expat network

Moving To Portugal – What You Need To Know

Portugal Discovery Tours 2022

Enjoy a tailored tour with someone who knows the area inside out to help you decide the right location for you, who can assist you in planning your move and answer your questions.

The Top 10 Countries Brits Want To Spend Their Retirement In

Research has revealed the top 10 countries Brits want to spend their retirement in, with Spain placing first. Equity release specialists at Retirement Solutions analysed the average monthly Google search volume for different terms relating to retiring abroad. They wanted to determine the countries that Brits are most seeking to move to, upon retirement. Rank …

Moving With Family

Any international move is complicated, but moving with family takes even more planning. The first challenge is to deliver the message to the family. This will require a detailed discussion; they are likely to have a large number of questions but it may not be easy to get them to ask them initially. Children of…

How To Find The Right Type Of Job Search That Works For Expats

Expats are often faced with different experiences in their job search. While companies may be fighting to recruit some intelligent minds out there, some other job seekers may have to put up a valiant effort to find a good fit. Many expat job seekers employ different means to look for available vacancies in their…

Portugal Passes 1 Million Foreign Residents In 2023

2023 has been a landmark year for foreign residency permits and Portuguese Golden Visa applications. According to the recent report released by AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum) in September 2024, Portugal remains a magnet for foreign residents and investors. Based on the numbers shared by the Portuguese government and Get Golden Visa’s inquiries…

How To Make Friends In A New Country

Travelers and expats spending time in a new country have been advised on the most effective ways to meet people and nurture new friendships abroad. The team behind online remittance service Remitly, have revealed their top tips for how to make friends in a new country. Moving abroad can be a…

Top Ten Tips When Planning Your Retirement Abroad

Retiring abroad is increasingly popular with estimates ranging from 10% of people in the UK considering retiring abroad to over 30%. Moving to a warmer climate with a lower cost of living enabling you to enjoy a more active retirement can be a very attractive proposition. It is, however, a major life decision and should…

How to Arrange Your US Social Security Retirement Benefit

Over half a million people receive some kind of Social Security benefit abroad, including retired and disabled workers, as well as spouses, widows, widowers, and children. If you retire abroad you can receive your Social Security payments outside the United States as long as you are eligible and live in a country where payment is…

How To Write An ATS-Friendly CV And Beat The Bots

When hiring, most organisations use software known as an applicant tracking system (ATS), which scans CVs, eliminates the least qualified applicants and creates a shortlist of the most suitable, all before a human has set their eyes on the applications. Fail to tailor or format your CV appropriately, and you may never hear back…

Expats: How To Select An International School

Moving to a new job, a new town, a new country – effectively a new life – is challenging. Add in the fear and guilt that you are disrupting your children’s lives, that they may struggle to adapt, and your anxiety and stress levels soar. By Fiona Hodgkins Although local schools offer the best opportunity…

Portugal’s Non Habitual Resident Scheme Replaced By Fiscal Incentive for Scientific Research and Innovation Program

The Non Habitual Residence Scheme was closed at the end of 2023 and is now being replaced by the Fiscal Incentive for Scientific Research and Innovation (IFICI) Program. It is still possible to take advantage of the NHR scheme if you meet certain conditions and the new scheme gives opportunities to encourage qualified individuals to…

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.