Post-Election, More Americans Are Moving Abroad
The U.S. Election results are in and many people aren’t happy about them.
It was one of – if not THE – most divisive election in history.
But the truth is, if you’re like us, it doesn’t matter who won, because you’re already on your way out of that place.
You’re checked out mentally, and at the first opportunity, you’ll check out physically too.
You’re reading this because you need a little help planning your exit out of America to your dream destination, maybe somewhere in East Africa or the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Mexico or Portugal, Albania, or Iceland, or you’re considering Japan or someplace else.
Something doesn’t feel right in your spirit anymore, and you’re ready to leave America because you see the writing on the wall: ‘The nation’s values no longer align with mine.’
We get it.
Our family of 4 has lived abroad for almost 3 years at this point, and some travel advice we got that we’ll share with you today covers the following topics:
- Visa-free countries
- Least corrupt countries
- Retirement-friendly countries
Let’s begin, fellow traveler!
Visa-Free Countries
Look up visa-free countries specifically for Americans (but do this for whatever or however many passports you hold).
There are over 100, so there’s a lot to choose from, and currently, there are benefits to being an American traveler.
This means that for a set period, Americans can live in said country before they have to leave or apply for a visa offered by the nation so they can stay longer.
For example, in the Bahamas, last I checked, Americans can stay visa-free for at least 200 days — that’s about two-thirds of the year.
That’s plenty of time to plan and get your things together while you decide on a more permanent residence abroad.
Here are ten visa-free countries for Americans, courtesy of Nomad Capitalist:
- Albania
- Germany
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- Andorra
- Greece
- Nicaragua
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Grenada
- Argentina
You don’t have to homestead, because assuming your finances are very good, you may be able to bounce around a couple of times or more before you settle.
Some people can use visa-free travel to explore because they just need to get out of the States.
We didn’t live in the first place we moved to either, though we thought we would at first.
We started off in Kigali, Rwanda (you need a visa to enter the country) for almost a year before we moved to Zanzibar, Tanzania for an investment opportunity.
The point is that the world is your oyster.
If you don’t have your passport, get one here.
Find the Least Corrupt Countries
Look up the least corrupt countries on the Global Peace Index.
It’s an archive that updates regularly on a variety of indicators determining how corrupt a nation is or isn’t, and reports if it’s recommended to travel to or live there.
It scores over 100 countries in its database.
That could be relative to the whole world, or specific to the African continent (like us) if that’s where you want to go.
For example, as of 2024, Rwanda scored 2 out of 5 on the ‘Index, where the lower the score is the more peaceful the country is.
Five of the least corrupt nations on Earth according to Vision Of Humanity:
- Iceland
- New Zealand
- Ireland
- Denmark
- Austria
Remember to look up all the things that are important to you, like countries with top-tier healthcare, justice systems, jobs, education, and so on.
And if it applies to your (and your family’s) situation, look into the world’s best travel insurance, digital nomad insurance, and health insurance.
Retire Comfortably
If you’re of retirement age, or already retired but haven’t moved abroad yet, research the best places for retirees.
Healthcare, community, and safety will of course be some of your top searches.
A 2023 poll rated the following six countries as best for retirees:
- Portugal
- Mexico
- Panama
- Ecuador
- Costa Rica
- Spain
You better believe there are retirement visas out there, too and my parents are living on it.
And yes, it’s possible to receive your retirement benefits while living overseas – my parents do it now.
And of course, you can do the same research for the best places for families to live outside the States.
Your Adventure Begins Now
We always encourage research that includes reading blogs, books, newsletters, videos, consultations, and Facebook groups.
Really any means that brings you the most balanced and up-to-date information for the quality of living you’re building up to overseas.
If you need help with further research to find the least corrupt countries, the least corrupt African countries, the safest places for Black people to go, and more, you are welcome to read our Epic Expat Research Guide.
It has all of the links in this post and more, all in one place, in the form of a short ebook-style guide that you can download for free.
Thanks for reading, and peace and blessings on your travels!