Key Takeaways
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While you typically need a visa to move outside the U.S., many countries have relatively low barriers to entry.
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Working remotely often opens up your options, since you may not need a work visa and can instead qualify for more flexible digital nomad options.
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Long-term visas typically have income and/or savings requirements that vary significantly by country.
Moving out of the U.S. can hold allure for those wanting to experience a different culture, a better climate , a lower cost of living , or many other factors that influence where you live. However, you generally can’t just buy a plane ticket and call your new destination home for the long term.
In many countries, you can only stay for tourism or business for around 30–90 days. Past that, you likely need some sort of extended stay visa, like a work or residency permit, which varies significantly by country. The good news is that many countries around the world offer attractive communities for expats while making it relatively easy to obtain long-term visas.
Here are some of the top countries to consider. Note that visa requirements change frequently, and there are often additional pathways beyond the ones listed here to become a long-term expat.
Where Your Money Can Be Held
The savings requirements you’ll see below for some countries typically don’t need to be held locally. In many cases, savings or income in your home country—such as a U.S. bank account —can qualify, as long as you can document it.
Mexico
Mexico is a popular choice for expats, with built-in advantages like affordability and a warm climate in many areas, as well as its proximity to the U.S., making it easy to visit family back home. It also offers a temporary residency visa that’s great for remote workers, and you may be able to eventually convert that into a permanent residency visa.
The temporary residency visa lasts for one year and is then renewable annually for three more years. After four years, you may be able to exchange for a permanent residency visa or restart the temporary visa process. A common financial eligibility path is to show about $72,000 to $74,000 in savings or investments, or have net monthly income of about $4,400 from sources outside Mexico—both figures depend on the exchange rate and consulate.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica provides built-in advantages similar to Mexico, and it’s a popular spot for retirees. The Pensionado visa, for example, only requires $1,000 per month in retirement income, which could include Social Security, so it’s a relatively low bar to reach. This gets you a two-year temporary residency visa that’s indefinitely renewable. However, you can’t work in Costa Rica on a temporary visa.
Another option is the digital nomad visa, which gives you a one-year legal stay that can be renewed for a second year. But you do need to show at least $3,000 per month in net foreign income for individuals, or $4,000 for families.
Portugal
Portugal provides one of the most accessible entry points for expats looking to Europe. One option is to obtain the D7 visa, often considered a retirement visa but open to eligible non-retirees, too. The D8 visa for remote workers provides similar benefits, like access to Portugal’s public healthcare system after initially having your own coverage during the application period, as well as visa-free travel throughout much of Europe.
As of 2026, qualifying for the D7 visa requires regular passive income of at least 920 euros per month (roughly $1,000), while the D8 visa requires at least 3,680 euros in monthly foreign work income (about $4,000). You also need at least 11,040 euros in savings for both visas (roughly $12,000).
Assuming you meet all the requirements for these visas, you get a two-year residence permit that's renewable for an additional three years. The laws are somewhat in flux, but generally you can eventually qualify for permanent residency or Portuguese citizenship.
Estonia
Estonia also makes it relatively easy for digital nomads to gain a foothold in Europe. The country has a strong startup environment, and you can obtain a one-year digital nomad visa by proving 4,500 euros in monthly gross income (roughly $4,900), mainly from foreign sources.
Beyond that, there are options like a five-year temporary residence permit, which may be extended for up to another decade. One way to obtain this is by establishing a startup in Estonia that can support you enough to live there.
United Arab Emirates
Living in the UAE can give you a good central base to also explore Europe and Asia, while also enjoying the country's world-class infrastructure.
One relatively easy visa option is the virtual work residence visa, which lasts for one year and requires remote work with at least $3,500 in monthly income. Or, if you specifically want to live in Dubai within the UAE, you can obtain a permit under Dubai’s virtual working program for business owners and freelancers. This has a $5,000 monthly income requirement, but it can be renewed annually.
However, the cost of living in the UAE might not be significantly cheaper than in the U.S., depending on your circumstances, and long-term visas may be more complex.
Warning
The impact of the Iran war on the UAE in 2026 serves as a reminder to keep abreast of the latest in retirement destination countries when considering them.
Thailand
Thailand combines a low cost of living with one of the easiest long-term visa systems. The Destination Thailand Visa is a five-year multiple-entry visa that allows stays of up to 180 days per entry, after which you must leave and re-enter to continue your stay.
There are multiple ways to qualify, such as being a freelancer or remote worker. But even if you’re not working, you might be able to get this visa, such as by doing Muay Thai or Thai cooking training in Thailand. Either way, you need at least 500,000 Thai baht (about $15,000) in savings.
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