r/expat

Hello everyone, I'm in the process of moving to Chile and had some questions about the process.

I'm from the US and I've been trying for a while to get a visa because problems keep coming up, but I have a question specifically about the background checks required. I was under the impression that I needed a background check from both my state (Ohio) and from the FBI, and for them both to be apostilled. I went looking around the internet again and in a lot of the posts I encountered this time, people were only mentioning the FBI background check. Is only the FBI one required? If so it would really help along with the timing of my application.

If anyone has any experience in this let me know, it would be greatly appreciated.

If any extra context is needed, I'm married to someone in Chile and will be moving there to be with them, I currently have my FBI background check done and apostilled and only recently got my state level background check which I will be notarizing today and mailing off to be apostilled. I was in Chile for half a year under a tourist visa and an extension on it, before I realized I had to return because the documents took so long in processing due to the government shutdown that they became invalid. I will be returning to Chile May 15th.

Living abroad full-time and honestly feel like I’m in banking limbo.

Local bank = limited
Home bank = constant fraud flags

Local bank wants proof of residency I don't have yet. Home bank tolerates me but flags transactions constantly and occasionally freezes the account when my spending pattern looks unusual, which it always does because I live in a different country now . I’m curious if crypto cards are actually viable as a primary payment method or just a workaround.

Anyone using one long-term?

I know fb groups are the most popular way to connect with other expats in Mexico, any horse focused groups?

Hi everyone. My partner and I moved to Germany last September for his job. We ultimately decided it would be best to move back, and will do that sometime in the next month or two. Because we expected to be here long term, we shipped all of our stuff on a shipping container, which cost a few thousand dollars and took 3-4 months to arrive. We don’t want to spend that much again or wait that long so we are deciding to get rid of most non-sentimental or non-valuable items. I was wondering if anyone had any luck (or issues) shipping their stuff with DHL from Europe to the US, or if anyone had another recommendation for this situation. Thank you :)

As the title states my wife received a 2 year postdoctoral position at NUS. We currently are living in the US with two large dogs and a toddler. I have some worries about moving our entire family across the world and would love some advice.

-I’ve seen on older posts that it is difficult for Dependent Pass Holder to get even a part time job. Is this still true? And if so, do any spouses here have any advice on how they pass the time, find their own community, and have more adult interactions other than with their spouse? Also I’m reading it’s more expensive. What would be a comfortable single income for a family of 3 with 2 dogs?

-Is this a good place for kids to grow up? I know it’s safe but I don’t want to go out there and find that it isn’t a great environment for a toddler to live in.

-How hard would it be to transport our dogs over there? Are there any weird rules or laws we should know about? Are there good places for them to go on walks and get exercise?

-I am a long distance runner and hate running in a city. I like to go places where I don’t need to worry about getting hit by a car and I’m around nature. Is there a place where I could run 10+ miles that meet that criteria? Plus I know it’s hot and humid so is it even a good idea to run there?

-Are Singaporeans weird about tattoos? Or are there any laws saying they can’t be showing?

I appreciate any advice. This is a huge decision and unfortunately I don’t know much about Singaporean culture other than what I’ve seen on Crazy Rich Asians which I know is very unrealistic. Haha thanks so much.

I’ve been married to my German wife for 11 years. We have two young kids (4yo and 5mo). I also have a 16-year-old son from a previous marriage who lives with his mother; I see him every other weekend. We always planned to move to Germany eventually, but I am reaching a breaking point.

​The main driver is support: In the US, we have minimal family help. In Germany, her family is tight-knit and ready to step in.

​The Career Struggle (The "Golden Handcuffs"):

I’m a 4th-year elevator mechanic apprentice (running as a temporary mechanic) making $63.26/hr. On paper, it's a dream. In reality, I absolutely hate it. The burnout is causing physical symptoms (nausea, headaches), and I am mentally checked out. I’m 37 and terrified that I’m "too old" to start over, but too miserable to stay.

​The Financial & Housing Plan:

​Assets: Selling our home and assets. Willing to liquidate retirement (despite the hit) to fund a "gap year" for language/retraining.

​Housing: My mother-in-law has a house ready for us in her village at a family rate.

​The Problem: I don’t speak German yet. I have a background in mechatronics and commercial electrical, but I don't want to do this type of work anymore.

​My Questions for the Community:

​To the Expats: Has anyone walked away from high "Golden Handcuff" wages for a lower-paying life with better family support? Was the trade-off worth the hit to your ego/bank account?

​To the Germans: I’m 37—is that too late for a total career pivot in Germany? How is the labor market for a mechatronics guy who wants to get out of the field and into something else (Project management, technical sales, etc.)?

​The Fresh Start: Is it possible to find work in a new sector while learning the language? Or am I doomed to be a mechanic over there too because of my resume?

​The Family Aspect: For those who moved away from an older child (bi-weekly visits), how did you handle the transition and maintain that bond?

EDIT---- My wife is a German citizen and green card holder in the US, my youngest two are both dual citizens. We met when my oldest was 5 or 6 In that range and had already agreed when he turned 18 we would be making this move back to her home country. I guess this is important , now is just considering speeding it up due to these circumstances but trying to maintain for another 2 years is the goal provided I can handle it. My wife speaks fluent , German, Russian and English. My 4 year old also speaks German and English. The baby well he just makes noises ... As stated another comments my wife's mother has a house for us and we will have well over 100k cash to make this move and live off until whatever happens. Happens.

Edit 2---- I have over the years of our relationship spent with oldest and other ones as they've come along over a year and a half in Germany obviously as a tourist staying with family so I have been there and experienced parts. Just never the normal everyday life of working and such.

Hiya, I live in the UK on an Ancestry visa (maternal grandmother born in Wiltshire, and mother is a British citizen) and will become a resident next year. I live in Wales with my partner, who is a Welsh native.

I have grown very concerned for my cousin in Australia. She was adopted from Korea in 1989 and is 37, with young children. She has no support network in Australia, as her adoptive mother (my aunt) disowned her due to her poor mental health and their complicated and abusive relationship (my cousin was not adopted for the right reasons).

My cousine hired a PI a few years ago to find her birth mother in Korea, but discovered her mother was already deceased (It is believed that her mother was forced to give her up, as she was a single woman in her late 30s when she gave birth). As such, she has no family except her kids.. she has no real support, and she has been cut off by everyone else as being 'beyond help' or 'too much work'.

I wish I could help her, and I miss her terribly (not having any of my family here in the UK). Should I start a GoFundMe for her to start her life again here in Wales with the kids? One of the kids has a father from Dublin, so he could potentially also have a relationship with him that he doesn't have rn (the father couldn't stay in Australia).

I could help her with Ancestry Visa paper work, but as my aunt has her birth certificate and adoption papers and has refused to give them to my cousin, she would essentially be trapped. my cousin is a genuinely lovely person, and my heart breaks for her that she still is not living a happy life that she deserves. I worry she will never have that.

What surprised you the most after leaving the U.S.? Has your quality of life improved, stayed the same, or gotten worse?

I’m curious about things like cost of living, work-life balance, healthcare, social life, and overall happiness. What do you miss, and what don’t you miss at all?

Hi all,

I'm planning on moving to Abu Dhabi soon from California with my wife for work and I have a French Bulldog. I really would love to bring her but from what I've found the only airline tha allows pets in cabin is Etihad and their policy is 8kg max including carrier. She on her own weighs about 11KG so I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to get her there with us. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

My aunt is in US and part of her fam is in LATAM. and she frequently sends money to them for regular expenses. I have a cousin in Argentina and my grandparents in Colombia and it seems each country has its own banking rules and rates. She just needs to send real quick but right now she is telling me that she manages her money with BofA and it seems that local banks in SA charge big fees and transfers take too long. 

Anyone in a similar situation? How do you handle frequent transfers to family without it taking forever or costing too much each time? Would really appreciate any suggestions. I have read some options but I would like to see 2026 updated experiences for sending a couple of hundred$ (Like $200 to $500) and some times thousand$ ($1000 to $2000).  

I was wondering if any welders from the US have moved to Europe recently, and what their experiences were like? I’m a woman in community college right now with a major in welding and I’m looking into moving somewhere in Europe in the future. My only issue is that I can’t figure out where I would fit best. I’m willing to put in the work to learn whatever language, I just want to know what my best options are.

Hello! I’m (27F) and my mom is (63) and I’m moving to Japan this August to teach English! My mom is divorced and she lives alone, all of her siblings are local but some are closer than others and she does have friends too that are local. This has been a really big dream of mine and it’s finally coming true. My mom is extremely supportive of it and I’m happy to go forward with it but I’m also someone that struggles with anxiety, though mostly manageable my mom had a really small but sudden health scare earlier this week (she’s fine now and everyone is ok!) but it got me realizing without me what is it going to be like. Shes getting older and yes she has other ppl here and she’s traveling more herself and enjoying her independence but I can’t shake the guilt of not only leaving her but not being there when she gets older and eventually might need my help. I’m very close with her and I have lived on my own for the past 4 years but I’ve always been no more than 30 minutes away from here. This is the farthest I’m going to live, but again moving to Japan has been a dream and I plan to stay long term, of course things can change as well too. I know if I stay thought I’m not going to be happy either so it’s a struggle. I don’t plan on dropping this opportunity but it is something that will worry me. We plan to talk often as we always do! I wanted some advice on how to go about this - I’ve seen ppl say things like it’s your life she’s and adult, she’s healthy and she’s going to be ok please don’t put it on hold and regret anything. It’s just my anxiety telling me that the worst is going to happen while I’m gone and I really wanna tell myself it’s going to be ok! Some encouragement or stories would be appreciated.

How do people find jobs abroad? I am struggling so much and I have a background in law, philanthropy, nonprofit work, fundraising, writing, and research. My husband is in tech so I know he will find something I am sure, but I need to find a job first. I just cannot find anything. Any advice is appreciated.

My wife and I have long talked about taking me finding a job outside of the U.S. but it just never was a priority. Now we have a preschooler and different priorities and I've started looking at and applying for roles in foreign countries but it has been rough.

Is there a trick to finding a good fit? I find roles that don't have a specific language requirement or ones that don't mention "no sponsorship" but still it seems like instant rejection, even when my skills align with the role.

Any suggestions on finding "the right" role? Do I need to be hanging out in Europe to apply and potentially get the interviews?

I’m a European expat in my late 20s, living in the Netherlands for about two years now. I work in a tech job with a permanent contract and a “fully remote” position, earning around €75–80k with the 30% ruling.

Four years ago, I visited the Netherlands and was struck by its work-life balance, seamless organisation and overall appeal as a place to live. I genuinely wanted to experience life abroad.

However, I no longer feel happy here. I feel depressed, spending weekends at home watching TV or sleeping. Social life is non-existent.

I have a few friends here, but they were already friends back home and are also expats. We’re quite far apart and their lives are busy with their own relationships and commitments, so we don’t see each other very often. With only four or five people to rely on for social interaction, I often find it difficult to connect with them.

I’ve tried meeting up and attending events related to my hobbies, but it never feels right. It’s either the language barrier or the huge cultural difference.

I also can’t enjoy my hobbies the way I did back home. They’re something that really drives and motivates me, and my social circle back home was heavily involved in them. It’s not just the hobby I’m missing, it’s the people who shared it with me.

This situation is taking a mental toll on me.

My job is remotely based, but there’s an office that’s a 130km round trip, about an hour to an hour and a half each way. Most of my team colleagues never attend it, so there’s no point in visiting.

The company is flexible and allows working from abroad temporarily, but I’m looking for a permanent solution to move back home.

From what I understand, there are only two real options:

1. Stay employed in the Netherlands and remain tax resident here, which defeats the purpose of moving back.

2. Move back home and switch to a contractor or freelancer setup, such as setting up a company and invoicing clients.

I’m struggling to find a “middle ground” where I can maintain a Dutch contract and legal address while living full-time in another country. However, I’m not sure if I’m overlooking something.

I enjoy my job and would prefer to keep it but if this isn’t possible I’d likely leave. I’d like to discuss this with management or HR but my main concerns are:

- Does requesting a contractor role and moving abroad raise red flags with HR or management?

- Could this negatively impact my position or lead to termination?

- Has anyone successfully done this with a Dutch company?

- Am I overlooking any legal requirements (e.g. remaining employed while living abroad)?

- What’s the best approach to discussing this with my employer?

I don’t want to jeopardise my situation by simply asking. I’d greatly appreciate any advice or insight you can offer.

I'm moving next month and on the fence about spending the money on a mailforwarder.
I don't/never have owned a house, don't have kids, not divorced, no trouble with the law, selling my paid off car, pay taxes, have paperless everything.

I'm thinking back to the last 6 months of mail and can't think of anything desperetly important that I've opened other than Gov forms I've needed for this move.

I think I need to keep my physical address on file with the banks to avoid accounts getting closed.

Is there any reason to get a mail forwarder that I'm not thinking of?

I need to do some focused work for a few hours in Madrid over the weekend and I am wondering if anybody found a space that allows laptops and has WiFi. I am open to traveling to it even if it’s a bit far.

It’s been challenging focusing at the hotel since I am used to work cafes back home.

Any suggestions appreciated!

I am wondering if any of you have experience doing apostilles from Virginia while outside USA. I am trying to do get some Virginia records apostilled while in Canada and they say we need to have a return mailer mailed in together but here's the twist. Virginia says the return mailer needs to have both From and To as the destination:

When using FedEx, UPS, or DHL, please list your name and address as both the Sender and the Recipient on the return envelope. Do not list our office as the sender. If our office is listed as the sender, your documents will be returned via regular mail without tracking.

I went to an UPS store here in Canada and they're like uh no, that's not possible. Their system wouldn't even be able to calculate the cost apparently. Do you know if Fedex or DHL allow for this? I can't use USPS since the address own't be in USA. Apparently Virginia will send out USPS if they can't use the return envelope but this means sending them another check or something once they figure out the mailing cost above $2. Is this a way for them to force people to do it from inside the states? Seems crazy to me or I'm missing something here..

I have been filing the Form 2555 FEIE the whole time I have lived abroad. Last year, I moved back to the US mid-way through the year. Can I still file this? Or no?

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