According to the State Department, there are currently about 9 million American citizens living outside the United States. In addition to military personnel serving at numerous military bases around the world, these may also be ordinary people.
Americans are moving overseas in search of:
In other words, there may be many reasons to leave the United States for another country. Immigration attorneys of our company take into account all the wishes of the client in order to choose the most suitable location for relocation.
Not every American has the opportunity to change their country of residence. According to a recent study by the Pew Research Centre, no less than 23% of US residents surveyed said they had never been abroad.
However, even if you can choose where to live, your decision should be the result of careful consideration of the pros and cons of each jurisdiction. Moving abroad is usually accompanied by a deep dive into related issues, whether it is your immigration route, obtaining a work permit, tax obligations, the health care system or a basic quality of life comparison.
Its close proximity, similar time zone, mild climate and large American expat community have made Mexico one of the most accessible and attractive countries to relocate to. Important advantages of this jurisdiction include low cost of living, access to good medical care and a laid-back lifestyle, especially in resort areas.
How to move to Mexico?
Mexican nationality
If you have no family ties in Mexico a second passport can only be obtained through the naturalisation process, which requires at least 5 years of residence, a good knowledge of the Spanish language and Mexican history and culture.
Taxes in Mexico
Mexican income is taxed regardless of where it is earned. An international double tax treaty helps immigrants from the United States to optimise their fiscal costs.
Mexico uses a progressive scale to calculate income tax. Depending on the declared income, the rate increases from 0% to 35%. Preferential tax rates apply to dividends and capital gains.
The Republic of Ecuador attracts older Americans. Retirement in this country is comfortable. This is facilitated by the relatively low cost of living – an American pensioner spends a little more than $ 500 a month on living in this country, excluding rent. For the elderly in Ecuador, there are significant discounts on utility bills and medical care.
Americans also value Ecuador for its mild climate, the U.S. dollar as the main means of payment, and its large English-speaking expat community.
How to move to Ecuador?
Taxes in Ecuador
As in Mexico, all income of Ecuadorian tax residents is taxable. To calculate the amount of tax liability, a progressive income tax scale is used, the rate of which can be as high as 35%. Only the portion of income that exceeds $ 11,310 is included in the taxable base. Thus, a significant portion of a U.S. pension will likely not be taxable in Ecuador.
Panama’s key advantages are its warm climate, relatively low cost of living, dollar economy, modern infrastructure and geographic proximity to the United States. Add to this list of advantages tax benefits, a sizable English-speaking community of US natives, and unique business opportunities in one of the largest financial centres in the world.
How to move to Panama?
Taxes in Panama
The country has a territorial tax system. Only amounts received by a resident in Panama are subject to income tax. Thus, older Americans can exclude their pensions from taxable income, as they are accrued from foreign sources.
The Kingdom of Thailand is another centre of attraction for expats from America, thanks largely to its warm climate, turquoise sea, friendly locals and low cost of living. Modern Thailand is versatile – it’s convenient for remote work and business, and is suitable for both extreme and relaxing beach holidays.
How to move to Thailand?
Canada is the United States’ closest neighbour and the country where Americans find it easiest to move to. The most obvious advantages of modern Canada are:
How do I move to Canada?
An American passport allows you to live in Canada for almost six months without any additional permits. You will only need a Canadian residence permit if you decide to move to a neighbouring country permanently – to get a job, rent or buy a home, or move your relatives.
U.S. residents use the following immigration routes to obtain a Canadian residence permit:
Canadian citizenship
You can get a Canadian passport without a long wait if you were born in Canada or have at least one Canadian parent (in which case you apply for Canadian citizenship by descent).
In all other cases, Canadian citizenship is obtained through the naturalisation process. This means that a U.S. citizen must have spent at least 1,095 days in Canada in the last 5 years before being eligible to apply for citizenship.
Taxes in Canada
Canadians pay taxes on all of their income, including that arising in the United States.
Income tax is calculated according to a complex formula at the federal level (from 0 to 33 per cent) and at the provincial level (it is calculated on a certain amount and can be 11-25.75 per cent). In order to reduce their expenses, tax residents of American origin take advantage of the international double tax treaty.
With a common language, a developed economy, and the presence of many American company headquarters in the UK, it’s no wonder that this country has become one of the most popular destinations for relocating from the United States.
Additional benefits of the British realm:
How do I move to the United Kingdom?
Despite the shared history of the US and UK, US citizens do not have additional advantages over other immigrants when applying for a long-term visa.
The British grant residence permits to Student visa, Skilled workers, Innovator Founder Visa, Global Talent Visa as well as Spouse and Fiancé/Fiancée Visas British subjects. We have listed only the most popular immigration categories for residence in the British kingdom.
Each immigration route involves a number of requirements for the applicant, for example, a skilled worker must have the appropriate specialism and obtain a sponsorship certificate from their UK employer. And a talent visa applicant must provide evidence of their achievements to a UK-authorised organisation in order to obtain a letter of approval for UK immigration.
The principal applicant has the right to include family members in his/her application so that the residence permit is granted to the spouse and children.
Some immigration routes in England do not include the possibility of permanent settlement. Holders of such visas cannot apply for a permanent residence card and their time in the British kingdom cannot be included in their citizenship record.
So, if you have planned a move to the UK but are unsure which visa category is best to apply for, get detailed advice from the experts at Imperial & Legal.
British citizenship
As a rule, after 3-5 years of legal residence in Britain, American immigrants pass the Life In The UK test and apply for a permanent residence permit. In 5-6 years after moving to the United Kingdom, permanent residents are able to apply for citizenship.
Taxes in the UK
The peculiarity of British taxation is not only the floating income tax rate, reaching 39.35-48 per cent, but also:
Ireland is another interesting jurisdiction to move to from the United States, with such advantages as: high quality of life, affordable health care, friendly population, most of whom speak English, and the possibility of employment without losing your usual income.
How do I move to Ireland?
Unless you have obvious family or cultural ties to Ireland, you will need to apply for a D visa to relocate, with which a US citizen can stay in the country for more than 90 days.
Another peculiarity of immigration to Ireland is that the visa itself does not usually give you the right to take up employment. The exception is for participants in the Irish immigration programme for aspiring entrepreneurs who plan to start an innovative business and are prepared to invest more than $ 52 000 in their business.
Therefore, you will need a work permit to live fully in Ireland. The grounds for employment of an American may be:
The work permit is valid for 2 to 5 years. At the end of this period, most Americans apply for an Irish residence permit.
Taxes in Ireland
All income of tax residents in Ireland is subject to tax, which, depending on the category of taxpayer and their income, is deemed to be at a rate of 20 or 40 per cent.
As in Britain, the Irish tax system takes into account domicile. Americans who are recognised as tax residents can take advantage of remittance basis so that, as non-domiciled persons, they can only pay tax on money earned directly in Ireland.
American retirees will no doubt be pleased to know that in Ireland tax is not charged on the income of those over 65 if they received no more than €18,000 (about $18,717) in the accounting period.
Of course, France needs little introduction. From haute cuisine to world-famous works of art, a distinctive lifestyle, bustling metropolises and incredible countryside, here is by no means a complete list of reasons to move from America to the French Republic!
France is also one of the world’s leading economies, ranked 7th in the world. It is a fantastic place to live, work, do business and raise children. France is also among the world leaders in education and home to several leading universities dating back to the Middle Ages.
How to move to France?
It is possible to obtain resident status in the French Republic:
Taxes in France
Tax residents with French domicile pay tax on all their sources of income, including foreign sources. Tax residents without French domicile have a tax liability on income arising domestically.
A progressive scale is used to calculate the amount of income tax – the rate varies from 0 to 45%. Wealthy taxpayers pay additional income tax on a portion of their income, starting from a certain amount.
Switzerland is one of the most prosperous countries in modern Europe. Comfort, high safety standards and quality of life in the Confederation are due to the rather high costs of the Swiss.
How to move to Switzerland?
One of the easiest immigration routes to Switzerland would be the financially independent person visa. In this status, an immigrant from America would have to pay a lump sum tax every year for the renewal of the residence permit. The amount will depend on the country you are going to settle in, and in many cases it will be calculated based on your worldwide financial position.
There are other ways of moving to the Swiss Confederation suitable for American investors. Each Swiss canton independently formulates the conditions for obtaining an investment residence permit.
Portugal’s mild climate, top-notch health care system, and friendly local population are just a few of the advantages that Americans enjoy. Digital nomads and retirees from the United States are particularly fond of the capital Lisbon and the Algarve tourist region in the south of the country.
How to move to Portugal?
Employees, entrepreneurs, students and family members of Portuguese residents can use one of the standard immigration routes. There are 3 other visa categories in the Portuguese Republic with favourable conditions for American expats:
Taxes in Portugal
Portugal’s tax regime allows newly minted US tax residents to pay no tax on foreign sources of income such as pensions and investments.
Portuguese income tax is calculated on a progressive scale and, depending on the amount of income, can reach a maximum of 48%.
Portugal NHR2 (Non-Habitual Resident Regime 2.0) is a revised version of the original NHR tax regime, introduced in 2024. It provides attractive tax benefits to new residents of Portugal, particularly high-net-worth individuals, remote workers, retirees, and professionals in high-value activities.
Key features:
NHR2 aims to maintain Portugal’s appeal to skilled professionals and investors, while addressing concerns about tax fairness and housing affordability for locals.
American family immigrants appreciate Italy because of a number of undeniable advantages:
How to move to Italy?
The most interesting Italian visa categories are:
Taxes in Italy
Italy has a complex three-tier tax system and several effective tax optimisation mechanisms for new tax residents with possibility to cup taxes in the country on all worldwide come to €200,000 per year. For more information please contact Imperial & Legal advisors.
Greece, in addition to its warm climate, world-class resorts, ancient cultural and historical heritage, affordable cost of living and government-funded, top-notch health care system, can offer wealthy Americans one of the easiest ways to obtain a residency card.
How to move to Greece?
The easiest immigration route for United States citizens is the Greek investment programme. A Greek Golden Visa can be granted for contributions to the economic development of the country.
Key benefits of the Greek immigration programme for investors:
Taxes in Greece
All income of permanent residents of the Hellenic Republic is taxable. The rate of income tax in Greece depends on the amount and source and can vary between 9% and 45%.
Wealthy American-born residents enjoy favourable tax treatment for the first 15 years of residency, which reduces their tax payments to$ 104,000.
Formally, there are no investment programmes in modern Western Europe that allow a wealthy foreigner to obtain a second passport in exchange for investing in the country’s economy. Malta, a small island nation in the Mediterranean Sea, has developed a simplified immigration route for wealthy investors who can be granted citizenship within one year for special services to the state.
However, Malta’s advantages are not limited to immigration opportunities for wealthy foreigners. It is one of the most prosperous and safe European countries with a mild Mediterranean climate, good school and university education, a modern healthcare system and effective tax optimisation mechanisms for businesses.
How to move to Malta?
The easiest routes for wealthy citizens of the United States are:
The total minimum investment required for citizenship is €690,000 ($ 719,000).
Taxes in Malta
All income of Malta domiciled tax residents is subject to tax. New US tax residents must pay tax on income arising in Malta as well as on foreign income brought into Malta. Income and gain not limited to the country stay untaxed.
The rate of income tax can vary between 0 and 35%, depending on the amount declared. For non-sale residents where is the pay only 15% on remitted income. Maltese tax legislation provides for the possibility of significant tax relief for participants in the immigration programme.
The advantages of Cyprus are: warm Mediterranean climate, comfortable and safe accommodation, quality medical care and widespread use of English (Americans can find schools on the island that teach in English).
How to move to Cyprus?
For wealthy expats from the US, the easiest way to obtain a permanent residency card is to participate in Cyprus’ investment programme. Residency status is granted to an investor for contributing at least €300,000 ($312,500) to the national economy. There are 3 investment options available:
Taxes in Cyprus
There is no flat rate of income tax in Cyprus. Depending on the declared income it can be from 0 to 35%. Some sources of income of tax residents permanently residing on the island are additionally subject to defence tax. Overseas income of US participants in the Cyprus investment programme is not subject to income tax.
Jersey and Guernsey are crown estates of the United Kingdom. Being formally independent from the United Kingdom, these two jurisdictions offer wealthy US investors extremely favourable conditions for business and tax optimisation.
Jersey and Guernsey provide American expats with high standards of living and medical services, good education at more affordable prices than in the metropolis, and a well-developed infrastructure for international business.
How do I become a Jersey resident?
To obtain a residence permit, a US investor will need to buy expensive property on the island (worth more than £1.75m /$ 2.18m), show a stable source of income (at least £725k /$) and pay at least £145k ($ 180k) in taxes.
After 5 years of residence in Jersey, the holder of an investment residence permit can apply for a business licence, which will allow the opening of a new company or the transfer of an existing business abroad to the island. After 6 years of residence, wealthy Americans apply for British citizenship.
How do I become a resident of Guernsey?
It is possible to move to Guernsey from America on the basis of an entrepreneur visa or investor visa.
Tax advantages of the Channel Islands
Jersey and Guernsey have some of the lowest income tax rates in Europe at just 20 per cent. In addition, there are several favourable tax regimes for wealthy overseas investors.
Corporation tax is levied on all profits earned by companies incorporated on the Islands. However, the rate of this tax may be 0%, 10% or 20%, depending on the type of business carried on by the corporation. Profits from a significant number of commercial activities in Jersey and Guernsey are taxed at a zero rate.
To fully realise the unique tax opportunities of these UK crown estates, seek professional advice from the team at Imperial & Legal.
The key advantage of the 5 small island states of the Caribbean for the American investor is the soft tax regime and unique opportunities of classic offshore zones:
Add to this the developed tourist infrastructure, uni artque nature, summer weather, relaxed lifestyle of a tropical resort, a unique opportunity to obtain a second citizenship and tax residency status for investments in a short period of time to understand why Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia are gaining popularity among enterprising Americans.
When choosing a new home, most Americans look to another country for new opportunities or solutions to issues that were difficult or impossible to resolve in the United States.
That is why an individual approach to each person is so important when selecting a country to move to, whatever he or she is looking for – inexpensive living, affordable medical services, quality education for children, low taxes or the opportunity to register an international company.
Digital Nomad Visa
Investor visa
Pensioner’s visa
Resident visa
Quebec’s investment programme
Golden Visa
Our lawyers will find you the jurisdiction with the best set of benefits, help you obtain a residence permit and organise your family’s relocation. Whatever the challenges of your move abroad, book a consultation with Imperial & Legal!
The largest number of Americans moved to neighbouring Mexico. The number of U.S. citizens living in this state in 2023 was estimated at 1.18- 1.2 million people.
Countries where it is fairly easy for a US passport holder to move to, in addition to Mexico, include: Canada, Panama, South America and the Caribbean.
For a generous investment in Malta’s economy, an eligible U.S. citizen will be able to obtain a European passport within 1-3 years.
Perhaps one of the most interesting places for digital nomads remains Portugal, where a special visa category for this category of immigrants is, tax exemptions are provided and even separate infrastructure facilities are being created – from modern co-working centres to entire villages.
If you don’t want to go far away, you can opt for Canada, Ecuador, Panama or some Caribbean jurisdictions.
For those who are not intimidated by distances, such comfortable and safe European countries as Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Italy are suitable.
If it’s important for you to give your growing children a quality education, consider relocation destinations such as the UK and France.
Of the jurisdictions we looked at, France, Italy (192 countries each for visa-free travel), Ireland (191 countries), and the UK and Portugal (190 countries) have the strongest passports.
Unlike immigrants from other countries, Americans do not invest in a second citizenship to be able to visit more sovereign territories. The U.S. passport is strong enough in itself and allows you to cross the borders of 188 countries under simplified procedures or without a visa.
Americans with multiple citizenships are not exempt from their tax obligations in their home country. You still need to file your tax returns on time and pay taxes on all of your income. Contact Imperial & Legal’s tax advisors to find out how to optimise your fiscal payments.
We will work with you to find a customised solution for your immigration, second citizenship, business, tax and other needs.
Visas to the UK
Portugal Residence
Malta Residency
European Citizenship Programs
Visa-free travel
Relocation Services