Leaving the US: 6 realistic paths abroad
Whatever happens on November 3, a lot of Americans are quietly asking the same question: could I actually live somewhere else? Here are the six paths that most often work for US citizens, with the real numbers from official sources. No hype, no "move tomorrow" promises.
I'm an American who moved to Málaga. Most people who look into this stop at "I don't know where to start." So start here: find the path that matches how you earn money, check the number, then work the checklist.
1 🇪🇸 Spain Non-Lucrative Visa
Retirees and anyone living on savings, pensions or investments. You can't work in Spain on it.
€2,400 a month in passive income (€28,800 a year), plus €600 a month for each family member.
| Basis | 400% of IPREM (€600/month in 2026), +100% IPREM per dependent |
|---|---|
| Work | Not allowed in Spain |
| Path to permanent residency | 5 years |
| Citizenship | 10 years of residence |
Official source: Spain Ministry of Inclusion. Checked 2026-10-08. Rules change; confirm with your consulate.
2 🇪🇸 Spain Digital Nomad Visa
Remote workers employed by (or freelancing for) companies outside Spain.
€2,442 a month from employers or clients outside Spain. +€915.75 for the first family member, +€305.25 for each one after.
| Basis | 200% of Spain's 2026 minimum wage (€1,221/month, 14 payments), per the official FAQ |
|---|---|
| Work | Remote, for companies or clients outside Spain |
| Path to permanent residency | 5 years |
| Citizenship | 10 years |
Official source: Spain digital nomad FAQ · BOE: 2026 minimum wage. Checked 2026-10-08. Rules change; confirm with your consulate.
3 🇵🇹 Portugal D7 or D8
D7 for passive income (pension, rentals, dividends). D8 for remote workers. The lowest income bar in Western Europe.
D7: €920 a month in passive income (+€460 per extra adult, +€276 per child). D8: €3,680 a month in remote-work income.
| Basis | Portugal's 2026 minimum wage is €920/month. D7 = 100% of it; D8 = 4 times it |
|---|---|
| Work | Allowed (D7 includes local jobs) |
| Path to permanent residency | 5 years |
Official source: DGERT: 2026 minimum wage · AIMA: means of subsistence. Checked 2026-10-08. Rules change; confirm with your consulate.
4 🇲🇽 Mexico Temporary Residency
The fastest, closest option. Proves income or savings; the exact amount depends on your consulate.
About $4,400 to $4,630 a month in income (last 6 months), or $73,000 to $78,000 in savings (last 12 months), depending on the consulate.
| Basis | 680 days (income) or 11,460 days (savings) of Mexico's UMA, converted by each consulate |
|---|---|
| Example | Las Vegas consulate, 2026: $4,630/month or $78,025 |
| Work | Needs a separate permission |
| Path to permanent residency | After 4 years of temporary residency |
Official source: Mexican Consulate Las Vegas (2026) · INEGI: UMA. Checked 2026-10-08. Rules change; confirm with your consulate.
5 🇮🇪🇮🇹🇨🇦 Citizenship by descent
If a parent or grandparent was born in Ireland or Italy, or you have Canadian ancestry, you may already have a second citizenship to claim. No income test.
No income test. Ireland: a grandparent born in Ireland (fee €278). Italy: since the 2025 reform, generally a parent or grandparent who held only Italian citizenship. Canada: Bill C-3 took effect December 15, 2025.
| Ireland | Foreign Births Register, about 12 months, €270 + €8 postage for adults |
|---|---|
| Italy | Law 74/2025: born abroad with another citizenship = Italian only if a parent or grandparent held exclusively Italian citizenship, or a parent lived in Italy 2 years before your birth (or you applied by March 27, 2025). An EU Court of Justice referral is pending. |
| Canada | People born abroad beyond the first generation before Dec 15, 2025 became citizens. After that, the Canadian parent needs 1,095 days in Canada. |
Official source: Ireland DFA · Italian Consulate New York · IRCC: Bill C-3. Checked 2026-10-08. Rules change; confirm with your consulate.
6 🇩🇪 Germany EU Blue Card
Degree holders with a job offer. The fastest route to EU permanent residency on this list.
A job offer paying at least €50,700 a year (lower in shortage fields such as IT, engineering and healthcare), plus a recognized degree.
| Work | Yes, for the employer that sponsors you |
|---|---|
| Path to permanent residency | 21 months with B1 German, 27 months with A1 |
Official source: Make it in Germany: EU Blue Card. Checked 2026-10-08. Rules change; confirm with your consulate.
Get the free checklist (PDF)
The US-side paperwork every path needs, plus the first steps for each of the six paths. Same steps we use in the app.
Here you go: Download the checklist (PDF)
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Before any of the six: the US-side paperwork
- Check your passport. Valid at least 6 months beyond your planned stay, with blank pages.
- Order an FBI Identity History Summary. Most residence visas want a recent federal background check.
- Plan apostilles early. State documents get apostilled by that state's Secretary of State; federal ones by the US Department of State. This can take weeks.
- Order long-form birth and marriage certificates. Certified copies, often with apostille and a sworn translation.
- Find your consulate. You apply at the consulate that covers the US state where you legally live, not the one with the shortest wait.
- Price health insurance. Most visas require private coverage with no co-pays for at least the first year.
- Talk to a US tax professional. You keep filing US taxes from abroad. Ask about FBAR and the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion before you move money.
Track it in the app
GoThere turns your chosen path into a step-by-step checklist with deadlines, document tracking and cost estimates. On iPhone it's free to download, and Spain and Canada are free.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Thresholds change, often every January. Always confirm with the consulate that covers your state, and talk to an immigration lawyer for anything complicated. Last updated 2026-10-08.