The best country for expats to relocate to has been named

[Gottfrid]

Idiotic List! You just showed who payed most to be at the top ten this year.

[Longreach]

best of lists is an internet con job to get people 

to click on their site so they can make money.

controversy is best for them. the content is total

and absolute BS.

[Jingthing]

31 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

As part of the EU it is obliged to follow EU laws. It's not called fortress Europe for nothing! But I think a million quid can buy you a Portuguese passport..Before the EU The Algarve was a British enclave for expats. Immigrants came from Angola and Mozambique. I used to live there in the 80s...Americans for example often used marriages of convenience to settle as with all of Europe..

There are much cheaper realistic paths to permanent residence and more in Portugal for non EU. Yes they take some time. Nothing further to discuss with you as you have some weird agenda not grounded in current reality

.

[Hummin]

10 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

There are much cheaper realistic paths to permanent residence and more in Portugal for non EU. Yes they take some time. Nothing further to discuss with you as you have some weird agenda not grounded in current reality

.

Non eu have to show more than 1100,- usd as income for month,  have health insurance and no crimminal record. Thats pretty much it, and they can buy land, and then get gold visa. After 5 years they can apply for citizenship. 

 

https://www.atlys.com/country/portugal/retirement-visa

Edited December 17, 2021 by Hummin

[spidermike007]

7 hours ago, ramrod711 said:

In the last two years, three people have left the gym I go to in Chiang Mai for Mexico. All say they are happy with their decision to do so. I'm happy in Thailand, but if my marriage ends for any reason, I would have a look at Mexico. 

Tens of thousands of expats are currently leaving Thailand. We are witnessing a mass exodus. 

[Neeranam]

On 12/14/2021 at 7:27 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

What's the point of such best of lists?

Like: what's the best car? What's the best computer? What's the best whatever?

Answer: It depends on what you are looking for. There is no such thing as "the best" for all of us.

They obliviously  don't mean the best place for someone on a meagre pension to find a young g/f and be able to eat out every day near a tropical beach. Portugal would never be on that list. 

[Neeranam]

12 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Tens of thousands of expats are currently leaving Thailand. We are witnessing a mass exodus. 

Good riddance, probably the sexpats moving to Cambodia or Phillipines

[Hummin]

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

They obliviously  don't mean the best place for someone on a meagre pension to find a young g/f and be able to eat out every day near a tropical beach. Portugal would never be on that list. 

Nope, it is a list for working expats. 

[Neeranam]

9 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Very cheap wine, I used to drink a lot of 'Vino Verde" when I was there.

No girls, and it's cold and deserted in winter.

If you're an alcoholic/druggie, you'd probably prefer it to Thailand.

Portugal has no girls?

 

India is a great place for druggies/alkies. Also good for spiritual things. Most alkies junkies are actually looking for something to fill that void in their souls.

 

[Neeranam]

2 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Nope, it is a list for working expats. 

I see. 

 

Some think retirees are not real expats. 

[JackGats]

Peru's retirement visa is fairly easy. Low financial requirement, the only downside being the need to stay 6 months per year in the country per year (or alternatively, not to stay out of the country for more than 6 months in a row). Local agents can help you get a utility bill on the basis of some AirnB, and with that you can open an account with only your passport. Then the ball gets rolling. 

[spidermike007]

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Good riddance, probably the sexpats moving to Cambodia or Phillipines

Talk about avoiding discussion of the issues, and injecting your own personal bias into the argument. 

[freedomnow]

1. Taiwan  ?

Death by SAFENESS.

 

These lists just a joke...anyway, hope the real one never gets to number 1..whatever it is.

As we all know - a good thing becomes a bad thing when it gets mobbed through media exposure.

[cmarshall]

13 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

As part of the EU it is obliged to follow EU laws. It's not called fortress Europe for nothing! But I think a million quid can buy you a Portuguese passport..Before the EU The Algarve was a British enclave for expats. Immigrants came from Angola and Mozambique. I used to live there in the 80s...Americans for example often used marriages of convenience to settle as with all of Europe..

Portugese D7 visa a lot less than a million pounds and includes permission to work and even a pat to citizenship.  Very friendly.

[Hummin]

10 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I see. 

 

Some think retirees are not real expats. 

Hehe, funny

[Postmaster]

As for Malaysia who would want to be called for for prayer at 5-30 am with all those loud hailers not to mention all the fully covered Muslim women and probably frowned upon if you like a beer just sayng.

[Hummin]

8 minutes ago, Postmaster said:

As for Malaysia who would want to be called for for prayer at 5-30 am with all those loud hailers not to mention all the fully covered Muslim women and probably frowned upon if you like a beer just sayng.

Same goes for country side in Thailand, wake up call 5:30 by village boss, any catholic country every half deleted hour the clock remain you who is the boss, and no, Malaysia women is not fully covered up, some yes, but no

 

Malaysia is not a bad choice to live. Mostly safe and decent prices. Love KL, great city and have a good international kitchen. Do not Fancy Malaysian food tho.

 

 

Edited December 18, 2021 by Hummin

[DJ54]

On 12/14/2021 at 8:27 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

What's the point of such best of lists?

Like: what's the best car? What's the best computer? What's the best whatever?

Answer: It depends on what you are looking for. There is no such thing as "the best" for all of us.

Spot on! Many list are let’s say massaged towards results...... 

[World Traveller2]

10 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Same goes for country side in Thailand, wake up call 5:30 by village boss, any catholic country every half deleted hour the clock remain you who is the boss, and no, Malaysia women is not fully covered up, some yes, but no

 

Malaysia is not a bad choice to live. Mostly safe and decent prices. Love KL, great city and have a good international kitchen. Do not Fancy Malaysian food tho.

 

 

Agreed.

 

Malaysia is an agreeable place for some. It is good value and easy-going except for the government and religion intertwined issue. Imagine living in Trois-Rivieres in 1950s Quebec. But one difference is Vatican II. I am still waiting for Islam to be reformed. Like a devout Sunni fellow worker told me in 2006, 'not gonna happen'.

 

Thankfully, at least in the seventies anyway, Canada got mostly Ismailis, a progressive sect

Edited December 18, 2021 by World Traveller2

[Neeranam]

9 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Talk about avoiding discussion of the issues, and injecting your own personal bias into the argument. 

What is the argument?

 

Why are people leaving? The only thing I can think of is that they can't afford or don't like Thailand after she has developed. They want her to remain a developing country so their money will go further, yet moan at her not being as developed in certain areas as their home country. 

[Hummin]

47 minutes ago, World Traveller2 said:

Agreed.

 

Malaysia is an agreeable place for some. It is good value and easy-going except for the government and religion intertwined issue. Imagine living in Trois-Rivieres in 1950s Quebec. But one difference is Vatican II. I am still waiting for Islam to be reformed. Like a devout Sunni fellow worker told me in 2006, 'not gonna happen'.

 

Thankfully, at least in the seventies anyway, Canada got mostly Ismailis, a progressive sect

The more conflicts, expect more fanatics on both sides, and I belive the next decades will be more conflicts on this planet. Asian countries have to choose their allies for future, and I'm not optimistic for the younger of us who is retired here for now.

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

What is the argument?

 

Why are people leaving? The only thing I can think of is that they can't afford or don't like Thailand after she has developed. They want her to remain a developing country so their money will go further, yet moan at her not being as developed in certain areas as their home country. 

As far as my life is concerned,

 

1. Nothing I buy in Thailand has become more expensive, some items are much cheaper.

I used to buy Heladiv tea bags @200bht, now I can buy Typhoo tea bags for 95bht.

 

2. Thailand hasn't developed at all, in fact it appears to be going backwards.

Democratically elected government deposed by force of arms.

 

3. Thailand internet way more developed than UK internet, no moans from me.

 

I can only imagine everyone is leaving because they're tired of the bars and restaurants being closed/restricted. Which doesn't really bother me, I'm happy to drink home alone, and cook my own food.

Edited December 18, 2021 by BritManToo

[VocalNeal]

On 12/14/2021 at 2:14 PM, World Traveller2 said:

and a non-Muslim man must convert in order to marry a Muslim woman.

But not a serious conversion! Not much difference between a non-practising Christian and a non-practising Mulsim. 

 

East Malaysia is nice. 

Edited December 18, 2021 by VocalNeal

[Neeranam]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I can only imagine everyone is leaving because they're tired of the bars and restaurants being closed/restricted. Which doesn't really bother me, I'm happy to drink home alone, and cook my own food.

The only long-term expats to leave because of this are the ones we don't want. 

Sex addicts. 

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

The only long-term expats to leave because of this are the ones we don't want. 

Sex addicts. 

Do you think they (or we) want alcoholics?

Edited December 18, 2021 by BritManToo

[Neeranam]

17 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Do you think they (or we) want alcoholics?

Who is they or we?

 

Personally, I prefer alcoholics, as I am/was one. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2021 by Neeranam

[simon43]

22 hours ago, World Traveller2 said:

Is Myanmar still off the list of acceptable places to 'hang your hat'?

I very much enjoyed my 4 years of living and working in Myanmar (in 2012 and then again around 2015-2018).  I had an annual work visa and PR can be applied for after 3 years.  I have great admiration for the resourcefulness of the local people who lacked what we take for granted.  Once (if?) the country resolves its problems, I will certainly return to visit.

[World Traveller2]

1 hour ago, VocalNeal said:

But not a serious conversion! Not much difference between a non-practising Christian and a non-practising Mulsim. 

 

East Malaysia is nice. 

I disagree on your first point. What we learn as kids at our mother's knee affects our outlook as adults. Despite having adopted a form of Hinduism for many years, having been raised as a cultural Christian in a predominantly Protestant Christian (albeit non-practicing) family and country there are certain attitudes and behaviours that are ingrained.

 

Even my gay Muslim friend in Singapore, whose family rejected him due to his sexuality, he has certain Muslim attitudes: sometimes amusing, sometimes disheartening, sometimes inspiring. We are products of our cultures. And I certainly  disagree with the relativism that you imply - that all cultures, political systems and religions have the same foundation values. Clearly they (and therefore we) do not. I recommend that you read 'Free Will' by Sam Harris.

Edited December 18, 2021 by World Traveller2

[patman30]

Canada and Australia right now....................????‍♂️????

[simon43]

Although the original post referred to working expats, it's interesting to discuss (again!) the choice of countries to which one could move to.  But it doesn't matter how cheap the CoL is, or how sexy and available the local women/men are, if one cannot easily obtain (and renew) a visa to legally reside in the country.

 

So discussion of living in Australia, USA, Canada, UK etc is going to be irrelevant for many forum posters, because getting a visa to live in those countries can be difficult for many, (EG - I'm British, but there is no way that I can realistically get a visa to live in Australia).  Residing in EU countries is going to be a financial obstacle for many who don't hold EU passports.

 

That's one reason why I moved to live in Turkey, because they have an almost-open visa policy.  As long as you have enough income to match the monthly minimum wage, you can get an annual visa.

 

After living here for 3 weeks on my 90-day tourist visa stamp (VoA), I went down to the local immigration office with all my documents to apply for a 12-month visa to live in the country.  I had documents to prove my income, house rental contract etc.  Not needed!  The immigration officer came to meet me in the street outside his office (I guess to minimise Covid risks etc), got me to sign his document, took a copy of my passport and said that my annual residency card will be posted to me next week..... that's it! ????  The only document required was proof of Turkish state medical insurance (about $60 a year, a flat rate regardless of age or pre-existing conditions).

 

Are there any other countries with a similar immigration policy?  (I do seem to have a history of having to move on after a few years in each country, so it's always good to know the next possible destination...)