# To Where Can Americans Emigrate Most Easily? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 28, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078 "2011-04-28T20:11:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/21 "2011-04-29T18:04:44Z")
Costa Ric **a** has quite good health care. ---
**Author:** ![spikebrennan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@spikebrennan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spikebrennan)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/22 "2011-04-29T19:02:16Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=606326), the difficulty of an American simply up-and-moving to Canada is explained in some depth. > > Where could an American emigrate with the least amount of hassle from the country that would receive him/her? Assume that the American is either independently wealthy or is highly employable. Assume also that religious matters don’t come to play (I’m given to understand that Israel is pretty receptive toward American (and other) Jews moving there). > > DISCLAIMER: I am not planning on or even thinking about emigrating, for political reasons or any other reasons. If memory serves, Germany will admit you as a citizen if you can prove some degree of ethnic German ancestry. Likewise Israel with Jewish ancestry. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/23 "2011-04-29T19:45:58Z")
I don’t think someone who’s highly employable would have a great deal of difficulty as long as their field of work is considered the same in the country they’re moving to. It would be complicated, expensive, and take a long time, but it would happen. Same for being independently wealthy. As long as you were independently wealthy there as well in your homeland, it wouldn’t be that hard. > [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > Not very easy. I have had residence permits in 3 foreign countries (former Soviet Union, Arabian Gulf and Eastern Europe) and tried to get one in New Zealand without success… even though I would have been employing a Kiwi. > > We are looking into Germany and even with over $500K available it is not easy at all. Singapore wants you to have about $2m. $500k wouldn’t be independently wealthy for Germany. You’d need a good few million. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/24 "2011-04-29T23:53:19Z")
> [@bahia\_hombre](#): > > And so long as you can pass their German language exam. Maybe for citizenship, but not for a residence permit and work visa. (unless by “exam” you mean “successfully having a conversation with the rep at the immigration office”. They absolutely refuse to speak English there, even though they can.) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/25 "2011-04-30T00:31:08Z")
> [@spikebrennan](#): > > If memory serves, Germany will admit you as a citizen if you can prove some degree of ethnic German ancestry. Likewise Israel with Jewish ancestry. If this was ever true, it is no longer the case. Certainly they won’t accept just anyone with German ancestry. I was unsuccessful in finding an authoritative cite, but what I did find suggests that your parent needs to have been a German citizen at the time of your birth. I had thought that a German grandparent in the paternal line was sufficient, but that may have been under old rules or else a mistake on my part. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/26 "2011-04-30T04:38:06Z")
Do descendants of displaced persons from WWII have an avenue to return to their parent’s home country? ---
**Author:** ![Lazlo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lazlo/32/9678_2.png) [@Lazlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazlo)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/27 "2011-04-30T04:48:38Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > New Mexico. > > However, if coming from the west through Arizona, Arizona might demand to see your passport. 😃 Well played! ETA: [It happens all the damned time](http://www.nmmagazine.com/50missing.php). ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/28 "2011-05-01T02:04:34Z")
> [@Lazlo](#): > > Well played! > ETA: [It happens all the damned time](http://www.nmmagazine.com/50missing.php). [“Whoa, slow down there maestro. There’s a NEW Mexico?”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEJzXbqyU8A) - Mr. Burns, The Simpsons ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/29 "2011-05-01T02:34:30Z")
New Zealand is famous for denying entry to a French multi-millionaire many years ago, even before the French blew up the Greenpeace ship, back when several million was a lot of money; he listed his occupation as “independently wealthy” and the government alegedly said “independently wealthy is not an in-demand occupation here.” Thanks to the government, no doubt. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/30 "2011-05-01T04:31:11Z")
Many of the Southeast Asian nations are easy. Thailand for sure, especially if you are independently wealthy. (There is a special Retirement Visa if you’re over 50 and have a certain amount of money in the bank.) Americans are highly regarded here. Singapore used to actively try to entice immigrants, due to fears of a low birth rate; not sure if they’re still doing that. A few of the others are easy too, such as Malaysia and the Philippines. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/31 "2011-05-01T23:50:32Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Many of the Southeast Asian nations are easy. Thailand for sure, especially if you are independently wealthy. (There is a special Retirement Visa if you’re over 50 and have a certain amount of money in the bank.) Americans are highly regarded here. > > Singapore used to actively try to entice immigrants, due to fears of a low birth rate; not sure if they’re still doing that. A few of the others are easy too, such as Malaysia and the Philippines. Really? What would happen if one had $5 million dollars, and no income other than whatever interest accrued on it, only rented their home [no property tax that way] didn’t own a vehicle. What would their tax situation be like? Some sort of lump sum tax on your starting bundle of bucks, with a trickle of income tax on the interest, or something different? How much would it cost to get a cook, maid and gardener to live in? [I saw the Entitlement Whores International where they looked at 3 properties in Thailand, one of them was phenomenal and I would love to live there …] ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/32 "2011-05-02T04:02:02Z")
Many farangs (Westerners) with almost no money live here perpetually on a Tourist Visa, making a visa run to the border every three months. I wouldn’t recommend that, as the government is always threatening to clamp down on the practice, although they’ve been theatening that for decades. These guys largely work as English teachers or maybe run their own Internet business. The OP mentioned employment. Thailand has some very strict employment laws, and almost every field is closed to farangs. English teaching is one of the few that is open, but these days you have to be fully qualified to rate a one-year Non-Immigrant Visa and a work permit, both renewable annually. Lots of schools just hire baclpackers or similarly unqualified teachers so they don’t have to spring for the visa or work permit, the latter of which is rather pricey, and they work illegally on Tourist Visas. There are also Non-Immigrant Visas through the Board of Investment if you are investing a certain amount of money in Thai endeavors and meet certain conditions. And there is also what is informally known as the Marriage Visa, a type of Non-Immigrant Visa that allows you a yearly stay if you are legally – legally as in registered by the government; a village religious ceremony recognized by your wife’s family is _not_ considered legal – if you and your wife can demonstrate a joint monthly income of 40,000 baht (US$1300 at the present exchange rate) or if you have a bank account in your name, not your wife’s, that maintains a constant level of 10 times that amount, never dipping below. For the monthly-income requirement, it used to be that you yourself had to demonstrate that salary level, but it changed a few years ago to a joint level. It’s a bit more complicated, but that’s the basic rundown. As for servants, they cost next to nothing compared to the West. A maid coming in two or three times a week to clean would run you only 2000 baht a _month_, less than a hundred bucks. The only reason we don’t have one is the wife doesn’t like outsiders messing with our stuff. Live-in servants would be marginally more. The tax situation would be complicated, but in general taxes are much lower than in the West. Believe me, if you wanted to live here, there’s no problem whatever your money situation. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/33 "2011-05-02T04:46:54Z")
california ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/34 "2011-05-02T11:18:40Z")
@Siam Sam Thanks =) Vacationing in Thailand is sort of a family tradition, before the parents house burned we had pictures of my Grandparents posing in front of some random temple in Siam [since that is what it was called back in the 19teens@\_@] and my parents posing in front of the same temple in the 50s, we are going to have to wait until retirement to visit, lack of vacation time coinciding with the money to travel … _sigh_ though the tv tempts us with great images. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/35 "2011-05-02T12:33:46Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > It’s easy to move to Mexico, even if you have fairly modest means, though lately I wouldn’t recommend it unless you can afford to live in one of the elite gated communities with guards and such. I’ve paid rents in Mexico for a cumulative 3.5 years out of the last 10. The “elite gated communities” aren’t really expensive if you make US dollars. Of course, there are the really, truly elite gated communities of the millionaires, but that’s a different class entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/36 "2011-05-02T15:11:14Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > As others stated it’s very easy to go anywhere if you have enough cash or have a skill in demand, like a doctor or RN. I wouldn’t recommend coming to Japan as a registered nurse. Even though it is true the skill is in demand, the pay is horrible for qualified nurses and unless you can speak the language, you won’t even be able to hang on to that low-paying job for very long. And even if you do speak the language, and have more medical qualifications and skills than the best Japanese nurse, you’ll still never have a higher position than the lowest Japanese nurse. As the Philippine Nurses’ Association recommends - don’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078/37 "2011-05-03T03:13:02Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > @Siam Sam > Thanks =) > > Vacationing in Thailand is sort of a family tradition, before the parents house burned we had pictures of my Grandparents posing in front of some random temple in Siam [since that is what it was called back in the 19teens@\_@] and my parents posing in front of the same temple in the 50s, we are going to have to wait until retirement to visit, lack of vacation time coinciding with the money to travel … _sigh_ though the tv tempts us with great images. I would definitely recommend you visit and scope the place out if you are interested. Oh, and when I mentioned Marriage Visas above, of course that means maried to a Thai, not just to anyone. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-where-can-americans-emigrate-most-easily/580078.md?page=1)