BootsnAll Travel Community

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I say you haven't lived somewhere unless you have been there for at least a year. (sarcasm)

Um, does it have to be a continuous year? Otherwise I may have never "lived" anywhere.

bigmaude, I think there a few countries out there that could work well for what you are looking for. You might want to take a look at this article and its associated website as well.

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(I don't mean to discourage you from asking here - this is just the most useful thing I have to contribute)...

You're not being discouraging at all! I need to know this stuff. Please be the devil's advocate here. I don't want to end up being one of those naive, dreamy-eyed, bumbling foreigners that ends up disillusioned and back in the states in six months!

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Originally posted by halfnine:
Um, does it have to be a continuous year? Otherwise I may have never "lived" anywhere.

Depends how you feel about TEFLites.


Sophie9 has a good point on shifting immigration laws. If you do not have legal status in a country, and are playing the visa run game, you could find yourself looking for a new home unexpectedly. But maybe you'd be OK with that?

Many nations have retirement visas but I think they generally restrict one from taking paid employment. Oz comes to mind.

Another big question is "how do you feel about bending the rules"? (Working under the table, creatively gaming the immigration system, etc.) Many folks are appalled by the idea, but having some...flexibility...on this topic will open up more options for you.

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Many nations have retirement visas but I think they generally restrict one from taking paid employment. Oz comes to mind.

Since we're mentioning Oz, I'll just state a few things from my minimum knowledge of it. At least what I think I remember.

Retirement visas: have to actually be somewhere near retirement age (mid 50s) and have loads of cash to invest in the country. They will let you work part time, but not full time. It's only a temporary visa for a few years and then you have to re-apply. As long as your cash flow still meets the requirement you can stay. You do not qualify for government health care while you are there, you have to provide your own private insurance. Although, some nations (Brits) should get healthcare as a reciprical agreement with their country.

Work visas: Based on a point system and have to be less than 45 years old. Get more points the younger you are. In addition you'll have a much better chance if you have a professional skill set that is in high demand (doctor, engineer, etc.) I remember these visas running from 2-3K to get. I also remember once I got older than 40 I would no longer qualify. With a work visa you will qualify for government healthcare.

Marriage visa: that's my ticket into retiring down under.

There are other visas, working holidays, etc. too. But, the ones above are the main ones I remember.

Great topic! More please.

I've been researching for several years on the retirement aspect, and I'm not opposed to "freelancing" a bit on the side for something to do, and make a bit of extra money. The key to get the retirement visa in many places seems to be to have a verifiable monthly income, or put XX money in the bank of the country. If you can show that and get legal, I think it would be pretty easy to do something on the side. Like others have said, the rules vary greatly from country to country.

I am also soaking up all this info, thanks everyone!
I'm also looking to temporarily expartiate my family in a few years. Sounds like for us, one of those expat packages are in order ( if possible, I'll go TEFL for extra income).

My husband is IT (15 yrs experience), anyone know offhand any countries looking for those skills?

How about getting hired by a US company vs. an overseas one?

Time to start digging my nose in those websites you have shared...

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Originally posted by quimby:
My husband is IT (15 yrs experience), anyone know offhand any countries looking for those skills?

Germany has an IT shortage at the moment. It is also very accommodating for English-speaking expats.

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Sounds like for us, one of those expat packages are in order

Unfortunately, the gold-lined 'expat packages' jitw and I were posting about find you rather than you finding them. E.g.: One is working in a company...one day the company decides they need someone they know, someone they trust, someone who drinks the Kool-Aid to head of to country X for whatever. These deals are hard to get. For some companies it is a right of passage into the ranks of upper management.

(That said, there are surely in some countries opportunities out there for people with extremely specialized backgrounds.)

Many (most?) countries are friendly to IT professionals but it varies wildly depending upon the country, the economic climate, your language skills, your specific skill set and...luck. My read is that specialists and administrators have the most plentiful options.

quimby: if you give us more specifics on your husbands field, then maybe we could say more...

One thing we have not brought up in this thread yet is the "my parent/grandparent was a citizen" angle. Some countries have a path open to children/grandchildren of nationals. Maybe this could work for some reading this thread? Search the forum...we have more than one thread on this topic.

I know if I wanted to become an expat, I could now with my Italian citizenship. Clears up those pesky visa problems.

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Originally posted by anniebanannie:
I know if I wanted to become an expat, I could now with my Italian citizenship.

Jure sanguinis?

And since the husband and I (with no Italian lineage whatsoever) are attempting to relocate to Italy, I'm very envious of that dual citizenship deal you have there, AnnieB!

(As a side note, I think this is really useful stuff, and it shouldn't be hidden behind the Chit-Chat firewall... But I'm not sure where to move it. I'll keep thinking about it...)

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Originally posted by JessieS:

(As a side note, I think this is really useful stuff, and it shouldn't be hidden behind the Chit-Chat firewall... But I'm not sure where to move it. I'll keep thinking about it...)

Might be nice to have a dedicated Expat (and expat questions) forum. That way we can all gather together and whine more efficiently.

We've got a forum for volunteering & working abroad, I was thinking of just making that forum include "living abroad" in the title. But I'll keep thinking on the subject. Thanks for your input!

(We now return this thread to its original purpose.)

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Originally posted by JessieS:
We've got a forum for volunteering & working abroad, I was thinking of just making that forum include "living abroad" in the title. But I'll keep thinking on the subject. Thanks for your input!

You're right. That's a better idea. Encompasses those who don't identify as expats.

bigmaude & others: since you have the time, you might want to pick up one of the Living and Working in xxxx books. (Various publishers with similar titles. Survival Books seems prominent.) Be sure to get a current edition as things change and the publishers update the books regularly.

When I moved to London I just winged it, thinking "it is an English speaking country...how different could it be?" Ummm...small mistake. Before moving to Switzerland, I read Living & Working in Switzerland which was a big help. Later on, after a major bout of itchy feet syndrome, I read the editions for Ireland, Australia and NZ to learn more.

Most Western countries are covered individually, along with a regional versions for the Gulf States and Far East.

Topics covered in easy to read prose include visas, taxes, labor conditions, how to interact with the government, postal services, banks, utilities, housing, transport, shopping, customs, etc. Really good stuff and worth every cent.

Survival Books also has a Retiring Abroad which might be of interest.

(I am sure JessieS has already read Living and Working in Italy backwards and forwards, sì??? )

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Might be nice to have a dedicated Expat (and expat questions) forum. That way we can all gather together and whine more efficiently.

Excellent idea! This topic, I think, will always be a suitable and timely one on bna. We are all travellers of some sort. Through our travels, many of us will eventually want to live in another country, either for a short while or for the rest of our lives.

I haven't read that book in particular, Stoo, but it's on my list - I've read two others that are similar, though... After awhile, they all kind of repeat the same basics, so I'm not sure how many more I'm going to buy. Seems like eventually it's a waste of money. If you really think the "Living & Working in" series is particularly good, tho, I'll bump it up my list...

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If you really think the "Living & Working in" series is particularly good, tho, I'll bump it up my list...

After Stoo's recommendation for the Survival books series a while back, I picked one up for Living and Working in London where I am likely to end up sometime next year. I'd have to say I am pretty impressed with it overall as well.

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Originally posted by JessieS:
I've read two others that are similar, though... After awhile, they all kind of repeat the same basics

Oh, I'd say one is enough. Two? That shows how keen you are on the Italy move!

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After Stoo's recommendation for the Survival books series a while back, I picked one up

Be careful, halfnine. This is all part of my sinister plot to turn you into a left-wing vegetarian environmentalist.

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Be careful, halfnine. This is all part of my sinister plot to turn you into a left-wing vegetarian environmentalist

Not good....first I found out my inner european was french and now this.