Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement: Australia and New Zealand

FAQs

Can I work remotely or freelance on a tourist visa?

Generally, no. Almost all countries prohibit working on tourist visas, including working remotely for an employer outside the country or freelancing. You would need a Digital Nomad visa to do this.

Do Americans still have to pay taxes even if they move abroad?

Yes, but fortunately the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion lets you exclude the first $112,000 you make abroad, and the Foreign Tax Credit lets you deduct the amount you pay in taxes in your new country from your U.S. tax bill. These two laws will greatly reduce or even eliminate the amount of money you'd owe, especially when factoring in tax treaties between countries. Still, it's a good idea to get an accountant specializing in international taxation (at least for the first year) to make sure you aren't missing anything.

You'll also likely have to file an FBAR report each year, which requires you to report certain foreign financial accounts such as bank accounts, brokerage accounts, and mutual funds to the U.S. Treasury Department if the aggregate value of those foreign financial accounts exceeded $10,000 at any time during the calendar year reported.

What is FACTA?

FACTA is an acronym for the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This was passed as part of the HIRE Act, and generally requires that foreign financial institutions and certain other non-financial foreign entities report on the foreign assets held by their U.S. account holders or be subject to withholding on withholdable payments.

Some foreign banks will not deal with U.S. citizens, even if they are a dual citizen of the present country, because they do not want to deal with FACTA requirements. You may have more luck with international banks, or online accounts specifically designed for expats.

I want to move to a country of non-native English speakers. Do I need to learn the local language before moving?

Yes! Even if there may be areas where you can “get by” with only English, you will still need to be able to understand the local language for large parts of daily life. Plus, knowing the local language is usually required in order to receive citizenship, with notable exceptions for citizenship by birthplace or descent. While some people may go with the “I’ll learn when I get there” approach, those that have done it often wish in retrospect that they had started learning before they left. Besides, being multilingual is always advantageous, even if you ultimately decide to stay in the U.S.

I can only speak English. What are my options for English-speaking countries?

See this list.

What is the best language to learn for moving abroad?

This greatly depends on where you want to move to. Once you have some ideas, search “[country] official language” to figure out what language(s) you need to learn, and see if there are any in common across your target countries. If you just want a starting point, the most popular languages by the number of countries they are found in (aside from English, which takes the top spot) are French, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, and German, in that order. Your local library may also offer free resources.

I have a U.S. passport. What countries can I get into visa free, and how long can I stay?

See this list.

I feel that Americans' rights are being eroded here. Can I claim asylum in another country?

No. Asylum is a very high bar that requires your life to be in immediate danger. 

I want to gain a second citizenship. Is there any reason not to?

Not all countries allow dual citizenship, meaning you may be forced to renounce your U.S. citizenship first. Some countries also have mandatory military service requirements that may affect you or your family members. Taxes and security clearances may work in ways you wouldn’t expect. It is a good idea to research carefully to make absolutely certain you know what you are getting into.

I want to give up my U.S. citizenship. What are the downsides?

Renouncing your citizenship will cost $2,350. You may also have to pay one last “exit tax” if you have over $2 million in assets or have not complied with your U.S. tax obligations for the last five years. Renouncing your citizenship also makes it difficult to care for elderly family members that stayed behind, move back if you change your mind, or be able to work remotely for a U.S. company as an employee, so make sure you have no plans of returning for anything more than a brief visit.

This is a modified version of the original at r/amerexit. Reproduced with permission.