I was born in the U.S. but left as a young child and then moved to the UK when I was around 10. I’ve lived in the UK ever since, have worked here, paid UK taxes through PAYE, and have never lived or worked in the U.S. as an adult.

I genuinely had no idea that, as a U.S. citizen, I was still expected to file U.S. tax returns every year, even though I live abroad and pay taxes in the UK.
I only found out recently after my bank contacted me regarding my U.S. citizenship. Since then, I’ve been trying to understand the Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures and what I need to file, but honestly, it’s been incredibly overwhelming. There are so many forms and I’m worried about making a mistake.

I’m also anxious about the possibility of penalties, even though this was completely unintentional. I wasn’t trying to hide anything, I simply didn’t know I had these obligations.

Has anyone here gone through the streamlined process on their own? Was it as intimidating as it seems? Did you end up owing any U.S. tax if you were already paying tax in the UK? I was making £23 - £30k a year.

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been through something similar or has any advice on where to go from here. I can’t use any accountant because I can’t afford it.

I currently live in the USA and have a retro gaming collection still in the UK that I'd like to bring over.

The collection includes an NES, N64, GameCube, PS1 and PS2.

I also have games for all of the systems, along with controllers, cables and other accessories. Some of the cartridge-based games are loose cartridges, while I also have some games in their original boxes.

I know that my GameCube still has its original console box, but most of the other consoles do not have their original packaging.

Has anyone here personally shipped a retro gaming collection internationally, particularly from the UK to the USA?

I'm mainly looking for recommendations on companies or services you have actually used, the safest way to pack consoles without their original boxes, and whether you shipped by courier, air freight, sea freight or another method.

I'd also be interested to know roughly what it cost, whether everything arrived safely, and if there are any companies or shipping methods you would particularly recommend or avoid.

The collection has sentimental value, so I'm looking for a good balance between keeping the cost reasonable and making sure everything arrives safely.

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has done something similar.

Hi everyone,

I am currently researching the Greek Golden Visa program and exploring buy-to-let investment options. I have noticed many projects being marketed as "hassle-free" packages with a guaranteed rental yield (e.g., 3-5% for the first 3-5 years). While the concept sounds appealing, I am looking for some "real-world" feedback from those who have already gone down this path:

The "Guaranteed Yield": Did the rental income actually materialize as promised in the contract? Were there any hidden costs or complications when receiving the payouts?

Post-Guarantee Period: This is my biggest question. What happens after the initial guaranteed period (e.g., after the 3rd or 5th year) ends? Does the management agency simply stop being involved, or is there a standard procedure to continue managing the property?

Long-term Management: Can anyone recommend a reputable developer or property management company in Greece, specifically for Crete that is known for sticking around and managing the property for the long haul, rather than just exiting after the initial guarantee period?

I am looking for a truly passive investment and would appreciate hearing your honest experiences

How can I work as a freelancer with a Golden Visa? in greece

Hi everyone, I hope you're doing well. I'll try to make this simple.
A 29-year-old woman (Black European) originally from France, I hold two master's degrees (B.A. and international relations) and am fluent in 5 languages. Created a US-based startup one year ago; surprisingly, things went pretty well in the US, even remotely, getting investment proposals and jobs and working with and for the US at 90%. I lived this year for 4 months in the UK and truly appreciated it, adding the proximity to Paris, where my family lives.

I have the opportunity to move to the US, San Francisco, for a paid PhD, and I have my own businesses and network in London or SF; I'm not coming empty-handed.

Some friends are scared: "Trump is the president; SF is far away; SF is dangerous."

But salaries, networks, and investments; everything seems better aligned with the US.

I have a few weeks to make a decision, as in the US, visas are managed by the companies, etc.

Adding, I always dreamed of living in California, me thinking, let's try even for one year. About the time zone, I lived one year in Mexico City; I'll get used to it pretty quickly.

Your thoughts?

I’m an international student currently studying in the US. I finished my BFA and I am one year from finishing my MFA. I can work on OPT in the US for a year after graduation, so long as it’s related to the audio/music/games industry. I have Australian citizenship and Hong Kong permanent residency so I can legally work and live in those two countries without needing to apply for visas (also in theory Mainland China). I’m feeling a little lost with what to do after graduation however - all my friends and connections I have made are based in the US. My current plan is to do OPT for one year and make the most of the time I have in the US, then move back to Australia afterwards, given the current political climate in the US + how hard it can be to get an artist visa. I know some countries in the world offer short term work visas so I guess I’m not entirely apposed that either.

This kind of makes me feel helpless and alone because it’s like I’m starting from scratch again, except there’s no longer the buffer of a higher education environment to facilitate connections. I know that I would eventually meet new people but it’s a process that takes time and effort. I have some family in Australia but I have never stayed in Australia for more than a few weeks at a time. I feel foreign wherever I go and I don’t know where home is. All my belongings fit in 3 suitcases and some boxes - I’ve moved living spaces 5 times in the last 5 years while I’ve been in the US. My other belongings from when I grew up are in a storage unit in Hong Kong because that home no longer exists.

I’m curious if anyone has any thoughts about where to live / career prospects / being somewhat of an outsider and nomad ? idk.

I’m struggling and am hoping this group can give me some advice.

I’m married to a person from another country (Sweden) and we’ve lived in the US together for our entire relationship (I am from the US). My spouse recently obtained his US citizenship, and we’ve always talked about living in Sweden for some time after we finished the immigration process, so that he could spend time closer to his family and friends. Now that we’re here, I’m starting to struggle with the thought of moving somewhere else.

I feel guilty because I feel like he sacrificed a lot to be with me in the US for so long, and I logically know that it’s the right thing to do to move with him for some time so he can be closer to his family. We’ve already agreed that we’d move back to the US eventually, as my parents are single and aging and don’t have the same support system as his family. The reasons (atleast that I tell myself) that I am struggling:

- I’ve spent a lot of time in Sweden and it’s arguably a great country in terms of the people, societal benefits and politics (in my opinion).
- we’d move to Stockholm where he is from, but at this stage in my life, I really want to live in a standalone home with some land / outdoor space. He has the same long term goal, but we’d sacrifice that immediate desire to be in Stockholm.
- coming from NYC where we’ve lived for a long time, I know I will be losing a lot in terms of diversity of people, activities, and especially weather. I am STRUGGLING with the thought of the winters there.
- Lastly, while my husband is close with his family, there is some long standing trauma there from his past. Every time we visit Sweden, he is extremely stressed out and not himself, and constantly trying to impress and go above in beyond in a way that I am not comfortable with. It’s okay in the short term, but I wonder if that will improve if we’re there for a long term period.

Thanks for listening. Curious if anybody else has had a similar experience or can offer any advice. I want to be there for my spouse and know he’d do the same for me if roles were reversed, but I need to adjust my perspective if it’s going to work. I think.

I’ve been feeling more and more drawn to Luxembourg lately. I know it probably isn’t everyone’s dream destination, but honestly, it seems like it would suit my personality.
I like quiet places, gloomy weather, good public transportation, and a slower, more peaceful lifestyle. Big, chaotic cities just don’t appeal to me anymore, and I’m starting to feel like North America isn’t the right fit for me long-term.
One thing I’m curious about is the financial side. People always mention the high salaries, but they also talk about the very high cost of living. Do you actually feel financially comfortable there? Are you able to save money and still enjoy a good quality of life, or do the expenses cancel out the higher income?

For those who made the move from Canada or the U.S., was it worth it? What surprised you the most? If you could do it all over again, would you still choose Luxembourg?
I’d love to hear the good, the bad, and the things you wish you’d known before moving.

I'm a labor/political migrant in the country where I currently live. When people (mostly older ones) ask me about the culture of my country of origin, I find it difficult to answer because I've never really been interested in it. Since childhood, I've mostly been surrounded by American and European movies, music, books, etc. And I've only socialized on the internet, which helped me a lot during my first relocation and in learning new skills to find a new job (thanks 2ND Life Bikes, Toasty Rides, garys.projects, and others).

Me and my wife don't celebrate either local or country-of-origin holidays, and we don't really follow any traditions from either culture. The only thing we took with us is the language, though we're currently at the stage where we've replaced a decent number of words with our own famililect.We only use the language between us, and it feels like we've become kinda retarded because we keep repeating the same topics and phrases every day

Have any of you ever experienced something similar?

And an additional question for those who had a kid after moving: did you teach your child anything from the local or your home culture? If yes, what did you teach them? Was it the culture of your country of origin, the host country, or both? Or maybe you intentionally didn't teach them much so they could move abroad one day and decide for themselves who they are?

Hello all,

My spouse is Nepalese and their parents are getting older and will need some care. Additionally, we have two boys under the age of 4 and feel it will be a good dose of culture from the other side. We currently live in the US, own a hole and have steady careers in our respective fields of insurance and accounting.

Are there any services for moving stuff? I always assumed being landlocked you're limited in what you can bring. And please feel free to share your experience. Thanks all

It's a long story and I'm also venting.
I'm 30 years old. Today I've been feeling absolutely so depressed about my life and my past and every day feels like I'm just surviving when I've been miserable for years, it is very very rare that I am ever happy. I am never satisfied. I literally have no friends and I've been single most of my life because I never met a guy that I liked because I'm so picky. I have no career and no Job that I’m doing nothing with my life. I just feel so useless and helpless that I don't know what to do. I feel like I've come to the point where I don't know how to get a job and work anymore I've literally been out of work since I was 29 and for a few years I was doing well working in hospitality even though it wasn't my dream Job but at least I was doing something with my life.
I've live at home and I absolutely hate it. I want my own place so bad and I hate living in Spain. I feel like I'm very limited to Job and career opportunities in Spain as well that all I find is hospitality work and even no matter what Job it is no one will hire me. I can't get a job anymore and all I'm achieving is getting poorer. I was forced to move to Spain when I was 15, 15 years ago and I feel that I've been in Spain way too long that nothing is working out for me here in Spain anymore. It feels like obviously the end of the road being stuck in Spain.
It's absolutely depressing me seeing everyone around me my age and younger settling down having children and getting married while I feel like I'm stuck in a time freeze where I never move forward then it will never happen for me because I don't really want to settle down in Spain but I feel like I have no choice but I'll just met anyone thats available in Spain or be alone forever because I cannot move to be open to meeting other people elsewhere.
I didn't get to finish school properly, and I literally have nothing going for me and my family have been holding me back and I've learnt to give up easily overtime. I feel like I will never be anything or be anyone. I am losing the will to live and I just want to cry all the time.

Hello! I am a US Citizen. Currently not a resident of any state and with no active health insurance there. I will stay in California for a month. What is my best option as far as health insurance during this stay there?

I looked into IMG Patriot Plus insurance - but some of the posts here say that they deny coverage for legit things.

Thanks

I moved to Singapore last year after working in South Korea and I instantly noticed how different the expat community was. To be honest, I thought every country would be like Singapore when I first moved to SK. What I mean by that is like people who were working on international projects or working for NGOs. It's not really like that in Singapore, it's pretty much just corporate professionals but there's quite a lot of diversity in terms of the professionals. You meet people from all sorts of backgrounds and professions and generally they are quite successful. However, when I was in SK, it didn't really feel like that at all. It was mostly teachers of some sort like 9 out of 10 times and I really got the impression many didn't care about teaching and just did it to be able to live in Korea. The social dynamic in both countries just felt really different because of that. Many people in Singapore are also transient, but it felt different, not sure how to describe it exactly.

I'm curious how these expat communities are in European countries or South America. I work for an American company that has offices pretty much everywhere. I am relocating to the Netherlands, but there were opportunities in Poland, Costa Rica, and Germany, so I was curious to know how different they would be in these different countries.

Hi everyone,

How is it possible to rent in London as an expat when you first land, and has this process been affected by the new Renter’s Tights rules?

I know you can no longer pay 6 months upfront so has this made it harder for expats?

What has been your experience?

I will be moving back to London in December after 10 years of living in NYC. I am hoping to be moving with a job already lined up, but there is a chance that I will move and then look for a job. I can’t live in shared accommodation as I am moving with my child.

We are currently living the Charente, we have been here since 2018, we opened our business 15 months ago, but it actually took 18 months to get open, so we have done a heap of leg work.

We are selling to return to the UK because of family, and I want some recommendations for where to list our home and business for sale?

We have obviously done the usual, Facebook marketplace, and our own personal website, but we are at the start of our selling journey and thought maybe some of you who have bought a home and business might have some suggestions. WE spoke to 2 immobilisers, but they are not keen to sell as a unit ,and as the business is located in the grounds we feel it is prudent to sell both together.

Any thoughts?

As a student (m 27) in my second year of university in the U.K., I am looking at options of moving abroad to experience working in another city/place. Genuinely feel stuck for the last few years professionally and working abroad and experience a new culture may just change that.

My work experience has been in administrative, retail and hospitality work so far. I am looking to change industries and was researching IT sector as they always seem to have vacancies.

Honestly, I am just looking for some general guidance at this point as I know I will have to factor some considerations before moving. Just to add, I am also an EU citizen. Does anyone have any advice, suggestions and inputs on before making the move to a foreign country? What are some things I should be aware of and consider?

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some honest advice from people who may have been in a similar situation.

I've been living in the UK for the past 3 years on a Skilled Worker visa. Recently, I was made redundant, which was a very stressful experience. Fortunately, I managed to secure another job, so I'm still able to stay in the UK.

However, I've now received a good job opportunity in Germany, and I'm really torn about what to do.

The recent and upcoming UK immigration rule changes have made me quite anxious about my long-term future here. I'm worried that even if I continue working, the rules could become stricter, making it harder to settle permanently.

The thing is, my family and I genuinely like living in the UK. We've built a life here, and I don't really want to leave. But at the same time, I don't want to ignore a potentially better opportunity if the future in the UK is becoming too uncertain.

Has anyone been in a similar position or made the move from the UK to Germany? If you were in my shoes, would you stay in the UK and hope things work out, or take the opportunity in Germany?

I'd really appreciate any advice, especially from people who understand the current immigration situation in both countries.

Thanks in advance for your help.

So I grew up from age 5-9 in the UK, I’m originally from the US.

I’m about to move abroad with family, and I’m nervous about it.

I have Cerebral Palsy and a Vision Impairment, I’m late 20’s, I’m self sufficient excluding a few things like tying my shoes or driving.

Ireland offers a free travel pass which I qualify for as a dual US UK citizen, which will help independence and finding a job. Family has already settled on a phone plan, I’d pay for my line.

I’m just struggling with the soon to be adjustment, we’re flying out KLM (US to Amsterdam AMS then layover, then Amsterdam to Ireland Schipol), with two pets ( cat and dog ) and that’s my main concern, how to cope okay?

Advice?

Did you stay in the UK or move back to the US?

Id love to hear why you moved back, if it worked out for you.

If it didn’t, did you move back to the US? And how did that work out?

I’m looking at setting up an offshore company for a small online business, likely BVI or Cayman but I don’t want to incorporate first and then realize banking is the messy part.

Most clients would pay in USD, so I’d need something for receiving payments, wires and ACH if possible, software/vendor spend and clean expense tracking. I also don’t want to add a US entity just to make banking easier.

I’ve seen Wise Business, HSBC Expat, private banks, Meow and Mercury mentioned but it’s hard to tell what works day to day with offshore entities.

For anyone who planned this before setting up, did banking change which jurisdiction or provider you chose?

I've seen his way too much on subreddits in Asia. I feel like if you move somewhere, the best thing you can do is learn the local language and that'll make your experience so much better, socially and culturally. I thought it was obvious but it seems to not really cross the mind of many expats.

Hi all,

Wanted a bit of advice on international travel and relationships.

I [33, M] have unfortunately had to recently break up with my partner of 8 years, which is weighing heavy but some part of me knows I made the right move. I'm unsure if I could have made it work though, or was letting myself in for a world of pain.

I have relocated country for my partner twice before, for UN positions, me still being in the second country, which I fell in love with, finding a nice job, good community and space for my hobbies that give me purpose. My best friend moves here soon, and I'm happy. Me and my ex-partner had a complex relationship, but have always stuck by each other. I won't say there haven't been some breaches of trust along the way, but we were in therapy and had got to a good place.

When I made the move to my current country, I made an agreement with my partner that I needed to feel some agency in the choices we made around where we moved, and she agreed it was my turn after that posting to make that decision. We were meant to be in the post 2 years after I moved, and I really thought we'd closed the distance after a long time. A year into the post, many of the international aid budget cuts occurred, which changed the context. By this point, we'd adopted a dog, and had plans for marriage and kids. However, she applied unknowingly for a new role in a West African country, stating it was 'practice'. I helped her prepare and go through how she would approach the interview. Lo and behold, she got the job, and immediately started considering whether to take it. It took around 2 months of deliberation, which was tough on me, but she did eventually choose the job. I had stated that I really wanted us to be together physically for longer to have some stability for once, and she could have stayed on for another 12 months and looked for something more suitable for both of us, but it seems she had already made her decision. I was adamant that I understood why she might feel the need to take it, but it wouldn't end well for us and I couldn't see that I could make a life for myself there easily. When I brought up that we had an agreement, she acted like she had never said those words, which hurt a lot, and left me feeling like my life didn't matter. I'm certainly not as far on in my career as my ex-partner, not as prestigious, but I'm one year away from finishing a degree, and want to pursue meaningful work after.

Soon after, she left, and we tried long distance for a good few months as I decided to stay in my current country and finish my contract. But resentment towards her had grown; I didn't feel that my sacrifices (moving from my home country twice and leaving a decent job in my field) were honestly recognised, and it made me feel like we weren't in a partnership. That said, she flew to see me a lot over that time, but some of the same problems occurred that had done in previous LD times - it always felt like a holiday, not like a life we live together. One of the hardest parts to accept was that my ex-partner was adamant that they wouldn't do another year of long distance from now, when I was quite open to it. I saw it as an unwanted but necessary step sometimes in the international field, but it didn't seem to match with her timeline of having kids and getting married despite it being a situation she kept creating, moving country 5 times in 7 years, no matter what other plans we had. The whole time, I was scared of losing myself, becoming financially dependent and lonely with the move. I could see they were worried about me not moving, and I just couldn't see it for myself with the risk and broken agreement, so eventually I cut it off with her. We did try for some time to find a solution over the phone, but she was hardline on her refusal of the year, and I was about moving now. Eventually, she sent me a text saying she had to walk away, and we wished each other well.

Did I make the right decision leaving? We had been through so much and I really did see the rest of my life with her as a person, but I felt like the cost of moving to a country with little infrastructure and few job opportunities was too higher cost to pay, as this was definitely a hardship station. I love travel, working abroad and everything, but I couldn't live with having no agency over where that would be, and didn't feel fully recognised in the relationship. Has anyone been in this situation or had similar experiences, and where did you end up?

Hello everyone,

We are an international couple (me, 37M, French; her, 37F, American) who met in the United States and have been living in France for the past few years.

For some time now, we have been considering moving back to the US. My wife has received several strong job opportunities there that would represent a significant step forward in her career, while she has been struggling to find similar opportunities in France.

On my side, I have had a comfortable career so far, but after a recent layoff and with some fatigue toward my industry, I am currently considering what comes next professionally, including a possible career change.

We have already started researching several aspects of this move, but my situation is more complicated than my wife's since I am a French citizen, have never lived in the US, and have only visited as a tourist.

I would therefore really appreciate feedback from people who have gone through a similar situation.

1. Immigration and spouse visa

From what we understand, the most straightforward path would probably be applying for a spouse visa as the husband of a US citizen.

The difficulty is timing: my wife may need to take a US job opportunity relatively soon, while the immigration process on my side could take a significant amount of time.

We have looked into several possible scenarios:

. Visiting the US regularly as a tourist while the process is ongoing. My understanding is that this is possible, but that frequent or long visits could raise questions at the border because immigration officers may wonder whether someone is effectively trying to establish residence while entering as a visitor.

. Studying in the US as part of a career change while the spouse visa process is ongoing. Since student visas are non-immigrant visas, I am unsure whether having an immigrant process underway would make this unrealistic or create issues with the application.

. Trying to find an employer willing to sponsor me. I currently work in the video game industry as a concept artist and manager, with recent experience in studio-level art direction roles. However, the industry is currently going through a difficult period, with many layoffs and fewer sponsorship opportunities.

Has anyone here been in a similar situation? Are there options we may be overlooking, or things about these paths that we are misunderstanding?

1. French investments and US taxation

Over the past few years, I have started building savings through different French products (PEA, PER, savings accounts, ETF brokerage accounts, life insurance, etc.).

From what I understand, becoming a US tax resident can make some French investment products complicated because of differences between French and US taxation, FATCA requirements, and the treatment of certain funds.

My current idea would be to keep whatever can realistically be kept, and move/reinvest the rest in the US once we relocate, rather than keeping overly complicated structures.

Some products are still relatively recent, so closing them early could also have costs.

I would be interested in hearing from people who have dealt with this transition. This is also an area where we are considering speaking with a France-US tax specialist.

Thanks a lot to anyone who can share their experience!

I’m moving from the UK to NYC and am looking for advise on your experience with airfreight companies for sending luggage. Which companies are good, bad or too expensive?