Since this wasn’t apparent the last time I asked… no, I’m actually not a US citizen or green card holder (permanent resident). Just happened to be in this country for a long time due to career reasons.
- consider keeping your US phone number until all banking stuff is done since many banks do 2fa and this can be a giant pain after moving. Try to switch to an app if possible. Many providers also disallow known VoIP numbers.
- driving license was another one mentioned. Having it not expire before you can transfer it is preferable (assuming the target country allows transfer. Japan didn’t until after two years after I got here and my license expired so I had to start from zero despite driving for 15+ years in the US). You may need to get notarized driving records which is also easier before you leave.
- go through and change/cancel anything with an address on file – can be much easier from within the US. I went through the past year’s bank records to find anything sneaky that doesn’t renew monthly. If you have things that only renew every N years, don’t forget to cancel or update those (domain names, for instance).
- Make sure all city, municipal, county, state, and federal tax stuff will be OK to do after leaving (sometimes, some prep is needed)
- If you have any retirement plans like 401ks, IRAs, etc. see about rolling them over or whatever
- maybe do something with social security with regard to your target country if an agreement is in place, particularly if you didn’t work long enough to claim it. You can get US SS overseas in the vast majority of countries, but there are also certain provisions where you wouldn’t or it would be reduced based on what you have in the target country.
- Freeze credit reports at the agencies as others mentioned
driving license was another one mentioned. Having it not expire before you can transfer it is preferable
This is a giant, often overlooked issue. My home country of the Netherlands for example doesn’t allow a simple transef and makes you take a test (because road safety is important to Dutch people!). In Germany it’s even worse. There it depends on the state you obtained your US license in, since Germany has agreements with some states but not all…
In Germany it’s even worse. There it depends on the state you obtained your US license in, since Germany has agreements with some states but not all…
Wow, I did not expect that. Is it more with or without agreements?
Honestly, I can’t blame them. Some states are true shit holes without a functioning government.
Kentucky and Mass are both approved drivers’s licenses in France among others. It’s kinda random which states actually put in the work to have reciprocity.
There’s more with an agreement. Some also have a partial agreement, where only a written test is necessary. Here’s the full list, if you’re interested: https://www.german-way.com/for-expats/living-in-germany/german-drivers-license-reciprocity/
Cool you moved to Japan? How has it been?
I’ve been happy most of the time. It’s not for everyone, but I’m a decade in and don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.
What’s the cost of living like compared to the US? I’m guessing you speak the language if you’ve been there that long?
Both the US and Japan have extremely varied costs of living depending upon where you’re talking about. I live in the countryside and things are generally fairly cheap, though inflation has been hitting hard since corona and a poor rice harvest last year. I studied the language a bit before I moved, came over as a language student (probably second-oldest there in my 30s), and found a job a few months later. I’m conversational, but my reading is pretty crap. I generally do all my own medical stuff and the like, though definitely run documents by my wife to make sure of some things (particularly government and finance). We basically only speak Japanese at home.
Tokyo can be expensive or not totally depending upon the experience you want to have. No need to own a car so no inspection, tax, insurance, gas, and parking spot cost. I lived there for 8 years without driving at all but did end up getting a motorbike after moving to the suburbs. I had to get a car when we moved to the countryside. Houses are going to be much smaller and much closer than most of the US. I earn well above the median salary (which is something like 4-6 million JPY/year for someone in their 40s) and pay roughly 26% of that out to pension, taxes, etc. Healthcare is far cheaper than in the US but not free at point of service like other countries. There are out-of-pocket maximums over some periods and tax rebates on the year if you go over 100k yen.
Thanks for the thorough reply!
Glad to know you’re doing well!
Thanks!
Currently in the same boat, though I’m a citizen
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Figure out your car and drivers license stuff. Some countries have an agreement that lets you swap a US license for theirs.
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Mail forwarding. Either forward your mail to someone you trust or pay for an international forwarding service. You’re still gonna be getting mail afterwards, like credit card renewals.
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You’ll likely have to do the same for finances
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Go through everything you own and trim down. Whatever you don’t get rid of, you’ll have to deal with customs.
And finally, get a lawyer. No seriously. I know they’re expensive but you don’t want to fuck around with emigrating on your own. You’re gonna have pleeeenty of questions for them
Cash travels, sell your non -heirloom stuff.
Doesn’t need to be a lawyer, relocation companies are amazing at this stuff. They can help with taxes, government registration, all of it
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Visit some national parks if you can (while they still exist).
The Grand Canyon is amazing
Visit some of the National Parks, aka America’s best idea.
Some amazing ones (they’re all amazing, tbh) in no particular order:
- Yosemite
- Arches / Canyonlands (close to each other)
- Yellowstone
- Grand Tetons
- Glacier
- Denali
- Olympic
Grand canyon isn’t even on here, I’m disappointed
Bryce canyon is superior for a day trip. Grand Canyon isn’t really that beautiful unless you can hike or ride down into it.
hard disagree
If you’re in Utah then I suggest Lower Antelope Canyon as well
Not in Utah, but close enough.
Mbad ur right. It’s near paige arizona. My last trip there I kinda went back and forth between arizona and utah so things got blurred
Plenty of countries have national parks btw. Many of them had them before America. While the American ones are indeed geographically amazing, I am tired of thinUS exceptionalism that the US is the only country that has national parks.
Perhaps I’m illiterate, but I saw nothing in their comment suggesting that the US is the only country with National Parks.
I don’t think they even implied that they’re better than any other National Parks.
They said it was our best idea… I don’t think that implies we were first, just that it was a good idea for us to do it.
I don’t think the person above meant anything by it, but if we’re just discussing grammar: if I say something is “my idea” that does suggest that I thought of it. It is reasonable to read the sentence that way, and Americans do have a tendency to reflexively think we are exceptional.
Both readings are perfectly cromulent.
I acknowledge your point. Maybe I came across too harshly due to some baggage about it. Especially an episode from the podcast 99% invisible about the US national parks.
While many (if not most) countries have national parks, the policies surrounding them are different. A simple thing like camping is often restricted in European parks, mixed land use is allowed so you are more removed from pure non human nature. As a result, the experience of visiting one may be vastly different - depending on what you are doing. American national parks are exceptional not because they are the only country that has them - which isnt true as you pointed out, they are exceptional because of the governing policies surrounding them.
I’d surely visit one, before I left, because the experience isnt going to be the same in any other.
I’d surely visit one, before I left, because the experience isnt going to be the same in any other.
You might want to visit them soon anyway, as I believe they will be significantly reduced over the next 4 years as our Kakistocratic government continues to dismantle everything good about this country.
I’m not from the US but maybe, some day when I’m old and grey, I’ll visit one.
As I said, you might want to hurry up. They’re already talking about selling that land.
I think that’s a fair point.
Plenty of countries have national parks btw. Many of them had them before America.
Well not really though ? Yellowstone established in 1872 is generally considered the first national park, in the modern sense of the term*, and inspired others to follow in the next couple of decades in Canada, New Zealand and Australia. It wasn’t until the 1900s that the first national park was established in Europe.
* there are a couple of other places that also claim this distinction, depending on how exactly you define what a national park is, but not many
Calling national parks “America’s best idea” is a quote from historian and environmentalist Wallace Stegner - I think the point of it is not to toot some US exceptionalism horn - in context it’s more of an acknowledgment that America deserves a lot of criticism - saying that national parks are America’s best idea is actually putting a bit of shade on other American exceptionalism claims, especially during the Reagan “shining city upon a hill” era.
Buy some non US-based cloud storage and copy all your sensitive data to it, and delete said data from personal devices before leaving the country, so you can safely allow customs access to devices if required.
Retrieve data from the cloud when you arrive in the destination country.
You don’t go through US customs to leave the country.
This is true, however you can still be targeted for extra checks by both customs and immigration if they have a reason to suspect you, even when departing the US. Both CBP and ICE have access to departing passenger lists.
For example you are required to declare larger sums of cash being carried out of the country (over $10k). You are supposed to go to customs and fill out a form, but many people do not know this, often legal immigrant workers taking cash back to their home countries. CBP uses dogs trained to smell cash and patrols departure lounges in airports, and if they pick you out, you can be searched, and any undeclared cash will simply be seized if found.
It’s easy to imagine with the current administration they could start targeting people based on social media posts or some kind of previously compiled political profile or “enemies” list or whatever, if they aren’t already.
Yet
Has anyone seen customs ever actually search an electronic device before? I travel internationally nearly every month and have never seen this before, even in China.
According to CBP’s own stats they conducted 42725 basic and 4322 advanced searches of electronic devices at US ports of entry last year (so before any new policies of the current administration took effect)
“Under a basic search, a border agent physically inspects your phone and reviews what they can, while an advanced search means the agent can potentially download all of your files using an external device.”
or just encrypt it, in case you have the technical knowledge to do that reliably.
Yes but you could be compelled to decrypt devices, and detained for failing to do so
yeah true i guess
Obviously this is entirely dependent on where you’re moving to, but I struggled to find the following when living abroad:
- good (American-style) pizza
- good Mexican food
- good BBQ
- certain ice cream flavors (like cherries jubilee/cherry garcia)
- wide open spaces completely devoid of people
- large-group events of a boisterous and goofy nature
- certain types of museums/educational facilities (such as good zoos/wildlife rehab open to the public and interactive science museums)
You will not find good bbq. Take the L and move on…
You will find the greatest cuisine ever witnessed on this planet depending on your taste.
A clay pot in Morocco, a grandma’s house in Toledo, a random eel cooked up in Tunisia…
Just as good as byob bbq in Austin TX.
I think that’s a myth. I’ve had the best BBQ in Houston and it’s the same as a BBQ joint here in Calgary.
I had some crazy good barbecue in Tokyo.
Korean bbq is the shaznatz.
That’s different! And awesome. Slow cooking over hours is dif from sear that bad boy at the table…
But shit they are both tasty…
I hear to find the best BBQ in Texas you need to find a restaurant attached to a rinky-dink gas station.
“Calgary”
Don’t be taking trash…
Don’t knock it until you try it. It’s called Toolshed and they make competition style BBQ. It’s really amazing.
Let’s bring it!
I also like to think the downvotes mean I have awakened some sort of Calgary dragon… don’t get me started on how Edmonton Oilers are supreme.
Oilers? Didn’t you say not to bring up trash? 😁
Son?!
Usually end up at Hayden or Comery Block. Will have to check this out.
If you learn to cook, you can have those foods anywhere you move.
You might need a brick oven though (or at the very least, a pizza oven) if you want that pizza to compare to the good shit you can get pretty much anywhere in the Northeast US.
Yup I do good (to our family’s taste anyway) pizza in about 40 minutes from scratch to eating with just:
- flour
- water
- yeast
- sugar (I pre feed the least in hot water for 5 minutes)
- salt
- olive oil
- homemade crust spices (salt, garlic powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, etc )
- maranara or pizza sauce (might be harder to find a good one abroad, not sure)
- cheeses (or not for my wife)
- basil leaves in season (we grow enough in mid summer, but buy it occasionally otherwise)
Finding the cheese and toppings might be harder, but it’s often just frozen broccoli, bell peppers, onions and roni.
American style pizza
frozen broccoli
You have exactly ten seconds to get the fuck out of my comment section
It’s more like neopolitan pizza that I make, and sometimes I do proper high temp thin stretchy crust type too, more like I’ve seen in Italy.
And I thaw the broccoli first before cooking it, but it doesn’t burn the tips as much when it’s cold and the oven is at 500 (I’m still working out building a brick oven in the back yard someday).
Again, depending on where in the world you are, you may not have the equipment nor access to ingredients necessary to make these properly. You might be able to approximate, but it won’t be as good, which is the entire point of my comment.
American pizza requires a pizza oven or regular oven with a steel/stone (or dish for Detroit-style pizza), specific types of cheese, and depending on your preference, specific toppings; these may not be available abroad. In some countries, ovens are not considered standard kitchen equipment; good luck making decent pizza on the stovetop.
Similarly, really good BBQ requires special equipment that even most American homes don’t have, and requires a good deal of outdoor space (otherwise you risk smoking out yourself/your neighbors).
Mexican food is more flexible in terms of equipment, but ingredients may be hard to source (especially spices).
For ice cream you might struggle to find the right add-in ingredients depending on what flavor you’re trying to make, but again, the biggest issue is equipment. You can make ice cream at home without an ice cream maker, but it seems like more hassle than it’s worth and still requires some equipment and decent freezer space (fwiw I’ve never done it before; maybe it’s easier than it sounds).
It is not easier than it sound.
You need freezer space which would mean to usually run your freezer half empty and recipes calling for a ice cream maker will require an ice cream maker. There is no way around it and ice cream maker were about the same in the middle age. Just not powered electrically.
Your first three sum up to:
- Italian food but worse
- Mexican food but worse
- Food that’s probably better in most other places
I think OP is set on those in the future, but otherwise good recommendations IG
Freeze your credit profiles
This is what I mean:
https://krebsonsecurity.com/tag/credit-freeze/
https://krebsonsecurity.com/2020/08/why-where-you-should-you-plant-your-flag/
Basically put your electronic identify in a freezing unusable state so that in the off chance you must return, you don’t return to a nightmare. Just don’t forget your passwords and pins.
What does this mean
To freeze your credit means that you (or anyone inpersonating you) can do anything that requires your credit. Cant make large purchase, take out loans, etc. Its a good way to protect yourself from identity theft.
To unfreeze it, you need to go through a process with the credit union before you can use it again. Its generally a good practice to freeze your credit always if you can plan ahead for large financial purchase
I am WAY too lazy to type everything out, but there’s 4 credit bureaus that effect/control your credit score. Setting a freeze prevents anyone from checking that score in the process of, say, opening a credit card, buying a car or home, and more.
Get an FBI background check, and get it apostilled. Easy to do from your local post office in the US, difficult and expensive to do outside the us, and you will need it for many things you might want to do in other countries
Why would you need an FBI background check outside of the US?
you need it if you apply for citizenship in some countries. they’ll ask for full criminal records of all the countries you’ve lived in.
Actually the only time I’ve ever needed one is outside of the country. You need a police report from anywhere you lived for more than six months to apply for residencies, get teaching jobs, etc etc. the only authority in the US that can do this and provide a report acceptable outside the country is the FBI.
This is a pretty important step!
Open as many credit cards as you can and spend all the money and don’t worry about paying it back it’s all good
I mean the banks most likely gonna carsh in a few years anyway.
yeah I wonder why
we could do the silliest thing if we all did it at the same time! Wouldn’t it be so funny?
yea
Russia is sinking, so they grabbed onto America and pulled us down with them, only they’re in our pockets stealing everything so once a rescue is done, they now own the American brands being hurt by the tariffs.
Years? Maybe for for all of them to fold but I wouldn’t be shocked for several to start shuttering this year
Get a few public library cards. Then abroad you can use it to borrow ebooks and audiobooks for free.
Those libraries won’t be around much longer, unless heavily curated and basically useless.
Mine are 95 percent county funded in a blue zone. State is already trying to lay down the law only to discover they don’t give much in the way of funds. No bucks no leverage. Only law they passed got overturned.
I have to renew mine in person every 3 years or so.
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Libraries are not a US only thing.
Libraries with access to the enormous amount of English language content are usually only found in English speaking countries, though.
Good luck finding more than a few books on niche topics in, say, Dutch (ask me how I know).
I deeply regret not hanging onto my US library card.
Understandable, just another reason to learn the country’s language then.
He just said there weren’t any in Dutch on his niche topic. Your suggestion to learn more Dutch doesn’t make sense.
She, but thank you, this was my point exactly.
Yeah, I completely misread the comment, I’ll just take the L sorry.
I speak the language fluently; that’s not the problem.
It’s the fact that there are a much smaller number of books available on most topics because the country is so small.
My bad, I misread your comment, sorry.
Yes. But im not allowed to say it. But you most definitely should
Mario sees you
Someone needs to
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Statue of France**
The price of copper is $4.44 per pound. Lady liberty is composed of 176,000 lbs of copper. Melting her down would be worth $781,440 which is less than it would cost to dismantle and melt her down. Basically she’s not worth the trouble.
It’s not a cost issue, she’s a DEI hire.
Even without that, she’s a woman, and the Christian Taliban in charge don’t think they should exist outside the home.
You finally did it, you melted it, you maniacs!
You tell that to a tweaker with a van.
Take a picture of “The New Colossus” in particular. I doubt people in the future will believe it was really there.
It’s such a beautiful poem too.
Brings a tear to my eye when I read it, but unfortunately not for the reasons Emma Lazarus may have hoped for when she penned it 😢
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Yosemite
Grand Canyon
Yellowstone
Avenue of the Giants
Add to this list any national parks you were thinking about visiting. After this administration, they may not be around anymore.
I’m just imagining them filling up Grand Canyon just because.
Take me with you!!
Close the door firmly after you leave.
So others can’t get out? So others still can’t come in? So we don’t let out all the AC?
Find out next time on: Puzzling Commentary!™
this has been a Desilu presentation.
I assumed for closure, to put it behind you after you leave.
