June 8, 2025 • 52 mins
The American dream increasingly feels like a nightmare for many – healthcare tied to employment, minimal vacation time, and a system that prioritizes profit over wellbeing. In this episode, we're focusing on one of the most popular destinations for Americans eyeing the exits - Europe - with its universal healthcare, work-life balance, and social stability. But is relocating across the Atlantic actually achievable for ordinary Americans?
With approximately 1.2 million US citizens already having made Europe home, pathways exist that don't require exceptional wealth or connections – just planning, patience, and paperwork. Portugal stands out with its D7 visa requiring just $920 monthly income and offering citizenship after 5-6 years while allowing dual nationality. Spain welcomes those with remote income through its non-lucrative visa, though with higher financial requirements ($2,700/month) and a longer path to citizenship. Latvia provides perhaps the most flexible option – EU access with just one visit annually through property investment or bank deposits, ideal for those not ready to fully relocate.
Beyond these front-runners, countries like Italy, the Czech Republic, Croatia, and Greece offer their own unique combinations of beauty, affordability, and bureaucratic quirks. Each presents a different lifestyle equation.
The European transition requires cultural adaptation – embracing smaller living spaces, different shopping rhythms, and truly unplugging on weekends. The most successful expats approach these differences with curiosity rather than criticism, learn at least basic language skills, and integrate into communities rather than remaining in expat bubbles. This mindfulness transforms you from tourist to neighbor.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Shawn (00:05):
If you're American, odds are the thought has crossed your
mind at some point.
Could I live a better lifesomewhere else?
Maybe it was when your employerdenied a sick day for the flu,
or when your neighbor added athird flagpole.
Whatever your particularbreaking point, at some point
the idea begins to form.
Maybe it's time to go, and formany Americans, the first place
(00:28):
we look to is Europe, where thetrains usually run on time, the
bread won't kill you unlessyou're gluten-free like me, in
which case don't eat it andhealthcare is treated as a
necessity, not a reward for goodbehavior.
According to the Association ofAmericans Resident Overseas,
about 1.2 million US citizenswere living in Europe in 2022,
(00:50):
second only to Canada and Mexico, making it one of the most
popular regions for Americansseeking not just a break from
the grind, but a viable secondact.
So today we're not talkingabout Europe as a tourist
destination.
We're talking about staying,building a life, paying taxes,
waiting in line, doing the localversion of small talk, or
(01:11):
avoiding it entirely, dependingon the country.
We'll start with a bird's eyeview of some strong contenders
places like Italy, croatia,greece and the Czech Republic,
all with their own blend ofcharm, challenge and paperwork.
Public, all with their ownblend of charm, challenge and
paperwork.
Then we'll narrow our focus tothe three countries that offer
Americans a particularlyaccessible route to something
resembling peace Portugal, spainand Latvia.
(01:33):
Because, yes, sometimes thegrass really is greener,
especially when it's maintainedby municipal workers who believe
in climate science.
I'm your host, Shawn C Fettig,and if you've ever thought
universal healthcare soundedless like socialism and more
like a functional society,you're absolutely in the right
place.
One final but important notebefore we get started For the
(01:56):
purposes of this series, I haveconverted all monetary values to
US dollars.
Keep in mind that exchangerates fluctuate, so all amounts
mentioned are reflective ofreality at the time of recording
.
To stay updated on the latestepisodes, follow, like and share
Leaving America on the DeepDive with Shawn podcast feed.
Wherever you get your podcastsand if you've got your own
(02:19):
stories about dodging theAmerican decline, or if you just
want to ask how cold it gets inLatvia, email us at
deepdivewithshawn at gmailcom.
All right, pack your bags.
This is Leaving America.
Basil Elzeki (02:36):
The reason why Europe is quite popular is
Americans love Europe and ifthey're going to relocate their
families to another location,europe offers generally good
health care, good educationsystems, a viable living, safety
, stability on multiplecountries.
So Americans often don't wantto relocate right now, but they
want to plan in the event theyneed to.
(02:57):
So they typically look for, tostart with Europe, european
routes that lead to acitizenship of a European Union
member country.
As if you were to get acitizenship in a European Union
member country, this would allowyou not only to reside in that
particular country but in the 27EU members.
So with one passport you canlive in 27 countries.
(03:19):
That would pass on to yourspouse, the children as well,
within the same application.
So it's quite a bit of valuefor an investment in a foreign
country that they can get.
Shawn (03:29):
That was Basil Elzecki, managing Partner at Henley
Partners North America, which isa global leader in residence
and citizenship by investment,explaining the appeal of Europe
to Americans.
Europe isn't just a Pinterestboard with castles and trams.
It's an actual functioninglandmass where people have
figured out how to live decentlives without needing a GoFundMe
(03:51):
for a broken arm.
So why do Americans look toEurope?
Europe is relatively stable.
Yes, it has its squabbles,strikes, protests, the
occasional prime ministerscandal, but overall, the social
safety net is pretty solid.
Public health care still existsand works, civil liberties are
generally respected anduniversal health care is a real
(04:12):
thing, not a political punchingbag.
Europe might be arguing aboutbike lanes, but they're not
teetering on the edge of aconstitutional crisis, at least
not every week.
Europeans also take leisurevery seriously.
They take long lunches, realvacations and wild concept they
actually go outside.
So you can expect a slowerrhythm of life, emphasis on time
(04:35):
with people, not productivity,and fewer notifications, more
conversations.
To the American refugee, it canfeel like remembering how to
breathe.
Also, visas and residency inmost European countries is
typically fairly straightforwardand accessible.
Many European countries willwelcome you if you have remote
income.
Don't plan to be a financialdrain and have some patience for
(04:58):
creative bureaucracy.
So let's take a quick moment tospotlight a few European
destinations that are absolutelyworth a look before we jump
into Portugal, spain and Latvia.
The first is Italy.
Americans should consider Italybecause of the culture, the
scenery and the sweetness ofdoing nothing.
Italy has deep history, inwalkable towns, an espresso
(05:18):
strong enough to reset yourpersonality.
Italy offers a digital nomadvisa.
It's still ramping up itstarted in 2024, but it is real.
The digital nomad visa requiresskilled remote work and an
income of about $31,500 a year.
If you don't want to work, theelective residency visa, which
is designed for retirees,requires about $35,000 a year
(05:41):
income and no work is allowed.
You can also get citizenship bydescent if you've got Italian
blood and some patience.
Things to keep in mind aboutItaly are that the bureaucracy
really exists, makes Kafka looklike a minimalist, the tax law
is somewhat complicated andincome thresholds are higher
than in Portugal or Spain.
So Italy will embrace you,it'll feed you, but then it'll
(06:03):
forget your paperwork.
You'll be charmed, confused,probably sometimes, and
occasionally stuck in a postoffice for three hours, but
you'll also be in Italy.
The Czech Republic is anothergreat option for Americans.
It's often overlooked, but it'saffordable, it's orderly,
there's very little flair andthat's in a good way.
Freelancers love the tradelicense visa, which is called
(06:23):
the Zibno.
Freelancers love the tradelicense visa which is called the
Zibno.
The Zibno visa requires anincome of about $6,700 a year
and a business license.
You can get permanent residencywith that after five years and
citizenship after 10.
But you do have to speak Czechto get that citizenship.
Also, public transportation inthe Czech Republic is great
Things to consider.
The language barrier is real.
(06:44):
Czech is a complicated language.
It's not a casual hobby.
Also, prague is pricey, but alot of the cities outside of
Prague are extremely affordable.
Also, paperwork takes some time, but it's not mysterious.
So the Czech Republic isprobably ideal for those of you
who value stability overspectacle and also who believe
trains should arrive when theysay they will.
(07:05):
Croatia, simply put, isbeautiful.
It's for the Instagram set andthe tax-savvy nomads.
It has coastlines for days andprices that really haven't
caught up to the beauty yet.
It's got a chill lifestyle andlow drama.
The easiest access in is theirdigital nomad visa.
It's clear, it's simple andit's short, and it requires an
income of about $2,600 a monthand it's for 12 months.
(07:28):
It's non-renewable, but it isre-applicable and then temporary
and permanent residencypathways are available.
Things to keep in mind withCroatia are that the bureaucracy
is very slow, so snackaccordingly.
English is common in the cities, but not so much outside of
that.
Healthcare is solid and privatecare is affordable.
So overall, croatia isbeautiful, it's affordable and
(07:50):
it might be the last coastalescape before the influencers
arrive in full force.
Greece is also a tempting option.
It's got blue waters mythicruins, a slow pace of life.
It's still cheap in manyregions outside of Athens and
the Nomad visa is relativelyeasy to snag.
It requires an income of about$3,900 a month.
(08:10):
You can also get into Greecevia the Golden Visa Scheme,
which is an investment inproperty, and then the Type D
visa for just about everythingelse.
Things to keep in mind aboutGreece is the bureaucracy.
It is cryptic, it's slow andit's fond of vague instructions.
Public services can also bekind of metaphysical, but the
private healthcare is highlyrecommended.
(08:30):
So those are four great optionsif you're looking to get into
Europe.
But if you really want lowmaintenance, high reward options
that really pack a punch,portugal, spain and Latvia are
true contenders.
So first let's talk aboutPortugal.
It's coastal, it's charming, itworks and it might be the most
laid-back way to reboot yourlife without having to sell your
kidney on Craigslist.
(08:51):
Portugal is the country thatquietly minds its business.
It keeps its coastlines cleanand it offers you a path to
residency without making youprove you can translate Latin or
recite national anthems ondemand.
It's where the infrastructureworks, the rent is
semi-reasonable and the seafoodis abundant.
And it's amazing, it's a placeso chilled out.
Even the bureaucracy feels likeit's trying not to startle you.
(09:14):
So let's talk about why Portugalisn't just a pretty backdrop.
It's arguably the mostaccessible European relocation
option for Americans who've hadenough of bootstraps and
networking events.
The D7 visa is designed forremote workers, retirees and
people with income streams thatdon't involve draining
Portuguese resources.
The D7 is basically Portugalsaying if you can support
(09:36):
yourself and enjoy fish, we haveno objections.
Something worth noting here isthat Portugal is somewhat unique
in that it requires you toobtain things like a bank
account, a tax ID and livingarrangements in advance of
applying for residency, whichcan be frustrating if you aren't
prepared.
This is Tim Marting, co-founderof Citizen Remote, which helps
(09:56):
people relocate for remote workaround the world, explaining
this Portuguese process thisPortuguese process, someplace
like Portugal, for example, thathas been.
Tim Marting (10:06):
I've heard a lot of negative feedback from people
saying like I was consideringPortugal.
I started to join a group andpeople said it's impossible, so
don't even try.
It's not that it's impossible,it's actually one of our well,
it's definitely our mostsuccessful visa process in the
sense that we've never had arejection for Portugal.
It's just a lot more involvedand it's kind of backwards in
(10:27):
the sense that if you want toapply for a visa, you have to
get a 12-month accommodation,you have to get a tax ID and a
bank account before theapplication can even be
submitted.
So a lot of people hear thatand they think what it feels
backwards.
It is kind of backwards, butit's not that it's impossible.
So I think just understandingthat if there is a visa pathway,
(10:49):
it's certainly doable, assumingyou hit the criteria and then
just making sure that you takethe appropriate step.
Shawn (10:57):
In order to get the D7, you're going to need to prove a
monthly income of about $920 forthe main applicant and then add
50% more for a spouse and 30%per kid and, like Tim said,
you're going to have to have aPortuguese bank account, a lease
or property purchase inPortugal and a tax number, which
is known as an NIF, which youwill use for everything from
(11:18):
renting an apartment to buyinglight bulbs.
You'll need to be in countryfor at least 183 days per year
with the D7, but after fiveyears of legal residency you can
apply for permanent residencyor citizenship.
This is Basil Elzecki onceagain explaining another
Portuguese option the GoldenVisa.
Basil Elzeki (11:40):
Another route that is that perhaps many people on
this podcast heard of a lot ofbuzz around it is the Portugal
Golden Visa.
The Portugal Golden Visa is nota citizenship program but in
fact it's considered a residenceprogram.
The key thing about thePortuguese program is that it
starts with a residency and canlead to a citizenship within
(12:02):
about five to six years, and canlead to a citizenship within
about five to six years.
So the nice part about it is isyou don't need to relocate to
Portugal to do this or become atax resident of Portugal to do
this.
So many Americans like the ideaof planning from the United
States and starting theirpathway to that citizenship in
year five, year six.
Now, malta might be out of thefinancial scope of many middle
(12:22):
to upper class families, butPortugal is certainly within the
range.
So you're looking at 250,000euros donation to arts and
culture, or you can invest500,000 into an investment fund,
as long as most of that fundusually 60% or more of that fund
is invested in Portugal,because evidently they want to
stimulate their economy.
(12:43):
So by making that investmentinto a fund, which is not
unheard of for many, they'reable to obtain what's called a
golden visa, and that goldenvisa initially starts by giving
you the right to live, work andstudy in Portugal for the main
applicant spouse and dependentchildren.
So within probably a five toseven year period, depending on
(13:04):
delays, then that individual cannaturalize as a Portuguese
citizen, having similar benefitsas the Maltese route, as an EU
member country.
So again, access to 27countries.
Now the difference is thatPortugal does take a little bit
longer, does have a languagerequirement, will have to learn
A2 level Portuguese, and therehas to be minor visitation
(13:25):
You're looking at two weeksevery two years into Portugal
while that visa is valid.
Shawn (13:31):
The Golden Visa was once a real estate free-for-all, but
Portugal recently slammed thedoor shut on that in favor of
well less housing displacement.
Now the entry point for theGolden Visa is a $560,000
investment into a Portuguesefund, usually tied to green
energy tech or whatever Lisbonis pitching to Brussels that
(13:52):
year.
With the Golden Visa, you onlyneed to visit seven days a year
to keep your residency active,and after five years, golden
Visa holders, just like D7 folks, can apply for citizenship,
assuming they meet languageproficiency.
So you must be able to speakbasic conversational Portuguese.
You have to show no criminalrecord and proof of integration,
(14:12):
but don't worry, no one'sasking for a tattoo of the
national anthem.
When it comes to thebureaucracy, portugal's
paperwork culture is bestdescribed as sleepy but
persistent.
You're unlikely to encounterhostility, but don't be
surprised if your applicationvanishes into the bureaucratic
void for three weeks and thenmagically reappears with a note
that reads please submit again.
(14:32):
Appointments with SEF, theimmigration office, are a rite
of passage.
You will develop patience andprobably an unhealthy attachment
to your immigration lawyer,which is a good reminder to make
this process smoother.
If at all possible, hiresomeone, preferably a lawyer,
who is well-versed in thepaperwork and the bureaucracy to
help you.
Compared to most of WesternEurope and certainly the United
(14:54):
States, portugal remainsaffordable, especially outside
of Lisbon.
If you do want to live inLisbon, keep in mind that it is
the most expensive city inPortugal.
Rent for a one bedroom is goingto run you about $1,100 to
$1,400 a month.
Utilities will cost about $100to $150 a month, public
transportation is about $45 amonth and groceries are cheap,
(15:16):
fresh and you can actuallyidentify everything on the label
.
Wine is so cheap you'll startevaluating its quality based on
the label font instead of theprice.
If you want to spend less,smaller cities like Porto and
Braga are good options.
You can expect to save about30-50% across the board and
you're more likely to encounteractual Portuguese people rather
(15:37):
than expats.
Also, portugal's publichealthcare system is solid.
Private care is even quickerand astonishingly affordable.
We're talking $45 to $67 for adoctor's visit, dental cleanings
that don't require a secondmortgage and for those with
complex or transitional careneeds, like gender-affirming
care.
Portugal is making realprogressive strides.
(15:57):
For trans folks and othersfacing circumstances that might
require a quick exit from theUnited States, such as emergent
medical needs that cannot beinterrupted, portugal is a very
attractive option because thevisa process can move quite
quickly compared to some otherplaces in Europe.
David Lesperance of Lesperanceand Associates, which assists
people with all facets ofrelocation, explains why
(16:20):
Portugal's relatively quickprocess can be integral for some
people.
David Lesperance (16:33):
For the trans children, families with trans
children and I was mentioning Iwas retained by seven different
families in the nine days afterthe executive order.
Now it depends on what theurgency is.
It depends on where they're at.
If they have pre-transitionchildren, they've got some time.
If they've already made thetransition, they've got some
time.
But if they're in the middle ofthe hormone blockers in the
(16:55):
transition, they need to moveimmediately.
And so in those cases, theydiscovered okay, what places
have the medical treatmentavailable to me and how do I
quickly get there?
And Portugal, for example, isone of the locations which is
LGBTQ plus very culturallyfavorable.
(17:18):
There's also the medicalfacilities there, there, and we
can get them something very fast, very cheap, called a digital
nomad visa, which is one of thefew good things that came out of
the pandemic was thedevelopment of this relatively
new product which is a digitalnomad visa.
(17:38):
So we can get that, for example, in, you know, eight to 10
weeks.
Well, an American can get on aplane and move to Portugal.
They can spend 90 days there asa visitor.
During that time they will thentrade up to a digital nomad
visa and they can remain, butthey can start the medical
treatment the next month or thenext day after they arrive.
Shawn (18:04):
Portugal is famously welcoming within reason, so
attempting the language is goingto help you immensely.
Even if your bom dia soundslike a sneeze, it's appreciated.
Some cultural cues to keep inmind in Portugal, modesty is
respected, politeness isexpected, shouting is
discouraged unless you'rewatching football and no one
(18:25):
cares about your opinions onreal estate.
English is widely spoken incities, but less so in the
countryside, so if you want tofully integrate, you'll need to
do more than point and smile,but, honestly, not much more.
Portugal's fast track tocitizenship is one of the best
in Europe.
You're going to need 5 years oflegal residency, so that's with
the D7, the Golda visa or someother option.
(18:46):
You're going to need to be ableto speak A2 level of Portuguese
, which is enough to order lunch, apologize for your accent and
maybe make light conversationabout the weather.
You have to prove no seriouscriminal record and some light
evidence that you're not acomplete mystery to your
neighbors.
Portugal does allow dualcitizenship, so you can keep
your American passport, your EUpassport and your complicated
(19:08):
relationship with both.
So, in end, portugal is bestfor remote workers that are sick
of the grind, retirees notinterested in reinventing
themselves, just relaxing, andpeople who want to be European
without debating the ethics ofBrexit at every dinner.
It's still affordable, stillchill and still mostly
undiscovered by the Instagramset, without debating the ethics
of Brexit at every dinner.
It's still affordable, stillchill and still mostly
(19:28):
undiscovered by the Instagramset.
If you're looking for aEuropean base that won't make
you cry into a spreadsheet,portugal may be whispering your
name.
Portugal's neighbor, spain, isanother great option for
Americans looking to resettle ina European location.
Spain is a country where rulesare sometimes suggestions, where
bureaucracy feels like acollaborative art form and where
life moves to the rhythm ofvery delayed meals and abrupt
(19:50):
bursts of energy.
But for Americans looking toescape the ever-escalating
absurdity at home, spain offersa clear, if occasionally
maddening, path thenon-lucrative visa, which,
despite its name, doesn'trequire you to be unprofitable,
just not locally employed.
Think of this visa as Spain'sway of saying you seem quiet,
(20:10):
solvent and unlikely to open achain restaurant, so you may
stay.
It's for people who havepassive or remote income but
don't plan to work in Spain.
You can still earn moneyelsewhere.
The government simply doesn'twant you elbowing into the
Spanish job market.
You're going to need to prove amonthly income of about $2,700
or $32,300 annually and then addabout $670 per month per
(20:35):
dependent.
You're going to have to showprivate Spanish health insurance
, a clean criminal record andproof of accommodation, so a
rental or property ownership.
You also have to spend at least183 days per year in Spain and,
yes, they do check.
What you get from thenon-lucrative visa is an initial
one-year residency, which isrenewable for two years and then
(20:56):
another two.
You can then get permanentresidency after five years and
citizenship after 10, unless youqualify for Spain's shortcut,
and we'll talk more about thatin a moment.
So yes, it's a long game, but,unlike US immigration law, it's
a game with published rules anda referee who doesn't get fired
halfway through the bureaucracyin Spain, to be honest, has a
(21:17):
reputation and it's notundeserved.
You can expect to encounterappointments that book weeks in
advance, paperwork with ink,color specifications, forms that
must be filled out exactly asinstructed, unless the person at
the desk decides otherwise thatday, and offices that close
five minutes before yourscheduled meeting for reasons
unexplained.
The best thing you can do hereis hire someone, a licensed
(21:41):
fixer, who understands thesystem and can get things done
while you stand in the cornerclutching your passport and
wondering what day it is Alsofun fact every Spanish consulate
in the United States is its ownkingdom, so New York might
require a different set ofdocuments than Los Angeles, and
Miami might invent new ones.
Just to keep you alert.
When it comes to cost of livingin Spain, it remains one of
(22:02):
Europe's most affordablecountries, especially if you
don't insist on living directlynext to the Sagrada Familia.
So consider cities likeValencia, granada or Seville,
where you'll find one-bedroomapartments for $780 to $1,000 a
month.
Utilities will cost about $110a month, groceries about $280 a
month.
You can get a transit pass forabout $40 to $56 a month, and if
(22:26):
you want to go out for a night,that's only going to cost you
about $11 to $17.
Karen McCann is a travelblogger and author of numerous
travel-related books, includingDancing in the Fountain how to
Enjoy Living Abroad, who spendsmuch of her time in Spain
explaining this cost of living.
Of her time in Spain explainingthis cost of living.
Karen McCann (22:53):
Going out to eat is so much less expensive.
I always go through hugeculture shock when I come back
to the US because I'm used topaying about well under $2 for a
beer.
And I'll go to a bar here amoderate bar and I'll order a
beer and it'll come and it'll be$9.
And I go $9 for a beer and myfriends go yeah, aren't the
prices here great?
I mean, it is just wildlydifferent.
(23:14):
I'm in San Francisco right nowand what San Francisco has the
nerve to charge for a glass ofwine really makes me blink.
$15, $20, $25 for a glass ofwine really makes me blink.
$15, $20, $25 for a glass ofwine.
In Seville you get a bottle ofgood wine for that and everybody
thinks you're being reallylavish.
So things like that are reallyquite a bit different.
(23:35):
Also, you get by with way lessthere.
I don't have a car.
Because I live in the city, Iwalk everywhere.
On the very rare occasions whenI need transportation I rent a
car, but I rarely need to do it.
Or I take the bus or I take thetrain.
The trains are wonderful overthere, so I don't need to pay
for a car insurance, garage, allthat stuff.
(23:57):
I don't have a dishwasher, Idon't have a dryer, I have the
sun for that.
A dishwasher, I don't have adryer, I have the sun for that.
It's just a lot of things thatyou always think about buying
here because it's part of ourlifestyle.
People don't bother with toomuch over there.
I mean, some of my friends dohave cars, of course,
particularly ones with kids orfamilies that are outside in the
(24:17):
suburbs.
But you know, for the most partyou can get away with an awful
lot less and things cost anawful lot less.
The whole money piece is verydifferent.
Shawn (24:28):
Healthcare in Spain is excellent.
Once you're a legal resident,you can tap into the public
system.
Until then, your requiredprivate insurance is going to
cost you about $55 to $110 amonth and it won't randomly drop
you because someone wrote yourname in all caps.
As far as integrating intoSpain, english is useful.
Sure, in tourist zones, amongyoung people or at
(24:50):
American-themed burger joints.
But if you plan to live there,especially outside of major hubs
, spanish is essential, even ifyou're fluent in tapas menu
Spanish.
It's a different world whenyou're trying to get a driver's
license or explain to yourlandlord why the ceiling is
leaking onto your washingmachine.
But integration isn't justabout language.
It's about syncing with Spain'soperating system.
(25:11):
So you're going to have toadjust.
The earliest lunch is about 2 pm.
The earliest dinner is about 9pm.
Anything earlier than that isconsidered a medical emergency.
Bureaucracy is in the morning,possibly, unless there's a
holiday.
Sundays nothing happens.
No stores, no errands, justhorizontal humans and drifting
smells of paella.
(25:31):
Spain is proud, it's layeredand it's sometimes resistant to
change.
The trick is not to rush it.
Don't fight the current, justfloat, ideally with a basic
grasp of Spanish.
Here's Karen McCannigan.
Karen McCann (25:53):
Well, I think the first thing to do is just to, as
I said, open your heart and behere now to experience the
culture that you're living inand stop making constant
comparisons to America.
One of the things you have toremember is your Spanish friends
are not interested in howthings are done in America.
They absolutely are not, andthey are not comparing their
culture and yours all the time.
(26:14):
They think that the way they dothings is the only way to do
things, just as we do in America.
They think the idea of havinglunch at 1230 is insane and the
idea of having dinner at six orseven or eight o'clock, that's
way too early, and so you haveto sort of step back and say,
okay, this is the way they dothings, let me try it, for
(26:38):
example, in medicine.
You would think that medicinewould be totally cut and dried,
absolutely no room for wildness.
But I have found that mySpanish friends tell me with
absolute sincerity that ham goodSpanish ham is great for your
cholesterol will lower yourcholesterol.
Now you say that to an Americanand they start laughing they
(27:00):
also, and it was based on astudy that showed that there
were antioxidants in that kindof ham and that there actually
is some basis for this fact.
But we can't get our headsaround it because we've grown up
with the idea ham bad, not goodfood.
Same thing with water.
I mean, I drink a lot of water,I believe in drinking a lot of
water, but the Spanish did astudy with college students, of
(27:22):
course, that proved that beerrehydrates better than water.
Now it took me a long time toget my head around that and I
have not shifted from a waterdrinker to a beer drinker as a
general policy day in and dayout.
But my job is to take a stepback and go.
Ok, that makes no sense to mein what I know of the world, but
(27:43):
maybe I should start trylooking at it in a different way
.
Maybe I don't know everything.
Maybe I should just step backand see what is in front of me
instead of what's in my head.
Shawn (27:58):
If you're interested in Spanish citizenship, it is
possible to obtain after 10years of legal residency.
But here's the hitch Spaindoesn't allow dual citizenship
with the United States, notofficially.
There are workarounds likeforgetting to renounce your
American status, but they existin legal gray zones and may come
back to bite you if Spaindecides to care one day.
However, if you're from LatinAmerica, the Philippines or a
(28:22):
former Spanish colony, spainoffers a shortcut just two years
to citizenship.
It's the colonial legacy, butnow with some practical benefits
.
You're also going to needfluency in Spanish, a basic
civics test and proof thatyou've integrated and haven't
spent 10 years hiding in a villaavoiding interaction.
Spain is a good fit for you ifyou're financially independent,
(28:44):
you want to live somewherevibrant but not aggressively
type A, you don't mindbureaucracy that feels like an
improv exercise and you're okaywith eventually choosing between
the US and Spain forcitizenship.
It is a slower process, thepaperwork might age you slightly
, but Spain offers something fewcountries can match a
full-bodied way of life thatdoesn't ask you to sacrifice
(29:05):
your soul for a paycheck.
It's not easy, but it's verypossible and once you adapt to
the rhythm you may find it suitsyou better than the life you
left behind.
The final European country we'regoing to spotlight here is a
bit of a sleeper hit.
Latvia is not loud, it's notflashy and, frankly, it is a bit
cold cold in both temperatureand temperament and yet it works
(29:26):
surprisingly well.
Latvia doesn't make a big showof inviting you in, but if you
meet its modest expectations,it'll hand you a residence
permit, access to the SchengenZone and a decent shot at
citizenship, without requiringyou to uproot your life or sell
your soul to a real estateinvestment trust.
The easiest way in to Latvia isthe temporary residence permit.
(29:48):
It's structured, relativelyinexpensive and refreshingly
light on drama.
There are two main paths.
The real estate investment pathrequires you to buy $280,000
worth of Latvian property, plusa government fee.
The other path is a bankdeposit of about $314,000 that
must go into a Latvian bank forfive years.
(30:08):
Either path you take, you'regoing to get a renewable
temporary residence permit, fullmovement rights in the Schengen
zone, no full-time presencerequired in Latvia.
Really, you just need to checkin once a year.
This makes it one of the mostflexible entry points into the
EU, and it's ideal if you'recommitment-averse,
geographically confused or stillemotionally tethered to Trader
(30:30):
Joe's, compared to Spain'sbureaucratic theater or Italy's
paperwork fan fiction, latvia'sbureaucratic system is efficient
.
It's not warm, but it'sefficient.
You can expect postedrequirements that match actual
expectations, government officeswhere people show up on time,
and paperwork that getsprocessed at a speed suggesting
(30:50):
someone has a calendar and amild sense of urgency.
But you're still going to haveto deal with certified
translations, notarizeddocuments and the need to
repeatedly explain that, yes,you really do want to live here,
but overall, latvia behaveslike a country that doesn't
actively want to punish you fortrying to follow the rules.
The cost of living in Latvia isamazing.
For a capital city in the EU,riga punches far above its
(31:14):
weight in affordability.
You won't find Parisian charmor Berlin nightlife, but you
also won't need to sell plasmato afford rent.
A one-bedroom apartment in Riga.
Isiga is gonna cost about 500to $730 per month.
Utilities and internet aregonna cost about $135 a month.
Groceries can run from 225 to$280 a month.
(31:36):
A public transport pass isgonna cost about $34 and a craft
beer that actually tastes likesomething is about $2.
You're also going to get quiet,walkable neighborhoods,
high-speed internet, likeseriously fast, affordable
healthcare and cultural eventsthat don't require a black tie
subscription.
The downside is that winters inLatvia are long and they're
(31:59):
dark, but summers, short as theyare, are gorgeous and
surprisingly lively.
Integrating into Latvia,especially when it comes to
language, can be complicated.
Latvian is the officiallanguage, so you'll need it for
citizenship and most governmentpaperwork.
Russian is still widely spoken,especially among older
generations, but English isincreasingly common in Riga,
(32:22):
especially among young peopleand tech workers.
So you'll get by with Englishin the city, but outside of the
capital not so much, and don'texpect anyone to switch
languages for your benefit.
This is a country withboundaries.
Culturally, latvians arereserved.
They're not unfriendly, justnot prone to small talk.
You'll earn trust over time,preferably by not being
(32:43):
obnoxious.
Think of them as theScandinavians of Eastern Europe
private and polite.
If you want citizenship, latviaoffers a clear, if not exactly
fast, path.
You're going to have to havefive years of temporary
residency and then five moreyears of permanent residency.
After that you can apply forcitizenship so ten years.
To obtain Latvian citizenship,you have to prove Latvian
(33:06):
language proficiency.
You have to take a history andcivics test, no serious criminal
record and a willingness torenounce your US citizenship.
Latvia does not allow dualcitizenship with the US.
So this is not a fast lane to aburgundy passport, but it is
predictable and transparent.
So Latvia might be right for youif you want a Schengen foothold
without fully relocating yet.
(33:27):
You have investment capital,but not golden visa money and
you're fine being the onlyAmerican on your block or in the
country.
It's not romantic, but it islogical and in a world where
governments often feel likeimprov troops, logic is its own
kind of charm.
If you're looking for a quietbase without too much
performance, latvia may beexactly what you didn't know you
(33:48):
were looking for.
So let's say you've made theleap.
You've filed the paperwork,passed the language test,
figured out how to open a winebottle without a screw cap,
you've survived the visa process.
What now?
If you're in this for the longhaul not just a few years of
European escapism the endgamemight be this European Union
citizenship, that holy grail ofmodern mobility.
(34:08):
So let's break it down.
With EU citizenship you can live, work and retire in any EU
country.
You can open a business inBerlin, buy a goat in Slovenia
or teach yoga in Estonia, noadditional visas required.
You can travel freelythroughout the Schengen zone and
beyond, so that's 90 pluscountries visa-free.
You can attend Europeanuniversities, many of which
(34:31):
won't financially ruin you forattending philosophy lectures in
sandstone buildings.
It's not just a passport, it'sa portable quality of life
upgrade.
Eu citizenship also gives youaccess to public healthcare
systems that don't requirepre-approvals, soul extractions
or hour-long phone calls withinsurance representatives.
The right to work anywhere inthe EU without filling out forms
(34:52):
that ask if you've evercommitted a crime in triplicate
Pensions and benefits that mayactually be there when you
retire.
And the general vibe of someonewho has options which, let's
face, it is increasingly rare inAmerica.
And the general vibe of someonewho has options which, let's
face, it, is increasingly rarein America.
Basically, you stop feelinglike you're one surprise
hospital visit away fromeconomic collapse and that's not
nothing.
But here's where it gets messy.
Remember, not every EU countryis cool with you keeping your
(35:16):
American passport.
Dual citizenship is allowed inPortugal, but it's not allowed
in Spain or in Latvia.
So you have to ask yourselfwhat do you actually want?
Do you want full citizenship oris long-term residency enough?
Are you emotionally prepared tolearn a new language and pass a
civics exam in it?
Would you renounce your UScitizenship if you had to?
(35:36):
Is your goal freedom ofmovement, long-term stability or
simply options.
For many, permanent residency isplenty.
It offers healthcare access,long-term stability and fewer
late-night existential Googlesearches about renunciation tax
traps.
But if you're in it for thelong haul, for voting rights,
passport power and a fullyEuropean identity, citizenship
(36:00):
is the prize.
In that case, portugal is theclear favorite.
It's quick, reasonable anddoesn't make you choose between
your two passports.
So citizenship isn't justpaperwork.
It's permission, permission tostay, to vote, to settle down,
without a countdown clockrunning in the background.
It's about turning your backupplan into a primary one, one
with better trains, longervacations and slightly fewer
(36:23):
people shouting on the news.
So whether you want to becomePortuguese, spanish, latvian or
just want a way to leave quietlyand with dignity, eu
citizenship isn't just a status.
It's a second chance, possiblywith better cheese.
But moving abroad isn't just alogistics problem.
It's a cultural act.
You're not just changingaddresses, you're entering
(36:44):
someone else's home and, justlike any guest who wants to be
invited back, how you behavematters.
This part is important because,while there's a lot of
excitement around leavingAmerica, there's also a risk
becoming that kind of expat.
And you know the one, themicro-aggressively loud one, the
one who treats local flavorlike a theme park, the one who
(37:04):
gives the rest of us a bad name.
So let's not do that.
As more Americans seek refugefrom political instability,
rising costs or simply a slowerpace of life, it's important to
remember a couple of things.
First, outside of the UnitedStates, things are just smaller.
This is Tim Leffel, an Americanexpat living in Mexico, an
(37:25):
author of numerous books,including A Better Life for Half
the Price and the World'sCheapest Destinations.
Tim Leffel (37:30):
Describing this Nothing in the US is that old,
except maybe the fort in StAugustine.
So it's just a whole differentway that cities were constructed
and planned and everything.
So, yeah, apartments do tend tobe smaller, the pipes tend to
be older, so they can'tnecessarily support garbage
(37:52):
disposals and you might have toput your toilet paper in the
trash can instead of flushing it, like things like that that
just seem so foreign toAmericans and in a lot of the
world they don't have thisobsession with having this giant
kitchen with 20 differentappliances in them.
So you know you probably won'thave a dishwasher, you probably
won't have a dryer, you probablywon't have a garbage disposal,
(38:14):
and that's normal, like, if youwant to get all those things,
you're probably going to have toget some kind of executive
level apartment or house, that's, you know two or three times
what the average going rate isfor rent or to purchase.
If you purchase, you're goingto have to bang down the walls
and expand the kitchen andeverything.
So I think it's important forpeople to temper their
expectations a bit.
(38:35):
Also, I think you discover a lotof times you hear this from
expats all the time that, oh, Ididn't need as much stuff as I
thought I needed or oh, I didn'tneed as much space as I used to
have, and I didn't realize ituntil I moved.
You've got the whole tiny housemovement in the US as a
counterpart to this giantconsumerism.
So some people they talk aboutdownsizing but they don't really
(38:58):
believe it.
They still want their 2,000square feet and they think
that's downsizing, but theydon't really believe it.
They still want their 2,000square feet and they think
that's downsizing.
But most of the world,especially in Europe, does not
live with that much squarefootage and they do just fine.
And so I think if you rent aplace that's much smaller and
stay there for a while, thatmight give you a good sense of
what it's going to be like andhow well you can handle it for a
(39:19):
while.
That might give you a goodsense of what it's going to be
like and how well you can handleit.
Shawn (39:21):
If you're coming from the land of Costco, curbside pickup
and fridge doors large enoughto host a TED Talk, european
life may feel condensed, butdon't confuse smaller with less.
In fact, many Europeans see itas smarter, more sustainable and
more human In Europe.
Smarter, more sustainable andmore human In Europe.
(39:42):
Compact doesn't mean cramp, itmeans efficient.
So you can expect refrigeratorsthe size of hotel, minibars,
washers with no dryers, tinyelevators or none at all, and
studio apartments that don'tscream starter home but rather
normal.
It's not deprivation, it'sefficiency and, strangely, it's
freeing Fewer things, fewerdecisions, less visual noise.
(40:03):
Also, if you need a late nightsnack or a pharmacy run on
Sunday, welcome to not America.
It's not uncommon for shops toclose at 6 or 7 pm and maybe for
a few hours.
Midday and Sundays aregenuinely quiet.
Public holidays mean businessclosures, not mattress sales, so
embrace it.
Yes, it can be frustrating, butit's also instructive.
(40:25):
You'll learn how to plan aheadand eventually maybe slow down.
In the US, convenience is king.
In Europe it's negotiable.
So you can expect customerservice that's more
transactional than bubbly Fewerdrive-throughs, less automation,
more human interaction andthings that take time and
require paperwork.
The slower pace isn'tinefficiency, it's often
(40:47):
intentional.
You'll likely find thathuman-scaled systems foster
community and patienceeventually.
So bring a book to yourappointment and order coffee and
sit down.
You might miss your garbagedisposal or target runs, but
you'll gain cafe culture, citysquares and a slower tempo of
life.
You'll get radiator heatinstead of forced air and
(41:07):
there's not AC in many homes.
So open the windows.
There's no giant SUVs and goodluck parking one if you bring it
.
Many creature comforts we thinkof as normal are environmental
stressors, both to the planetand to ourselves.
Living with less can meanliving better.
So living in Europe may meangiving up certain American
conveniences, but in returnyou'll often gain quality of
(41:30):
life, of food, of connection.
You're not downgrading, you'rejust adjusting the lens.
Second, it's important torecognize that you're not just
moving to a place, you'reentering someone else's home.
Matt Wilson (41:42):
This is Matt Wilson , co-founder of Under 30
Experiences, which focuses onmaking travel more accessible to
young people, explaining thisthe biggest advice that I can
give people is to really travelmindfully and you know, I heard
(42:04):
the joke the other day that inEurope what they say about
Americans is you hear us beforeyou see us, because you can just
hear that that's the loud groupof Americans coming and we, you
know, or just allowed a couplepeople, or whatever.
And just being aware of yoursurroundings, I think is
(42:26):
important.
Trying to what's the right wordthat I'm looking for, I guess
assimilate a little bit more tothe local culture and not just
go looking for the things thatyou have at home.
And this is especially adviceto expats.
(42:49):
Right, people want to go toplaces like Chiang Mai, thailand
, and they want to open abusiness, which is great.
But also don't try to bring thesame things that you have home
to fit to Chiang Mai, becausethen we just kind of live in
this IKEA-ized world where, yeah, you can find craft beer, I
(43:13):
guess, in every tourist city inthe world and I guess there's
nothing wrong with that andthat's just the word, right,
craft beer isn't going, thegenie has escaped the bottle.
But, you know, trying to supportthe local businesses that are
owned by locals, that are moretraditional, and, yeah, it gets
(43:37):
really complicated when we talkabout driving the prices up,
because people, especially fromthe United States, like to come
and throw around big tips, andtipping can get super
complicated.
It's good to be generous, forsure, but then also you can see
(43:57):
areas change where people don'twant to study.
They just want to be gettingpeople beach chairs and
surfboards because they thinkthey're going to get a good tip.
Change economies and people arelooking for easy money instead
(44:24):
of, you know, growing up andgetting a good education and
trying to find a sustainable job, and then, when that that dries
up, you know bad thing, badthings happen.
People look to crime.
So, yeah, this can be a really,really complicated subject.
I could go on all day, but Iwould say, definitely, just do
your best to try to fit in ifyou can.
(44:47):
If you go to Lisbon, portugal,support the local businesses.
I understand that everybody inthe world wants to be there
right now and people from allover Europe have the right to
move there through the EU, andit's been quite easy for people
from other countries, like theUnited States, to live there as
(45:10):
well.
And people who lived in thecity centers are going to get
outbid for their real estate.
And so I would say, if you'regoing to be in a city center
like that, support the locallyowned places as best you can,
and also the money needs to bespread around.
(45:30):
So try to get off the beatenpath.
Let's take France, for example.
All the tourist money goes to acertain amount of cities and
towns, but there's so manyplaces that you can get far off
the beaten path and the moneygoes a long way in those places,
(45:50):
but they're going to expect youto at least attempt to speak
French, you know, so you got totry, I guess.
Don't go to a place thinkinglike you're in the United States
.
Go to a place and make anhonest attempt at living the
local lifestyle in all thedifferent ways that that may
(46:10):
entail.
Shawn (46:13):
The cafe you love.
Someone's family runs it Inthat picturesque alleyway.
People actually live there.
It's not a set, it's real life.
Gentrification and real estatespeculation are real concerns in
many European cities,especially where locals are
being priced out by foreignbuyers.
So it's important to rentlong-term before buying and
(46:34):
avoid short-term vacationplatforms for housing unless
you're traveling.
Opt for local rental agenciesinstead.
Also, consider supportingaffordable housing initiatives
or local policies aimed atprotecting residents from
displacement.
As I've mentioned a few timesalready, learn the language,
even just a bit.
Fluency isn't required, butmaking the effort shows respect
(46:56):
and it earns goodwill.
Don't expect everyone to speakEnglish, even if they can Take a
basic course before arriving.
Duolingo's a start, but localclasses are better and use
greetings and simple phrases inthe local language.
A heartfelt thank you, grazie,grazie goes far.
And remember that Europedoesn't need to be fixed or
(47:16):
Americanized, that artisanalbakery doesn't need a rebrand,
that small-town pace isintentional.
So embrace local ways of lifewithout trying to improve them.
Listen before speaking in civicdiscussions, especially about
development, infrastructure andimmigration, and resist the urge
to start businesses that cateronly to fellow expats.
(47:37):
Blend in before branching outand spend money where you live.
Supporting the local economymeans more than just buying
croissants at the farmer'smarket once a week.
So bank locally, shop atindependent stores and hire
local service providers.
Avoid foreign investor enclavesthat isolate you from the
communities around you.
Your dollars go farther.
(47:58):
Use them wisely.
It's also important to knowyour impact on inequality.
Your US dollar or remote jobmight go far in a country with
lower wages, but that economicadvantage can create resentment
if it's not handled mindfully.
So keep your income inperspective, don't flaunt it.
Advocate or vote, if eligible,for inclusive, equity-focused
(48:21):
local policies, and join localassociations or civic groups
rather than remaining in expatbubbles.
And learn to appreciate beforeyou critique.
Yes, maybe the plumber takeslonger to show up, the shops
close at 2 pm, but these rhythmsare cultural, not bugs in the
system.
So approach differences withcuriosity, not criticism.
Let go of the American time ismoney ethos.
(48:44):
Europe often values quality oflife over speed of profit.
So, in short, move not as aconsumer but as a neighbor.
Appreciate the place as it is,not just as what it can offer
you, and remember being a goodexpat means being a good guest
and a good local.
So there you have it Threecountries, three different
(49:14):
temperaments and three ways toexit stage left from the
American chaos without needingto inherit an olive farm or join
a religious order.
If you've listened this far,you're probably not just curious
about leaving America.
You're considering it Seriously, and the goal here isn't to
push you out the door.
It's to remind you that a doordoes exist, that this idea, as
(49:34):
wild as it may have once sounded, is very much within reach.
You don't need to be rich.
You don't need a secondcitizenship.
You don't even need to knowwhat you're doing next year.
You just need a plan, a bit ofpaperwork, tolerance and the
willingness to imagine adifferent kind of life.
And no, that doesn't make youunpatriotic.
It makes you aware thatsometimes the best way to fix a
(49:56):
broken system is to step outsideof it and breathe for a while.
Now, if you're wondering why wedidn't include a certain large
European country known for itscheese, its strikes and its
reputation for slow-movingbureaucracy cloaked in perfume
ads, don't worry, we're gettingthere.
Next time.
On Leaving America, we'reheading to France, a country
(50:17):
where you can technically arriveas a tourist, stay longer than
you should and realize thebiggest culture shock is the
fact that no one asks what youdo for a living within the first
five minutes of meeting you.
We'll talk about how tonavigate France's
not-quite-impossible bureaucracy, what visas are available and
how to make it work in one ofEurope's most romanticized and
(50:37):
misunderstood destinations.
This is Leaving America,because sometimes home isn't
where you started.
Thank you.
If you're American, odds are the thought has crossed your
mind at some point.
Could I live a better lifesomewhere else?
Maybe it was when your employerdenied a sick day for the flu,
or when your neighbor added athird flagpole.
Whatever your particularbreaking point, at some point
the idea begins to form.
Maybe it's time to go, and formany Americans, the first place
(00:28):
we look to is Europe, where thetrains usually run on time, the
bread won't kill you unlessyou're gluten-free like me, in
which case don't eat it andhealthcare is treated as a
necessity, not a reward for goodbehavior.
According to the Association ofAmericans Resident Overseas,
about 1.2 million US citizenswere living in Europe in 2022,
(00:50):
second only to Canada and Mexico, making it one of the most
popular regions for Americansseeking not just a break from
the grind, but a viable secondact.
So today we're not talkingabout Europe as a tourist
destination.
We're talking about staying,building a life, paying taxes,
waiting in line, doing the localversion of small talk, or
(01:11):
avoiding it entirely, dependingon the country.
We'll start with a bird's eyeview of some strong contenders
places like Italy, croatia,greece and the Czech Republic,
all with their own blend ofcharm, challenge and paperwork.
Public, all with their ownblend of charm, challenge and
paperwork.
Then we'll narrow our focus tothe three countries that offer
Americans a particularlyaccessible route to something
resembling peace Portugal, spainand Latvia.
(01:33):
Because, yes, sometimes thegrass really is greener,
especially when it's maintainedby municipal workers who believe
in climate science.
I'm your host, Shawn C Fettig,and if you've ever thought
universal healthcare soundedless like socialism and more
like a functional society,you're absolutely in the right
place.
One final but important notebefore we get started For the
(01:56):
purposes of this series, I haveconverted all monetary values to
US dollars.
Keep in mind that exchangerates fluctuate, so all amounts
mentioned are reflective ofreality at the time of recording
.
To stay updated on the latestepisodes, follow, like and share
Leaving America on the DeepDive with Shawn podcast feed.
Wherever you get your podcastsand if you've got your own
(02:19):
stories about dodging theAmerican decline, or if you just
want to ask how cold it gets inLatvia, email us at
deepdivewithshawn at gmailcom.
All right, pack your bags.
This is Leaving America.
Basil Elzeki (02:36):
The reason why Europe is quite popular is
Americans love Europe and ifthey're going to relocate their
families to another location,europe offers generally good
health care, good educationsystems, a viable living, safety
, stability on multiplecountries.
So Americans often don't wantto relocate right now, but they
want to plan in the event theyneed to.
(02:57):
So they typically look for, tostart with Europe, european
routes that lead to acitizenship of a European Union
member country.
As if you were to get acitizenship in a European Union
member country, this would allowyou not only to reside in that
particular country but in the 27EU members.
So with one passport you canlive in 27 countries.
(03:19):
That would pass on to yourspouse, the children as well,
within the same application.
So it's quite a bit of valuefor an investment in a foreign
country that they can get.
Shawn (03:29):
That was Basil Elzecki, managing Partner at Henley
Partners North America, which isa global leader in residence
and citizenship by investment,explaining the appeal of Europe
to Americans.
Europe isn't just a Pinterestboard with castles and trams.
It's an actual functioninglandmass where people have
figured out how to live decentlives without needing a GoFundMe
(03:51):
for a broken arm.
So why do Americans look toEurope?
Europe is relatively stable.
Yes, it has its squabbles,strikes, protests, the
occasional prime ministerscandal, but overall, the social
safety net is pretty solid.
Public health care still existsand works, civil liberties are
generally respected anduniversal health care is a real
(04:12):
thing, not a political punchingbag.
Europe might be arguing aboutbike lanes, but they're not
teetering on the edge of aconstitutional crisis, at least
not every week.
Europeans also take leisurevery seriously.
They take long lunches, realvacations and wild concept they
actually go outside.
So you can expect a slowerrhythm of life, emphasis on time
(04:35):
with people, not productivity,and fewer notifications, more
conversations.
To the American refugee, it canfeel like remembering how to
breathe.
Also, visas and residency inmost European countries is
typically fairly straightforwardand accessible.
Many European countries willwelcome you if you have remote
income.
Don't plan to be a financialdrain and have some patience for
(04:58):
creative bureaucracy.
So let's take a quick moment tospotlight a few European
destinations that are absolutelyworth a look before we jump
into Portugal, spain and Latvia.
The first is Italy.
Americans should consider Italybecause of the culture, the
scenery and the sweetness ofdoing nothing.
Italy has deep history, inwalkable towns, an espresso
(05:18):
strong enough to reset yourpersonality.
Italy offers a digital nomadvisa.
It's still ramping up itstarted in 2024, but it is real.
The digital nomad visa requiresskilled remote work and an
income of about $31,500 a year.
If you don't want to work, theelective residency visa, which
is designed for retirees,requires about $35,000 a year
(05:41):
income and no work is allowed.
You can also get citizenship bydescent if you've got Italian
blood and some patience.
Things to keep in mind aboutItaly are that the bureaucracy
really exists, makes Kafka looklike a minimalist, the tax law
is somewhat complicated andincome thresholds are higher
than in Portugal or Spain.
So Italy will embrace you,it'll feed you, but then it'll
(06:03):
forget your paperwork.
You'll be charmed, confused,probably sometimes, and
occasionally stuck in a postoffice for three hours, but
you'll also be in Italy.
The Czech Republic is anothergreat option for Americans.
It's often overlooked, but it'saffordable, it's orderly,
there's very little flair andthat's in a good way.
Freelancers love the tradelicense visa, which is called
(06:23):
the Zibno.
Freelancers love the tradelicense visa which is called the
Zibno.
The Zibno visa requires anincome of about $6,700 a year
and a business license.
You can get permanent residencywith that after five years and
citizenship after 10.
But you do have to speak Czechto get that citizenship.
Also, public transportation inthe Czech Republic is great
Things to consider.
The language barrier is real.
(06:44):
Czech is a complicated language.
It's not a casual hobby.
Also, prague is pricey, but alot of the cities outside of
Prague are extremely affordable.
Also, paperwork takes some time, but it's not mysterious.
So the Czech Republic isprobably ideal for those of you
who value stability overspectacle and also who believe
trains should arrive when theysay they will.
(07:05):
Croatia, simply put, isbeautiful.
It's for the Instagram set andthe tax-savvy nomads.
It has coastlines for days andprices that really haven't
caught up to the beauty yet.
It's got a chill lifestyle andlow drama.
The easiest access in is theirdigital nomad visa.
It's clear, it's simple andit's short, and it requires an
income of about $2,600 a monthand it's for 12 months.
(07:28):
It's non-renewable, but it isre-applicable and then temporary
and permanent residencypathways are available.
Things to keep in mind withCroatia are that the bureaucracy
is very slow, so snackaccordingly.
English is common in the cities, but not so much outside of
that.
Healthcare is solid and privatecare is affordable.
So overall, croatia isbeautiful, it's affordable and
(07:50):
it might be the last coastalescape before the influencers
arrive in full force.
Greece is also a tempting option.
It's got blue waters mythicruins, a slow pace of life.
It's still cheap in manyregions outside of Athens and
the Nomad visa is relativelyeasy to snag.
It requires an income of about$3,900 a month.
(08:10):
You can also get into Greecevia the Golden Visa Scheme,
which is an investment inproperty, and then the Type D
visa for just about everythingelse.
Things to keep in mind aboutGreece is the bureaucracy.
It is cryptic, it's slow andit's fond of vague instructions.
Public services can also bekind of metaphysical, but the
private healthcare is highlyrecommended.
(08:30):
So those are four great optionsif you're looking to get into
Europe.
But if you really want lowmaintenance, high reward options
that really pack a punch,portugal, spain and Latvia are
true contenders.
So first let's talk aboutPortugal.
It's coastal, it's charming, itworks and it might be the most
laid-back way to reboot yourlife without having to sell your
kidney on Craigslist.
(08:51):
Portugal is the country thatquietly minds its business.
It keeps its coastlines cleanand it offers you a path to
residency without making youprove you can translate Latin or
recite national anthems ondemand.
It's where the infrastructureworks, the rent is
semi-reasonable and the seafoodis abundant.
And it's amazing, it's a placeso chilled out.
Even the bureaucracy feels likeit's trying not to startle you.
(09:14):
So let's talk about why Portugalisn't just a pretty backdrop.
It's arguably the mostaccessible European relocation
option for Americans who've hadenough of bootstraps and
networking events.
The D7 visa is designed forremote workers, retirees and
people with income streams thatdon't involve draining
Portuguese resources.
The D7 is basically Portugalsaying if you can support
(09:36):
yourself and enjoy fish, we haveno objections.
Something worth noting here isthat Portugal is somewhat unique
in that it requires you toobtain things like a bank
account, a tax ID and livingarrangements in advance of
applying for residency, whichcan be frustrating if you aren't
prepared.
This is Tim Marting, co-founderof Citizen Remote, which helps
(09:56):
people relocate for remote workaround the world, explaining
this Portuguese process thisPortuguese process, someplace
like Portugal, for example, thathas been.
Tim Marting (10:06):
I've heard a lot of negative feedback from people
saying like I was consideringPortugal.
I started to join a group andpeople said it's impossible, so
don't even try.
It's not that it's impossible,it's actually one of our well,
it's definitely our mostsuccessful visa process in the
sense that we've never had arejection for Portugal.
It's just a lot more involvedand it's kind of backwards in
(10:27):
the sense that if you want toapply for a visa, you have to
get a 12-month accommodation,you have to get a tax ID and a
bank account before theapplication can even be
submitted.
So a lot of people hear thatand they think what it feels
backwards.
It is kind of backwards, butit's not that it's impossible.
So I think just understandingthat if there is a visa pathway,
(10:49):
it's certainly doable, assumingyou hit the criteria and then
just making sure that you takethe appropriate step.
Shawn (10:57):
In order to get the D7, you're going to need to prove a
monthly income of about $920 forthe main applicant and then add
50% more for a spouse and 30%per kid and, like Tim said,
you're going to have to have aPortuguese bank account, a lease
or property purchase inPortugal and a tax number, which
is known as an NIF, which youwill use for everything from
(11:18):
renting an apartment to buyinglight bulbs.
You'll need to be in countryfor at least 183 days per year
with the D7, but after fiveyears of legal residency you can
apply for permanent residencyor citizenship.
This is Basil Elzecki onceagain explaining another
Portuguese option the GoldenVisa.
Basil Elzeki (11:40):
Another route that is that perhaps many people on
this podcast heard of a lot ofbuzz around it is the Portugal
Golden Visa.
The Portugal Golden Visa is nota citizenship program but in
fact it's considered a residenceprogram.
The key thing about thePortuguese program is that it
starts with a residency and canlead to a citizenship within
(12:02):
about five to six years, and canlead to a citizenship within
about five to six years.
So the nice part about it is isyou don't need to relocate to
Portugal to do this or become atax resident of Portugal to do
this.
So many Americans like the ideaof planning from the United
States and starting theirpathway to that citizenship in
year five, year six.
Now, malta might be out of thefinancial scope of many middle
(12:22):
to upper class families, butPortugal is certainly within the
range.
So you're looking at 250,000euros donation to arts and
culture, or you can invest500,000 into an investment fund,
as long as most of that fundusually 60% or more of that fund
is invested in Portugal,because evidently they want to
stimulate their economy.
(12:43):
So by making that investmentinto a fund, which is not
unheard of for many, they'reable to obtain what's called a
golden visa, and that goldenvisa initially starts by giving
you the right to live, work andstudy in Portugal for the main
applicant spouse and dependentchildren.
So within probably a five toseven year period, depending on
(13:04):
delays, then that individual cannaturalize as a Portuguese
citizen, having similar benefitsas the Maltese route, as an EU
member country.
So again, access to 27countries.
Now the difference is thatPortugal does take a little bit
longer, does have a languagerequirement, will have to learn
A2 level Portuguese, and therehas to be minor visitation
(13:25):
You're looking at two weeksevery two years into Portugal
while that visa is valid.
Shawn (13:31):
The Golden Visa was once a real estate free-for-all, but
Portugal recently slammed thedoor shut on that in favor of
well less housing displacement.
Now the entry point for theGolden Visa is a $560,000
investment into a Portuguesefund, usually tied to green
energy tech or whatever Lisbonis pitching to Brussels that
(13:52):
year.
With the Golden Visa, you onlyneed to visit seven days a year
to keep your residency active,and after five years, golden
Visa holders, just like D7 folks, can apply for citizenship,
assuming they meet languageproficiency.
So you must be able to speakbasic conversational Portuguese.
You have to show no criminalrecord and proof of integration,
(14:12):
but don't worry, no one'sasking for a tattoo of the
national anthem.
When it comes to thebureaucracy, portugal's
paperwork culture is bestdescribed as sleepy but
persistent.
You're unlikely to encounterhostility, but don't be
surprised if your applicationvanishes into the bureaucratic
void for three weeks and thenmagically reappears with a note
that reads please submit again.
(14:32):
Appointments with SEF, theimmigration office, are a rite
of passage.
You will develop patience andprobably an unhealthy attachment
to your immigration lawyer,which is a good reminder to make
this process smoother.
If at all possible, hiresomeone, preferably a lawyer,
who is well-versed in thepaperwork and the bureaucracy to
help you.
Compared to most of WesternEurope and certainly the United
(14:54):
States, portugal remainsaffordable, especially outside
of Lisbon.
If you do want to live inLisbon, keep in mind that it is
the most expensive city inPortugal.
Rent for a one bedroom is goingto run you about $1,100 to
$1,400 a month.
Utilities will cost about $100to $150 a month, public
transportation is about $45 amonth and groceries are cheap,
(15:16):
fresh and you can actuallyidentify everything on the label
.
Wine is so cheap you'll startevaluating its quality based on
the label font instead of theprice.
If you want to spend less,smaller cities like Porto and
Braga are good options.
You can expect to save about30-50% across the board and
you're more likely to encounteractual Portuguese people rather
(15:37):
than expats.
Also, portugal's publichealthcare system is solid.
Private care is even quickerand astonishingly affordable.
We're talking $45 to $67 for adoctor's visit, dental cleanings
that don't require a secondmortgage and for those with
complex or transitional careneeds, like gender-affirming
care.
Portugal is making realprogressive strides.
(15:57):
For trans folks and othersfacing circumstances that might
require a quick exit from theUnited States, such as emergent
medical needs that cannot beinterrupted, portugal is a very
attractive option because thevisa process can move quite
quickly compared to some otherplaces in Europe.
David Lesperance of Lesperanceand Associates, which assists
people with all facets ofrelocation, explains why
(16:20):
Portugal's relatively quickprocess can be integral for some
people.
David Lesperance (16:33):
For the trans children, families with trans
children and I was mentioning Iwas retained by seven different
families in the nine days afterthe executive order.
Now it depends on what theurgency is.
It depends on where they're at.
If they have pre-transitionchildren, they've got some time.
If they've already made thetransition, they've got some
time.
But if they're in the middle ofthe hormone blockers in the
(16:55):
transition, they need to moveimmediately.
And so in those cases, theydiscovered okay, what places
have the medical treatmentavailable to me and how do I
quickly get there?
And Portugal, for example, isone of the locations which is
LGBTQ plus very culturallyfavorable.
(17:18):
There's also the medicalfacilities there, there, and we
can get them something very fast, very cheap, called a digital
nomad visa, which is one of thefew good things that came out of
the pandemic was thedevelopment of this relatively
new product which is a digitalnomad visa.
(17:38):
So we can get that, for example, in, you know, eight to 10
weeks.
Well, an American can get on aplane and move to Portugal.
They can spend 90 days there asa visitor.
During that time they will thentrade up to a digital nomad
visa and they can remain, butthey can start the medical
treatment the next month or thenext day after they arrive.
Shawn (18:04):
Portugal is famously welcoming within reason, so
attempting the language is goingto help you immensely.
Even if your bom dia soundslike a sneeze, it's appreciated.
Some cultural cues to keep inmind in Portugal, modesty is
respected, politeness isexpected, shouting is
discouraged unless you'rewatching football and no one
(18:25):
cares about your opinions onreal estate.
English is widely spoken incities, but less so in the
countryside, so if you want tofully integrate, you'll need to
do more than point and smile,but, honestly, not much more.
Portugal's fast track tocitizenship is one of the best
in Europe.
You're going to need 5 years oflegal residency, so that's with
the D7, the Golda visa or someother option.
(18:46):
You're going to need to be ableto speak A2 level of Portuguese
, which is enough to order lunch, apologize for your accent and
maybe make light conversationabout the weather.
You have to prove no seriouscriminal record and some light
evidence that you're not acomplete mystery to your
neighbors.
Portugal does allow dualcitizenship, so you can keep
your American passport, your EUpassport and your complicated
(19:08):
relationship with both.
So, in end, portugal is bestfor remote workers that are sick
of the grind, retirees notinterested in reinventing
themselves, just relaxing, andpeople who want to be European
without debating the ethics ofBrexit at every dinner.
It's still affordable, stillchill and still mostly
undiscovered by the Instagramset, without debating the ethics
of Brexit at every dinner.
It's still affordable, stillchill and still mostly
(19:28):
undiscovered by the Instagramset.
If you're looking for aEuropean base that won't make
you cry into a spreadsheet,portugal may be whispering your
name.
Portugal's neighbor, spain, isanother great option for
Americans looking to resettle ina European location.
Spain is a country where rulesare sometimes suggestions, where
bureaucracy feels like acollaborative art form and where
life moves to the rhythm ofvery delayed meals and abrupt
(19:50):
bursts of energy.
But for Americans looking toescape the ever-escalating
absurdity at home, spain offersa clear, if occasionally
maddening, path thenon-lucrative visa, which,
despite its name, doesn'trequire you to be unprofitable,
just not locally employed.
Think of this visa as Spain'sway of saying you seem quiet,
(20:10):
solvent and unlikely to open achain restaurant, so you may
stay.
It's for people who havepassive or remote income but
don't plan to work in Spain.
You can still earn moneyelsewhere.
The government simply doesn'twant you elbowing into the
Spanish job market.
You're going to need to prove amonthly income of about $2,700
or $32,300 annually and then addabout $670 per month per
(20:35):
dependent.
You're going to have to showprivate Spanish health insurance
, a clean criminal record andproof of accommodation, so a
rental or property ownership.
You also have to spend at least183 days per year in Spain and,
yes, they do check.
What you get from thenon-lucrative visa is an initial
one-year residency, which isrenewable for two years and then
(20:56):
another two.
You can then get permanentresidency after five years and
citizenship after 10, unless youqualify for Spain's shortcut,
and we'll talk more about thatin a moment.
So yes, it's a long game, but,unlike US immigration law, it's
a game with published rules anda referee who doesn't get fired
halfway through the bureaucracyin Spain, to be honest, has a
(21:17):
reputation and it's notundeserved.
You can expect to encounterappointments that book weeks in
advance, paperwork with ink,color specifications, forms that
must be filled out exactly asinstructed, unless the person at
the desk decides otherwise thatday, and offices that close
five minutes before yourscheduled meeting for reasons
unexplained.
The best thing you can do hereis hire someone, a licensed
(21:41):
fixer, who understands thesystem and can get things done
while you stand in the cornerclutching your passport and
wondering what day it is Alsofun fact every Spanish consulate
in the United States is its ownkingdom, so New York might
require a different set ofdocuments than Los Angeles, and
Miami might invent new ones.
Just to keep you alert.
When it comes to cost of livingin Spain, it remains one of
(22:02):
Europe's most affordablecountries, especially if you
don't insist on living directlynext to the Sagrada Familia.
So consider cities likeValencia, granada or Seville,
where you'll find one-bedroomapartments for $780 to $1,000 a
month.
Utilities will cost about $110a month, groceries about $280 a
month.
You can get a transit pass forabout $40 to $56 a month, and if
(22:26):
you want to go out for a night,that's only going to cost you
about $11 to $17.
Karen McCann is a travelblogger and author of numerous
travel-related books, includingDancing in the Fountain how to
Enjoy Living Abroad, who spendsmuch of her time in Spain
explaining this cost of living.
Of her time in Spain explainingthis cost of living.
Karen McCann (22:53):
Going out to eat is so much less expensive.
I always go through hugeculture shock when I come back
to the US because I'm used topaying about well under $2 for a
beer.
And I'll go to a bar here amoderate bar and I'll order a
beer and it'll come and it'll be$9.
And I go $9 for a beer and myfriends go yeah, aren't the
prices here great?
I mean, it is just wildlydifferent.
(23:14):
I'm in San Francisco right nowand what San Francisco has the
nerve to charge for a glass ofwine really makes me blink.
$15, $20, $25 for a glass ofwine really makes me blink.
$15, $20, $25 for a glass ofwine.
In Seville you get a bottle ofgood wine for that and everybody
thinks you're being reallylavish.
So things like that are reallyquite a bit different.
(23:35):
Also, you get by with way lessthere.
I don't have a car.
Because I live in the city, Iwalk everywhere.
On the very rare occasions whenI need transportation I rent a
car, but I rarely need to do it.
Or I take the bus or I take thetrain.
The trains are wonderful overthere, so I don't need to pay
for a car insurance, garage, allthat stuff.
(23:57):
I don't have a dishwasher, Idon't have a dryer, I have the
sun for that.
A dishwasher, I don't have adryer, I have the sun for that.
It's just a lot of things thatyou always think about buying
here because it's part of ourlifestyle.
People don't bother with toomuch over there.
I mean, some of my friends dohave cars, of course,
particularly ones with kids orfamilies that are outside in the
(24:17):
suburbs.
But you know, for the most partyou can get away with an awful
lot less and things cost anawful lot less.
The whole money piece is verydifferent.
Shawn (24:28):
Healthcare in Spain is excellent.
Once you're a legal resident,you can tap into the public
system.
Until then, your requiredprivate insurance is going to
cost you about $55 to $110 amonth and it won't randomly drop
you because someone wrote yourname in all caps.
As far as integrating intoSpain, english is useful.
Sure, in tourist zones, amongyoung people or at
(24:50):
American-themed burger joints.
But if you plan to live there,especially outside of major hubs
, spanish is essential, even ifyou're fluent in tapas menu
Spanish.
It's a different world whenyou're trying to get a driver's
license or explain to yourlandlord why the ceiling is
leaking onto your washingmachine.
But integration isn't justabout language.
It's about syncing with Spain'soperating system.
(25:11):
So you're going to have toadjust.
The earliest lunch is about 2 pm.
The earliest dinner is about 9pm.
Anything earlier than that isconsidered a medical emergency.
Bureaucracy is in the morning,possibly, unless there's a
holiday.
Sundays nothing happens.
No stores, no errands, justhorizontal humans and drifting
smells of paella.
(25:31):
Spain is proud, it's layeredand it's sometimes resistant to
change.
The trick is not to rush it.
Don't fight the current, justfloat, ideally with a basic
grasp of Spanish.
Here's Karen McCannigan.
Karen McCann (25:53):
Well, I think the first thing to do is just to, as
I said, open your heart and behere now to experience the
culture that you're living inand stop making constant
comparisons to America.
One of the things you have toremember is your Spanish friends
are not interested in howthings are done in America.
They absolutely are not, andthey are not comparing their
culture and yours all the time.
(26:14):
They think that the way they dothings is the only way to do
things, just as we do in America.
They think the idea of havinglunch at 1230 is insane and the
idea of having dinner at six orseven or eight o'clock, that's
way too early, and so you haveto sort of step back and say,
okay, this is the way they dothings, let me try it, for
(26:38):
example, in medicine.
You would think that medicinewould be totally cut and dried,
absolutely no room for wildness.
But I have found that mySpanish friends tell me with
absolute sincerity that ham goodSpanish ham is great for your
cholesterol will lower yourcholesterol.
Now you say that to an Americanand they start laughing they
(27:00):
also, and it was based on astudy that showed that there
were antioxidants in that kindof ham and that there actually
is some basis for this fact.
But we can't get our headsaround it because we've grown up
with the idea ham bad, not goodfood.
Same thing with water.
I mean, I drink a lot of water,I believe in drinking a lot of
water, but the Spanish did astudy with college students, of
(27:22):
course, that proved that beerrehydrates better than water.
Now it took me a long time toget my head around that and I
have not shifted from a waterdrinker to a beer drinker as a
general policy day in and dayout.
But my job is to take a stepback and go.
Ok, that makes no sense to mein what I know of the world, but
(27:43):
maybe I should start trylooking at it in a different way
.
Maybe I don't know everything.
Maybe I should just step backand see what is in front of me
instead of what's in my head.
Shawn (27:58):
If you're interested in Spanish citizenship, it is
possible to obtain after 10years of legal residency.
But here's the hitch Spaindoesn't allow dual citizenship
with the United States, notofficially.
There are workarounds likeforgetting to renounce your
American status, but they existin legal gray zones and may come
back to bite you if Spaindecides to care one day.
However, if you're from LatinAmerica, the Philippines or a
(28:22):
former Spanish colony, spainoffers a shortcut just two years
to citizenship.
It's the colonial legacy, butnow with some practical benefits
.
You're also going to needfluency in Spanish, a basic
civics test and proof thatyou've integrated and haven't
spent 10 years hiding in a villaavoiding interaction.
Spain is a good fit for you ifyou're financially independent,
(28:44):
you want to live somewherevibrant but not aggressively
type A, you don't mindbureaucracy that feels like an
improv exercise and you're okaywith eventually choosing between
the US and Spain forcitizenship.
It is a slower process, thepaperwork might age you slightly
, but Spain offers something fewcountries can match a
full-bodied way of life thatdoesn't ask you to sacrifice
(29:05):
your soul for a paycheck.
It's not easy, but it's verypossible and once you adapt to
the rhythm you may find it suitsyou better than the life you
left behind.
The final European country we'regoing to spotlight here is a
bit of a sleeper hit.
Latvia is not loud, it's notflashy and, frankly, it is a bit
cold cold in both temperatureand temperament and yet it works
(29:26):
surprisingly well.
Latvia doesn't make a big showof inviting you in, but if you
meet its modest expectations,it'll hand you a residence
permit, access to the SchengenZone and a decent shot at
citizenship, without requiringyou to uproot your life or sell
your soul to a real estateinvestment trust.
The easiest way in to Latvia isthe temporary residence permit.
(29:48):
It's structured, relativelyinexpensive and refreshingly
light on drama.
There are two main paths.
The real estate investment pathrequires you to buy $280,000
worth of Latvian property, plusa government fee.
The other path is a bankdeposit of about $314,000 that
must go into a Latvian bank forfive years.
(30:08):
Either path you take, you'regoing to get a renewable
temporary residence permit, fullmovement rights in the Schengen
zone, no full-time presencerequired in Latvia.
Really, you just need to checkin once a year.
This makes it one of the mostflexible entry points into the
EU, and it's ideal if you'recommitment-averse,
geographically confused or stillemotionally tethered to Trader
(30:30):
Joe's, compared to Spain'sbureaucratic theater or Italy's
paperwork fan fiction, latvia'sbureaucratic system is efficient
.
It's not warm, but it'sefficient.
You can expect postedrequirements that match actual
expectations, government officeswhere people show up on time,
and paperwork that getsprocessed at a speed suggesting
(30:50):
someone has a calendar and amild sense of urgency.
But you're still going to haveto deal with certified
translations, notarizeddocuments and the need to
repeatedly explain that, yes,you really do want to live here,
but overall, latvia behaveslike a country that doesn't
actively want to punish you fortrying to follow the rules.
The cost of living in Latvia isamazing.
For a capital city in the EU,riga punches far above its
(31:14):
weight in affordability.
You won't find Parisian charmor Berlin nightlife, but you
also won't need to sell plasmato afford rent.
A one-bedroom apartment in Riga.
Isiga is gonna cost about 500to $730 per month.
Utilities and internet aregonna cost about $135 a month.
Groceries can run from 225 to$280 a month.
(31:36):
A public transport pass isgonna cost about $34 and a craft
beer that actually tastes likesomething is about $2.
You're also going to get quiet,walkable neighborhoods,
high-speed internet, likeseriously fast, affordable
healthcare and cultural eventsthat don't require a black tie
subscription.
The downside is that winters inLatvia are long and they're
(31:59):
dark, but summers, short as theyare, are gorgeous and
surprisingly lively.
Integrating into Latvia,especially when it comes to
language, can be complicated.
Latvian is the officiallanguage, so you'll need it for
citizenship and most governmentpaperwork.
Russian is still widely spoken,especially among older
generations, but English isincreasingly common in Riga,
(32:22):
especially among young peopleand tech workers.
So you'll get by with Englishin the city, but outside of the
capital not so much, and don'texpect anyone to switch
languages for your benefit.
This is a country withboundaries.
Culturally, latvians arereserved.
They're not unfriendly, justnot prone to small talk.
You'll earn trust over time,preferably by not being
(32:43):
obnoxious.
Think of them as theScandinavians of Eastern Europe
private and polite.
If you want citizenship, latviaoffers a clear, if not exactly
fast, path.
You're going to have to havefive years of temporary
residency and then five moreyears of permanent residency.
After that you can apply forcitizenship so ten years.
To obtain Latvian citizenship,you have to prove Latvian
(33:06):
language proficiency.
You have to take a history andcivics test, no serious criminal
record and a willingness torenounce your US citizenship.
Latvia does not allow dualcitizenship with the US.
So this is not a fast lane to aburgundy passport, but it is
predictable and transparent.
So Latvia might be right for youif you want a Schengen foothold
without fully relocating yet.
(33:27):
You have investment capital,but not golden visa money and
you're fine being the onlyAmerican on your block or in the
country.
It's not romantic, but it islogical and in a world where
governments often feel likeimprov troops, logic is its own
kind of charm.
If you're looking for a quietbase without too much
performance, latvia may beexactly what you didn't know you
(33:48):
were looking for.
So let's say you've made theleap.
You've filed the paperwork,passed the language test,
figured out how to open a winebottle without a screw cap,
you've survived the visa process.
What now?
If you're in this for the longhaul not just a few years of
European escapism the endgamemight be this European Union
citizenship, that holy grail ofmodern mobility.
(34:08):
So let's break it down.
With EU citizenship you can live, work and retire in any EU
country.
You can open a business inBerlin, buy a goat in Slovenia
or teach yoga in Estonia, noadditional visas required.
You can travel freelythroughout the Schengen zone and
beyond, so that's 90 pluscountries visa-free.
You can attend Europeanuniversities, many of which
(34:31):
won't financially ruin you forattending philosophy lectures in
sandstone buildings.
It's not just a passport, it'sa portable quality of life
upgrade.
Eu citizenship also gives youaccess to public healthcare
systems that don't requirepre-approvals, soul extractions
or hour-long phone calls withinsurance representatives.
The right to work anywhere inthe EU without filling out forms
(34:52):
that ask if you've evercommitted a crime in triplicate
Pensions and benefits that mayactually be there when you
retire.
And the general vibe of someonewho has options which, let's
face, it is increasingly rare inAmerica.
And the general vibe of someonewho has options which, let's
face, it, is increasingly rarein America.
Basically, you stop feelinglike you're one surprise
hospital visit away fromeconomic collapse and that's not
nothing.
But here's where it gets messy.
Remember, not every EU countryis cool with you keeping your
(35:16):
American passport.
Dual citizenship is allowed inPortugal, but it's not allowed
in Spain or in Latvia.
So you have to ask yourselfwhat do you actually want?
Do you want full citizenship oris long-term residency enough?
Are you emotionally prepared tolearn a new language and pass a
civics exam in it?
Would you renounce your UScitizenship if you had to?
(35:36):
Is your goal freedom ofmovement, long-term stability or
simply options.
For many, permanent residency isplenty.
It offers healthcare access,long-term stability and fewer
late-night existential Googlesearches about renunciation tax
traps.
But if you're in it for thelong haul, for voting rights,
passport power and a fullyEuropean identity, citizenship
(36:00):
is the prize.
In that case, portugal is theclear favorite.
It's quick, reasonable anddoesn't make you choose between
your two passports.
So citizenship isn't justpaperwork.
It's permission, permission tostay, to vote, to settle down,
without a countdown clockrunning in the background.
It's about turning your backupplan into a primary one, one
with better trains, longervacations and slightly fewer
(36:23):
people shouting on the news.
So whether you want to becomePortuguese, spanish, latvian or
just want a way to leave quietlyand with dignity, eu
citizenship isn't just a status.
It's a second chance, possiblywith better cheese.
But moving abroad isn't just alogistics problem.
It's a cultural act.
You're not just changingaddresses, you're entering
(36:44):
someone else's home and, justlike any guest who wants to be
invited back, how you behavematters.
This part is important because,while there's a lot of
excitement around leavingAmerica, there's also a risk
becoming that kind of expat.
And you know the one, themicro-aggressively loud one, the
one who treats local flavorlike a theme park, the one who
(37:04):
gives the rest of us a bad name.
So let's not do that.
As more Americans seek refugefrom political instability,
rising costs or simply a slowerpace of life, it's important to
remember a couple of things.
First, outside of the UnitedStates, things are just smaller.
This is Tim Leffel, an Americanexpat living in Mexico, an
(37:25):
author of numerous books,including A Better Life for Half
the Price and the World'sCheapest Destinations.
Tim Leffel (37:30):
Describing this Nothing in the US is that old,
except maybe the fort in StAugustine.
So it's just a whole differentway that cities were constructed
and planned and everything.
So, yeah, apartments do tend tobe smaller, the pipes tend to
be older, so they can'tnecessarily support garbage
(37:52):
disposals and you might have toput your toilet paper in the
trash can instead of flushing it, like things like that that
just seem so foreign toAmericans and in a lot of the
world they don't have thisobsession with having this giant
kitchen with 20 differentappliances in them.
So you know you probably won'thave a dishwasher, you probably
won't have a dryer, you probablywon't have a garbage disposal,
(38:14):
and that's normal, like, if youwant to get all those things,
you're probably going to have toget some kind of executive
level apartment or house, that's, you know two or three times
what the average going rate isfor rent or to purchase.
If you purchase, you're goingto have to bang down the walls
and expand the kitchen andeverything.
So I think it's important forpeople to temper their
expectations a bit.
(38:35):
Also, I think you discover a lotof times you hear this from
expats all the time that, oh, Ididn't need as much stuff as I
thought I needed or oh, I didn'tneed as much space as I used to
have, and I didn't realize ituntil I moved.
You've got the whole tiny housemovement in the US as a
counterpart to this giantconsumerism.
So some people they talk aboutdownsizing but they don't really
(38:58):
believe it.
They still want their 2,000square feet and they think
that's downsizing, but theydon't really believe it.
They still want their 2,000square feet and they think
that's downsizing.
But most of the world,especially in Europe, does not
live with that much squarefootage and they do just fine.
And so I think if you rent aplace that's much smaller and
stay there for a while, thatmight give you a good sense of
what it's going to be like andhow well you can handle it for a
(39:19):
while.
That might give you a goodsense of what it's going to be
like and how well you can handleit.
Shawn (39:21):
If you're coming from the land of Costco, curbside pickup
and fridge doors large enoughto host a TED Talk, european
life may feel condensed, butdon't confuse smaller with less.
In fact, many Europeans see itas smarter, more sustainable and
more human In Europe.
Smarter, more sustainable andmore human In Europe.
(39:42):
Compact doesn't mean cramp, itmeans efficient.
So you can expect refrigeratorsthe size of hotel, minibars,
washers with no dryers, tinyelevators or none at all, and
studio apartments that don'tscream starter home but rather
normal.
It's not deprivation, it'sefficiency and, strangely, it's
freeing Fewer things, fewerdecisions, less visual noise.
(40:03):
Also, if you need a late nightsnack or a pharmacy run on
Sunday, welcome to not America.
It's not uncommon for shops toclose at 6 or 7 pm and maybe for
a few hours.
Midday and Sundays aregenuinely quiet.
Public holidays mean businessclosures, not mattress sales, so
embrace it.
Yes, it can be frustrating, butit's also instructive.
(40:25):
You'll learn how to plan aheadand eventually maybe slow down.
In the US, convenience is king.
In Europe it's negotiable.
So you can expect customerservice that's more
transactional than bubbly Fewerdrive-throughs, less automation,
more human interaction andthings that take time and
require paperwork.
The slower pace isn'tinefficiency, it's often
(40:47):
intentional.
You'll likely find thathuman-scaled systems foster
community and patienceeventually.
So bring a book to yourappointment and order coffee and
sit down.
You might miss your garbagedisposal or target runs, but
you'll gain cafe culture, citysquares and a slower tempo of
life.
You'll get radiator heatinstead of forced air and
(41:07):
there's not AC in many homes.
So open the windows.
There's no giant SUVs and goodluck parking one if you bring it
.
Many creature comforts we thinkof as normal are environmental
stressors, both to the planetand to ourselves.
Living with less can meanliving better.
So living in Europe may meangiving up certain American
conveniences, but in returnyou'll often gain quality of
(41:30):
life, of food, of connection.
You're not downgrading, you'rejust adjusting the lens.
Second, it's important torecognize that you're not just
moving to a place, you'reentering someone else's home.
Matt Wilson (41:42):
This is Matt Wilson , co-founder of Under 30
Experiences, which focuses onmaking travel more accessible to
young people, explaining thisthe biggest advice that I can
give people is to really travelmindfully and you know, I heard
(42:04):
the joke the other day that inEurope what they say about
Americans is you hear us beforeyou see us, because you can just
hear that that's the loud groupof Americans coming and we, you
know, or just allowed a couplepeople, or whatever.
And just being aware of yoursurroundings, I think is
(42:26):
important.
Trying to what's the right wordthat I'm looking for, I guess
assimilate a little bit more tothe local culture and not just
go looking for the things thatyou have at home.
And this is especially adviceto expats.
(42:49):
Right, people want to go toplaces like Chiang Mai, thailand
, and they want to open abusiness, which is great.
But also don't try to bring thesame things that you have home
to fit to Chiang Mai, becausethen we just kind of live in
this IKEA-ized world where, yeah, you can find craft beer, I
(43:13):
guess, in every tourist city inthe world and I guess there's
nothing wrong with that andthat's just the word, right,
craft beer isn't going, thegenie has escaped the bottle.
But, you know, trying to supportthe local businesses that are
owned by locals, that are moretraditional, and, yeah, it gets
(43:37):
really complicated when we talkabout driving the prices up,
because people, especially fromthe United States, like to come
and throw around big tips, andtipping can get super
complicated.
It's good to be generous, forsure, but then also you can see
(43:57):
areas change where people don'twant to study.
They just want to be gettingpeople beach chairs and
surfboards because they thinkthey're going to get a good tip.
Change economies and people arelooking for easy money instead
(44:24):
of, you know, growing up andgetting a good education and
trying to find a sustainable job, and then, when that that dries
up, you know bad thing, badthings happen.
People look to crime.
So, yeah, this can be a really,really complicated subject.
I could go on all day, but Iwould say, definitely, just do
your best to try to fit in ifyou can.
(44:47):
If you go to Lisbon, portugal,support the local businesses.
I understand that everybody inthe world wants to be there
right now and people from allover Europe have the right to
move there through the EU, andit's been quite easy for people
from other countries, like theUnited States, to live there as
(45:10):
well.
And people who lived in thecity centers are going to get
outbid for their real estate.
And so I would say, if you'regoing to be in a city center
like that, support the locallyowned places as best you can,
and also the money needs to bespread around.
(45:30):
So try to get off the beatenpath.
Let's take France, for example.
All the tourist money goes to acertain amount of cities and
towns, but there's so manyplaces that you can get far off
the beaten path and the moneygoes a long way in those places,
(45:50):
but they're going to expect youto at least attempt to speak
French, you know, so you got totry, I guess.
Don't go to a place thinkinglike you're in the United States
.
Go to a place and make anhonest attempt at living the
local lifestyle in all thedifferent ways that that may
(46:10):
entail.
Shawn (46:13):
The cafe you love.
Someone's family runs it Inthat picturesque alleyway.
People actually live there.
It's not a set, it's real life.
Gentrification and real estatespeculation are real concerns in
many European cities,especially where locals are
being priced out by foreignbuyers.
So it's important to rentlong-term before buying and
(46:34):
avoid short-term vacationplatforms for housing unless
you're traveling.
Opt for local rental agenciesinstead.
Also, consider supportingaffordable housing initiatives
or local policies aimed atprotecting residents from
displacement.
As I've mentioned a few timesalready, learn the language,
even just a bit.
Fluency isn't required, butmaking the effort shows respect
(46:56):
and it earns goodwill.
Don't expect everyone to speakEnglish, even if they can Take a
basic course before arriving.
Duolingo's a start, but localclasses are better and use
greetings and simple phrases inthe local language.
A heartfelt thank you, grazie,grazie goes far.
And remember that Europedoesn't need to be fixed or
(47:16):
Americanized, that artisanalbakery doesn't need a rebrand,
that small-town pace isintentional.
So embrace local ways of lifewithout trying to improve them.
Listen before speaking in civicdiscussions, especially about
development, infrastructure andimmigration, and resist the urge
to start businesses that cateronly to fellow expats.
(47:37):
Blend in before branching outand spend money where you live.
Supporting the local economymeans more than just buying
croissants at the farmer'smarket once a week.
So bank locally, shop atindependent stores and hire
local service providers.
Avoid foreign investor enclavesthat isolate you from the
communities around you.
Your dollars go farther.
(47:58):
Use them wisely.
It's also important to knowyour impact on inequality.
Your US dollar or remote jobmight go far in a country with
lower wages, but that economicadvantage can create resentment
if it's not handled mindfully.
So keep your income inperspective, don't flaunt it.
Advocate or vote, if eligible,for inclusive, equity-focused
(48:21):
local policies, and join localassociations or civic groups
rather than remaining in expatbubbles.
And learn to appreciate beforeyou critique.
Yes, maybe the plumber takeslonger to show up, the shops
close at 2 pm, but these rhythmsare cultural, not bugs in the
system.
So approach differences withcuriosity, not criticism.
Let go of the American time ismoney ethos.
(48:44):
Europe often values quality oflife over speed of profit.
So, in short, move not as aconsumer but as a neighbor.
Appreciate the place as it is,not just as what it can offer
you, and remember being a goodexpat means being a good guest
and a good local.
So there you have it Threecountries, three different
(49:14):
temperaments and three ways toexit stage left from the
American chaos without needingto inherit an olive farm or join
a religious order.
If you've listened this far,you're probably not just curious
about leaving America.
You're considering it Seriously, and the goal here isn't to
push you out the door.
It's to remind you that a doordoes exist, that this idea, as
(49:34):
wild as it may have once sounded, is very much within reach.
You don't need to be rich.
You don't need a secondcitizenship.
You don't even need to knowwhat you're doing next year.
You just need a plan, a bit ofpaperwork, tolerance and the
willingness to imagine adifferent kind of life.
And no, that doesn't make youunpatriotic.
It makes you aware thatsometimes the best way to fix a
(49:56):
broken system is to step outsideof it and breathe for a while.
Now, if you're wondering why wedidn't include a certain large
European country known for itscheese, its strikes and its
reputation for slow-movingbureaucracy cloaked in perfume
ads, don't worry, we're gettingthere.
Next time.
On Leaving America, we'reheading to France, a country
(50:17):
where you can technically arriveas a tourist, stay longer than
you should and realize thebiggest culture shock is the
fact that no one asks what youdo for a living within the first
five minutes of meeting you.
We'll talk about how tonavigate France's
not-quite-impossible bureaucracy, what visas are available and
how to make it work in one ofEurope's most romanticized and
(50:37):
misunderstood destinations.
This is Leaving America,because sometimes home isn't
where you started.
Thank you.
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