There are a number of countries that are popular with expats and relatively easy for Americans to move to.Most countries will let you stay on a tourist visa or a holiday visa for six months to a year.While the United Kingdom, Bali, and New Zealand aren't cheap, they have large numbers of English speakers and big expat communities.Mexico and Canada are also easy to move to for short stintsbut establishing permanent residency is harder.When it's time to leave the country for a spellhalf a year, maybe, or for the rest of your life, who knows'your very bones tell you. Your feet twitch. You fidget. You start absentmindedly petting any globes you come across. That urge to pick up and go is a powerful sensation. Then your brain gets involved and starts with the nagging questions: finances, time zones, logistics, paperwork.Whatever you do, don't let your brain talk sense into you. Here, as a start, feed it these relatively low-lift countries for expats. The criteria for an "easy' relocation is relative, but English speakers, an expat tradition, and a Western-friendly culture all help. We also looked for immigration policies that will allow you to spend at least a year abroad, ideally more. Make an exploratory visit to your potential new homeland (duh), squirrel away some savings (double duh), and then square away logistics at home. Then embark on a full-blown adventure.Who will you find when you go' Some Americans, inevitably. The best guesses at how many come from the Migration Policy Institute, unless specified otherwise. These countries may not be the cheapest (oh, but these countries are) and they may not make you the happiest (that honor goes to these countries here). But if you really need to get the hell out of dodge, these fantastic lands that will accommodate.SEE ALSO:18 amazing countries where you can stay, eat, and tour for less than you live at home1. MexicoAmericans living there: 1 million, according to the US State DepartmentWhy it's easy: It's cheap! And you can drive there! Besides, if you've ever crossed the border legally, you've already completed the paperwork for a six-month staythat placard you once scribbled on a Cancun-bound plane, three nips deep, is a tourist visa that grants you half a year south of the border. You can't work legally with it, but six months should be plenty of time to pick one of two longer-term options.Option 1: Scout out a legitimate life and then return to the States, where you can apply for a temporary resident visa. (You can't apply for one in Mexico.) Temporary resident visas can be renewed for up to four years and come in lucrative or non-lucrative classifications. The latter, popular among retirees, requires proof of economic self-sufficiency, either through savings or, say, the regular income of a pension.Option 2: String together tourist visas, ad infinitum. Mexico's many beachy tourist hubs are always looking for bartenders or waitresses, jobs that usually pay in cash and don't require a work visa. Cross the border every six months, get a new tourist visa, and live the romance of a drifter with the status of a shady gringo. You didn't hear it from us, but since 2008, Mexico has known to be lax about cracking down on Americans with expired documents. As long as you're not accused of a crime, at worst you'll likely be fined, not deported.The catch: Culturally, the rhythm of life is different. Things happen when they happen. Punctuality and scheduling are ruses. More severely, Mexico's ongoing drug war has finally spilled into tourist destinations like Los Cabos and Playa del Carmen, and although there's no evidence of immigrants or tourists being targeted, violent crime reached a 20-year high in August. Also, there's that whole thing about The Wall.2. New ZealandAmerican emigrants there: 22,000Why it's easy: If you're between the ages of 18 and 30, Kiwis have deliberately made it easy with their generous working holiday visa program, which grants young American travelers 12 months to explore without legal residency. Recipients can work for a year or study for six months with this visa, but your goal, according to the New Zealand immigration website, is to "enjoy your holiday.' This isn't an open invitation to crust punks: You have to demonstrate a cash reserve of at least $4,200 New Zealand dollars (about $3,000 USD) to be considered. If you're over 30, it's a little more difficult. Though you can get work permits and visas, preference goes to fields with employee shortages in New Zealand (engineers, tech workers, nurses).The catch: New Zealand is the First World's escape plan. Billionaires with doomsday anxiety are buying up property on this Pacific island country at an alarming rate, with regular people following suit. According to the New Yorker, 13,401 Americans registered with New Zealand's immigration authorities the week after the 2016 presidential election, more than 17 times the usual rate. Already, the cost of living there is almost 10 percent higher than in the States, and rent and housing prices still rising. As the Lord of the Rings set becomes the Swiss bank of survival strategies, expect that to get worse.3. IsraelAmerican emigrants there: 79,000Why it's easy: Passed in 1950, Israel's Law of Return grants all Jewish people the right to citizenship. With an estimated 5.3 million Jews in the United Statesalong with their non-Jewish spouses (same-sex included), children, and grandchildrenthat makes more than 3% of the American population eligible to become Israeli citizens. The immigration process can take between six and eight months and includes an in-person interview, but the first step is as simple as uploading documents and opening a case online.The catch: You don't have to speak Hebrew to relocate, but proficiency is a logistical and cultural asset. The pace of life is radically shifted from the States, with Saturday the holy day of rest (Shabbat) and Sunday the American Monday. Driving is a nightmare-cacophony of honking horns, though hitchhiking is still common here. Beer averages about $8 USD a pint in Tel Aviv. For non-Jews, immigration is a much more arduous commitment that requires extended residency and a Hebrew proficiency exam. If you're fundamentally opposed to commingling church and state, you're probably looking in the wrong place.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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