Ester Rodrigues

The passport is the most important document that expats and travelers have when abroad. Although it might sound cliché, it is the identification for most visitors from overseas, who can't just show their national identities for moving around, entering the country, or going to the hospital. Basically, they need a passport to do any administrative procedure abroad. Despite all the attention to not losing this precious document, sometimes it just happens, and travelers and expatriates must be aware of the measures they should take. 

Moving abroad is an exciting decision to take, and it brings a lot of change to expats life: a new city, perhaps a different language and certainly another culture to discover. However, at what point are expatriates prepared to change their drinking habits and dive into another world? It can sound silly, but expats who are used to having their cocktails by the beach and suddenly find themselves with a glass of refined wine during a heavy winter can see the changing of habits as very challenging. 

Many digital nomads came back to their countries during the pandemic, and some have been hit harder than others by the new economic realities, particularly those with work related to or directly centered around travel. But how do digital nomads deal with leaving their lifestyle? Are they willing to return to their home countries?

Many expats move abroad not only to have a new experience in a different culture but to save money. However, life as an expatriate might mean having a lot of expenses, especially for those coming from Southern countries where the currency is devalued compared to the Dollar, Euro and Pound, for instance. 

Recent research from the University of Washington points out that more than 160 million women worldwide didn't have access to contraception methods as of 2019. This can be a significant concern for women planning to move abroad with or without a partner and not looking to give birth and make a family. 

Preparing for retirement is an exciting stage of life, especially when considering retiring abroad. But just like retirement itself, it's important to plan ahead to understand all the aspects of retiring in a foreign country as a woman. It requires extensive preparation and retirement financial planning, besides considering thoroughly the country to retire.

Recent research by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) shows immigrants in the US are more likely to start businesses than native-born Americans. The study takes a wide-ranging look at registered businesses across the country.

Many expats are looking for a calm place away from the city and some end up moving to islands. Their expectations are high: they want a cheap, quiet and beautiful place where they can have the advantages of the metropolitan area while enjoying good weather and nature. But is that a myth or reality? 

Short-term expatriates move abroad for several reasons: studies, work, volunteering, etc. Although they might believe after getting their visa and paper done when needed, that bureaucracy is over, some countries might require them to pay taxes. When can that happen? 

Australia is a trendy expat destination considered one of the best places to live because of its high standard of living. Currently, the country faces a labor shortage as its skills crisis is worsening, with businesses struggling to fill nearly half a million jobs amid a mismatch between people's expertise and the work available. With that, the country is looking for work migration, and it's easing some Australian visa classes. 

There are approximately 4.76 thousand international migrants living in Vietnam. The country has become increasingly popular as an expat destination in recent years, and it is recognized as a safe place for foreigners to live and work. However, the local Labour department has tightened the required explanation of enterprises for employing expats, to focus on national labor, according to lawyer specialists.

Although it might sound like an ambitious promise, Indonesia proposes a remote working visa for freelancers across the globe with no taxes for five years, and that would apply to its islands as Bali. Also known as the “Land of the Gods”, Bali appeals through its sheer natural beauty, and it's usually a place for tourism and celebrations such as honeymoons. But how about working remotely from there?  

Jo Krishnakumar is an Indian transgender feminist and Ph.D. candidate who works for gender equality in India and in the UK. They are engaged in queer fights and share how it is for a trans person to live in the UK and how hard it is to find communities. They also give advice to people from the global south who want to move abroad.

With Brexit, expats from the UK are having to go through a lot of red tape to update their documents, such as having a passport renewal. Modifications that seemed to be a smooth process are transforming into a real nightmare for Brits who live in countries without a reciprocal social security agreement with the UK.

The coronavirus pandemic had forced many countries to take strict measures and prohibit immigration. That postponed many people's plans of moving abroad, and even though nowadays the situation is less concerning, expatriates still face challenges abroad.