Emigrating out of the states? Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia?

Possibly, if you can’t find a landlord willing to rent it month-by-month. Six months would exceed 180 days. The other possibility is a sublet, official or not, or a room in someone’s house, which I did before I activated my PR visa.
 
If we were younger & healthier, I'd try to convince DH to move to Hawaii, in the uplands and not the beach areas. Honestly, I'd live in a place the size of a shoebox if needed (that could not accommodate guests) to manage costs, as I would hope it would be only for a few years. But at this point, we also need quick access to medical care, so I think that ship has sailed and we'll stay put. That would be my preferred escape place (as opposed to another country) where I could disconnect from the news and adventure myself around the islands.
 
nlloyd said:
I receive articles about this regularly on my Google feed. You might also, if you start searching for them on the web. This is the most recent: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/23/panama-best-country-for-expats-internations-survey.html

Not sure what is going to happen to local communities, though, if Americans and others emigrate to then in large numbers.
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nlloyd said:
I receive articles about this regularly on my Google feed. You might also, if you start searching for them on the web. This is the most recent: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/23/panama-best-country-for-expats-internations-survey.html

Not sure what is going to happen to local communities, though, if Americans and others emigrate to then in large numbers.
Click to expand...
It depends. The tiny country of Israel absorbed a million immigrants from the former Soviet Union in the ‘90s, pretty successfully most people think. They were educated people who frequently had to take much lower-skilled jobs and they faced prejudice from the religious establishment who didn’t consider a lot of them Jewish by religious law. But most stayed.

Then of course you have Middle Eastern and South Asian immigration to their former colonisers. Obviously a lot of natives don’t like it and it has changed the culture. Some places it’s worked out.

There’s so many different kinds of Americans among 350 million people, it’s hard to predict who would do what to local communities.
 
PRlady said:
It depends. The tiny country of Israel absorbed a million immigrants from the former Soviet Union in the ‘90s, pretty successfully most people think. They were educated people who frequently had to take much lower-skilled jobs and they faced prejudice from the religious establishment who didn’t consider a lot of them Jewish by religious law. But most stayed.

Then of course you have Middle Eastern and South Asian immigration to their former colonisers. Obviously a lot of natives don’t like it and it has changed the culture. Some places it’s worked out.

There’s so many different kinds of Americans among 350 million people, it’s hard to predict who would do what to local communities.
Click to expand...
I think we are already hearing a lot of pushback from destination countries regarding tourism and digital nomads, including the effects they have on housing prices, infrastructure, services etc. A large influx of immigrants might have the same effect. I know that in Cape Town, South Africa, the influx of European retirees and holiday makers has made housing unaffordable in some areas, even for South Africans who are upper middle class. At the other end of the spectrum there is a lot of animosity towards immigrants who come from elsewhere in Africa and take more menial work or even participate in the gig economy (Uber drivers from Zimbabwe, for example), when there is an unemployment rate in South Africa of around 33%.
 
A lot of this stuff just depends. Where I live, we used to have the largest Afghan population in the area (in the state?) as people tend to move to where they have family and friends and then it becomes an enclave. But the city is big enough that you really couldn't tell. Then we had a large portion of Asian immigrants mostly from China and you could tell as a lot of retail shop popped up catering to Chinese immigrants and local politics got a lot more conservative. But then we got an even larger influx of immigrants from India because at one time we had the only temple in the area and now people sometimes call our city "Little India." So we've experienced the entire gamut from immigrants not changing our city at all, all the way up to the city becoming a majority-minority city.

There are towns in the Midwest with a large (for the population) influx of refugees that found this to benefit their economy. It was rough at first because refugees come with pretty much nothing and so had a lot of needs, but the area also had a lot of businesses looking for cheap labor and a lot of the refugees became entrepreneurs setting up shops that benefited the town.

In the end, I would rather live somewhere that is a majority-minority city -- where no one ethnic group is the majority -- because I think having to get along with all different cultures and ideas makes for a better place. The only thing I don't like about where I live now is that it has gotten more conservative in a way that lacks compassion. (The way the unhoused are treated is a prime example.) ETA but I think this is for a multitude of reasons, not just immigration.
 
We tend to forget that first-gen immigrants are usually conservative about religion, sexuality and poverty programs that cost taxpayer money. A few Republicans have picked up on that, and rather than condemning all immigrants as likely Dem voters, they think they can make them Republicans like the Cubans and Vietnamese. And they may not be wrong.
 
barbk said:
I know a family that emigrated to Spain using the digital nomad visa with the hope of eventual permanent residency.

I recently learned that it might be possible to gain Canadian residency because my grandmother was born there, but I don't think I'll pursue that.
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Yes, I have a friend that did the same thing.
 
I researched online and getting an apartment as a visitor is technically possible. Though as a visitor you are subject to the 180 day stay limit, of course, making rental difficult.
Still, if the society gets to a point where I need to flee, I know I can go somewhere for 6 months
 
I think finding two places to live that each allow for a 6-month visit is a fine solution. You can come back to the US in between to take care of business and visit family. I would do that. Unfortunately, Mr Mac will never agree to it.
 
10 safest countries in the world. If you can afford to live there, it will be great to move there. I was happy to see Iceland ranked number one. I loved the people there.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com

10. Malaysia
9. Slovenia
8. Denmark
7. Portugal
6. Austria
5. Switzerland
4.Singapore
3.New Zealand
2.Ireland
1. Iceland

What these countries have in common - Stable government, law enforcement, very low crime rate , almost no violent crime.

This sounds like a good list to pick from.
 
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5 countries you can retire in

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
 
@jlai Maybe I no longer recall when they decided but I think some closer relatives who'd gone to the States from where we lived, relocated to Canada during the First Trump Presidency, unless I'm forgetting the exact year. I think they've managed to buy a house by now.
 
Vash01 said:
5 countries you can retire in

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
Click to expand...

Quoting myself-

I have seen a few other lists of countries one can move to.

After reading about how wonderful, inexpensive and welcoming these countries are, and what kind of life/activities there are, I came to the conclusion - this is not the lifestyle I want. I don’t drink wine or any kind of alcohol (they mention wine in nearly every country as something one would find attractive). I am an introvert. I have no desire for a social life. I like beaches and ocean but I have no desire to live next to one. I am a city person. I will be miserable living in a tiny village. Not having family within reasonable distance will not feel good (even though I am an introvert).

I have what I like where I currently live. The only reason I even considered emigrating is the current political situation in the USA (not trying to get into PI). I would emigrate only if I see a real danger or if I lose Medicare, social security, etc. and it becomes financially impossible to live here.
 
three fingered jack said:
"The grass is always greener in the other fellow's yard". However, "greener" does not always translate into "better".
Try living in the area you are considering moving to for one year, if possible, before making the permanent move.
Advance preparation is essential in any huge, personal change.
Click to expand...

I always have said, vacationing somewhere and living in that same place are two different things
 
I would like to add that at one point in my life I spent six months in New Zealand which I just loved. I seriously thought about applying for immigration but authorities there told me I had to return to the States and apply from there and that was my intention when I finally went home.
But, after I got back home, I realized that as much as I loved New Zealand, I really am too American to live elsewhere.
For better or for worse (and it is "worse" right now) I will stick it out in my homeland.
 
three fingered jack said:
I would like to add that at one point in my life I spent six months in New Zealand which I just loved. I seriously thought about applying for immigration but authorities there told me I had to return to the States and apply from there and that was my intention when I finally went home.
But, after I got back home, I realized that as much as I loved New Zealand, I really am too American to live elsewhere.
For better or for worse (and it is "worse" right now) I will stick it out in my homeland.
Click to expand...

One thing my friends and I all noticed after traveling so much is that America is really good at customer service… it’s really nonexistent in Europe. Also, it’s a pet peeve of mine, but going out to eat… I don’t have 14 hours for it ….in Europe Trying to get your bill when you’re done with the meal in any European country is an act of God. I like the laid-back attitude of Spain and Italy and everything but I don’t have all year to sit and have a meal lol
 
allezfred said:
A lot of Europeans find American style customer service (particularly in restaurants) artificial because it’s being done to ensure a good tip. Also sometimes the customer is absolutely wrong. :shuffle:
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I don’t mind that at all, yes, please come back and ask me if I want a drink refill. in Europe, you’ll sit there, parched….whatever drink you get at the beginning, make it last… Lol because they won’t come back ever again until u have to have to flag them down or write to the European Congress for the bill.

I consider relocating to Spain so much, but I have to keep telling myself, chad, you just need to get used to the nonexistent customer service, otherwise most of the other stuff in the USA I can live without lol but store hours and closures, common and frequent strikes, especially throughout the transportation industries, and The customer service issues are things are part of the trade-off I think I can handle. Can’t get upset with it, just have to accept it.

I still keep laughing at one of my favorite stores in Sitges, Spain, you never know when they’re open they have a sign on the door that says “we only open sometimes.” Lolllll ok then.
 
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allezfred said:
A lot of Europeans find American style customer service (particularly in restaurants) artificial because it’s being done to ensure a good tip.
Click to expand...

I knew I had been assimilated when I was thrown off guard by American waiters bringing the check and wanting to turn over the table. I find it abrupt and jarring. I'm also annoyed by far too frequent check-ins at the table.

Anecdotes aside, I don't find customer service in Western Europe to be all that bad. You'll typically have fewer waiters who are paid much better (living wage; it's a career in places like Spain, France, and Italy). They will give you what you need, but not much more. Don't expect them to check on your table aside from when they take your order and bring you food. It's not that big of a deal to flag down a waiter if you need something in between. Unlike in the US, you can normally ask any waiter and not just one assigned to you.

In a restaurant, order a big bottle of water if you get thirsty a lot. That's what I do, as I still can't adjust to the very small drinking glasses in Europe. (I don't quite need American sized everything with all the refills, but I do generally want 500mL of water with dinner and will often order 750mL or a liter.)
 
MacMadame said:
Some info about emigrating to NZ

www.theguardian.com

New Zealand loosens residency restrictions as record number of citizens leave

Minister for economic growth says visas for skilled and experienced migrants could help plug gaps in the workforce
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
Click to expand...
Both NZ and Ireland have serious housing shortages. Places my husband and I would consider. I'd do Germany for sure but I don't think dh would want to learn German. We are close to retirement age, so work-related visas/residency are a no-go.
 
Private Citizen said:
I knew I had been assimilated when I was thrown off guard by American waiters bringing the check and wanting to turn over the table. I find it abrupt and jarring.
Click to expand...

It’s interesting. Because as a lifelong American, who’s worked in restaurants as a teenager and young adult, I find it interesting in Europe that they don’t seem to be in a rush to turn the tables. My thought is I was like how do these restaurants profit? How much is commercial rent here? Dirt cheap? How do they make money here because they don’t seem interested in having more than 10 customers a night lol it’s interesting because I noticed that every time. But at least the American waiters do bring the check, in Europe you have to pray for the bill to be brought. Lol
 
In my experience, waving at any waiter and then miming writing on your hand is the universal signal to bring you your bill/check. It just requires being a bit more pro-active.

It's differnt again here in Australia. It's increasingly the case that you go up and pay at the counter, sometimes without even being brought the bill at the table.

The US is the outlier as far as I am concerned. I also find the constant checking on you somewhat irritating, particularly if you are trying to have a conversation with others at the table. I get that it's because of the tipping for everything culture, but it's still annoying.
 
Bunny Hop said:
The US is the outlier as far as I am concerned. I also find the constant checking on you somewhat irritating, particularly if you are trying to have a conversation with others at the table. I get that it's because of the tipping for everything culture, but it's still annoying.
Click to expand...
I think it’s even gotten worse lately. Really annoying when they interrupt and barge in to your conversation even though you’re clearly still eating.
 
AngieNikodinovLove (ANL) said:
I don’t mind that at all, yes, please come back and ask me if I want a drink refill. in Europe, you’ll sit there, parched….whatever drink you get at the beginning, make it last… Lol because they won’t come back ever again until u have to have to flag them down or write to the European Congress for the bill.
Click to expand...
Make eye contact and a subtle wave if you need something? After that it’s the culture to enjoy meals leisurely. Think of it as tipping yourself a relaxing dinner. :saint:

Irish restaurants tend to have two dinner seatings. Usually when you make the booking, the restaurant tells you what time they need the table back.
 
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