Your move abroad,
compared.
Visas, health insurance, tax and citizenship rules, side by side. Every visa row links to its official source and shows when we last checked it.
What we compare
Visas
Income needed, where you apply, how long the first permit lasts, and whether it leads to residency.
Compare visas →Health insurance
Travel medical vs full expat cover, and which kind each visa actually accepts.
Compare insurance →Tax & banking
What the IRS, HMRC and the ATO still expect after you leave, and how to move money cheaply.
Read the guide →Citizenship
Years to naturalize, dual-citizenship rules, and the ancestry routes that still work after 2025's changes.
Compare paths →Getting there
Shipping your things, moving pets into the EU, and overland routes from the UK.
Plan the move →Most-searched visas, Oct 2026
Ten routes our readers ask about most. See all 20 with filters on the visa page.
| Country & program | Type | Apply from | First permit | Leads to residency? | Official source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PortugalD7 Passive Income Visa | Passive income / retiree | €920/month (single, 2026) | Consulate | Visa, then a 2-year residence permit | Yes, after 5 years | AIMA / Portuguese consulates Checked Oct 2026 |
| PortugalD8 Digital Nomad Visa | Remote work | €3,680/month (2026) | Consulate | Visa, then a renewable residence permit | Yes, after 5 years | AIMA / Portuguese consulates Checked Oct 2026 |
| SpainDigital Nomad Visa | Remote work | €2,849/month (2026) | Online inside Spain, or consulate | 3-year card if you apply in Spain; 1-year visa from a consulate | Yes, after 5 years | Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Checked Oct 2026 |
| SpainNon-Lucrative Visa | Passive income / retiree | €2,400/month (€28,800/year) | Consulate | 1 year, then 2 + 2 years | Yes, after 5 years | Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Checked Oct 2026 |
| ItalyElective Residence Visa | Passive income / retiree | About €31,000/year passive income | Consulate | 1-year permit, renewable | Yes, after 5 years | Italian visa portal Checked Oct 2026 |
| FranceLong-Stay Visitor Visa (VLS-TS) | Passive income / retiree | About €1,450/month (French net minimum wage) | Consulate (france-visas.gouv.fr) | 1 year, renewable | Yes, after 5 years | France-Visas Checked Oct 2026 |
| MexicoTemporary Residency | Other route | About $4,300 to $4,500/month, or about $73,000 in savings (varies by consulate) | Consulate | 1 year, then renew up to 4 years total | Yes, after 4 years | Mexican consulates (Consulmex) Checked Oct 2026 |
| Costa RicaPensionado (Retiree) | Passive income / retiree | $1,000/month lifetime pension | In Costa Rica | Temporary residency, renewable | Yes, after 3 years | Dirección General de Migración Checked Oct 2026 |
| ThailandDestination Thailand Visa (DTV) | Remote work | 500,000 THB in savings (about $14,000 to $15,000) | Online e-visa, from outside Thailand | 5-year visa, 180 days per entry | No | Thai e-Visa portal Checked Oct 2026 |
| GeorgiaVisa-free stay | Other route | No income test | On arrival | Up to 365 days | No | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Checked Oct 2026 |
Figures are for one applicant unless noted. Click "Money needed" to sort.
How we check
- Official source first. Each row starts from the government or consulate page linked in the table.
- Cross-checked. We compare against recent reporting from immigration lawyers and specialists.
- Dated. Every row carries the month we last checked it. Old numbers are the most common mistake on visa sites.
- Dropped if unsure. If we can't confirm a program's current rules, it comes off the table until we can.
Quick answers
What's the easiest country to move to from the US?
For a trial run, Georgia: US, UK and Australian passports get up to 365 days visa-free. For residence, Mexico and Portugal's D7 are the most common first routes for Americans. Mexico is close to home. The D7 has the lowest income bar in Western Europe at €920/month in 2026.
Can I work remotely on a retirement or passive-income visa?
Usually not. Spain's Non-Lucrative Visa and Italy's Elective Residence Visa forbid all work, including remote work. Portugal now pushes remote workers to the D8. Use a digital nomad visa if you'll keep working.
Do I still pay tax at home if I move?
Americans do: the US taxes citizens wherever they live, though most expats owe little after the foreign earned income exclusion ($132,900 for 2026). Brits and Australians usually stop being tax resident at home once they leave and meet their country's tests. Read the tax guide.
How current is this data?
Every visa row shows the month we last checked it. Thresholds tied to minimum wages (Portugal, Spain, France, Mexico, Colombia) usually change each January.