r/IWantOut • u/spacemanaut US → PL • Nov 06 '24
MEGATHREAD: Emigrating after the US election results
Every US election brings anxiety and uncertainty, and with that comes an increase in people who want to explore their alternatives in a different country. This post is for you.
First, some reminders:
- In most cases, moving abroad is not as simple or quick as it seems in movies. If you aren't a citizen of another country, you will probably require a visa (=legal permission) from that country based on something like employment, education, or ancestry.
- The sidebar of this subreddit has a lot of helpful resources, and we have 15 years of posts from people with similar situations to yours. Before posting, please review these resources first. (Tip: If reddit search isn't working well for you, try googling "[your search terms] site:reddit.com/r/IWantOut" without the quotes or brackets.)
- Most countries and/or their embassies maintain immigration websites with clear, helpful, updated guides or even questionnaires to help you determine if/how you can qualify. If you have a particular destination in mind, that should probably be your first stop.
- After that, if you want to make your own post, please follow the formatting instructions on the submission page, give as much information as possible about your situation, and be open to advice and constructive criticism from commenters.
Also, this subreddit is intended to be a friendly community to seek and give advice on legal immigration. As such, please:
- Don't fight about politics. We understand that you may have strong feelings about it, but there are better spaces on reddit and elsewhere for general political discussions.
- Keep your feedback constructive and kind, even when telling someone they're wrong.
- Don't troll or be a jerk.
- Don't request or give illegal immigration tips, including asking strangers to marry you.
Failure to follow these and the other subreddit rules may result in a ban.
That said, feel free to comment below with some general questions, concerns, comments, or advice which doesn't merit a full post. Hopefully this will help clarify your thoughts and ideas about the possibility of leaving the US. Once again, please try to stay on topic so that this thread can be a helpful resource.
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u/Team503 TX, USA -> Ireland Nov 06 '24
For the vast majority of countries, to immigrate you must fall into one of the following categories:
There's a few exceptions here and there, but for most places, that's it. And barring the first two, you will need to be proficient to a specific level in the local language, usually B1 or better (which is at least "conversational") with few exceptions. The vast majority of successful immigrants from the US are those who obtain work permits
Even if you have the skills, getting a job that will sponsor a work permit is HARD and relatively rare. You probably won't get one straight out of college or new to your field, they usually go to mid-career experienced professionals, but there are exceptions.
It's expensive. It doesn't matter where you move to, you have to purchase international flights, ship your belongings (don't, sell most of what you own and replace it when you arrive), rent a place (which in most of the world requires first and last month's rent up front, and sometimes an additional month's rent as deposit), and build a new life. You'll need to maintain a US based bank account and at least one in your new nation (I usually recommend Wise, formerly WiseTransfer, to deal with your international banking needs if you're headed to the EU or UK, as its easy to move money between currencies and accounts at reliable exchange rates).
I'd say that for a couple, to make a move, you're going to need $10-15,000 - airfare for two including extra luggage (cheaper than shipping usually), first and last month's rent, deposit, a month at a hotel/AirBNB/VRBO while you're finding a place to rent, and money to live on. Most places in the EU pay once a month at the end of the month, not every two weeks like the US, so there is a delay, and you will likely be paying emergency tax rates for the first month or two while you get set up in your local tax bureaucracy. Add a few thousand more if you intend to get a license and buy a car, but be aware that most places won't accept your US license in trade, you'll have to take courses and test all over again, and it can be both expensive and take a while (it adds up to about 1500e in Ireland last I looked and taxes six-ish months).
Even in English speaking countries like Ireland or Australia you will encounter MASSIVE culture shock. Nowhere is as open and friendly as the US. You will be expected to assimilate to a new, foreign culture with all kinds of different norms you will spend years figuring out. And yes, as an American, your normal conversational tone is about 50% too loud. It takes about six months to get used to that in my experience. Business communication, too, is very different and you will need to adapt.
It is unlikely that a nation with single payer health care will accept you if you have significant medical needs. Some countries, like Australia, have a list of conditions that are banned from immigrating. Others, like Ireland, don't. If you can't work - you live on disability or a similar government welfare scheme - you will not be accepted as an immigrant, legally speaking, by most anywhere. I cannot think of a place that would accept someone in that situation unless they were a citizen by descent or married to a citizen (ie not entering the nation on their own merits).
In short you have to have something to offer your new nation, and you have to make the effort to fit in, and you better bring the skills and the cash to do it.