Move from the US
to Europe

Where to Begin: A Practical Guide for Americans Moving to Europe

Every American who decides to move to Europe starts from a different position. Some have a remote income and want the maximum lifestyle for the minimum spend. Some are retiring and need to understand how a US pension and Social Security are taxed abroad. Some are entrepreneurs who want to incorporate in the EU. And some simply want a second passport and a backup plan. This page is the master index — 29 country cards, each linking to a full country guide and expat guide, with data on official visa pathways, income thresholds, cost of living, healthcare rankings, and citizenship timelines. Use the filter bar above to narrow by visa type or region. Or book a free consultation and we will cut straight to which countries fit your specific situation.

Choosing Your Country: Start With Income, Not Lifestyle

The most common mistake is choosing a country because of its climate or culture, then realising too late that the visa pathway does not fit your income type. The smarter sequence: start with your income source, identify which countries have legal pathways for it, then compare lifestyle among those options.

Remote workers earning in dollars should look first at the 14 countries with official Digital Nomad Visas, where income requirements range from €2,500/month (Slovakia, the most accessible) to €4,500/month (Estonia). Retirees and passive income earners have clearest pathways in Portugal (D7 Passive Income Visa, €920/month), Greece (Financially Independent Person visa, €3,500/month with a 7% flat foreign income tax), Spain (Non-Lucrative Visa, €2,520/month), and Cyprus (5% pension tax rate). Entrepreneurs and investors can access Golden Visa routes from €50k in Latvia and Lithuania up to €500k in Portugal, or startup visa tracks in Germany, Estonia, France, and Ireland. Employees seeking local work will find the most open labor markets in Germany (EU Blue Card, permanent residency in as few as 21 months), the Netherlands (DAFT Treaty — exclusive to US citizens), and Ireland (English-language, Critical Skills pathway).

What Americans Must Sort Out Before Moving

US taxes do not stop at the border. The US taxes citizens on worldwide income regardless of residency. Most US–EU tax treaties reduce double taxation, but FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Report) for accounts over $10,000, FATCA, Form 8938, and potentially Form 2555 (Foreign Earned Income Exclusion) all continue to apply after you move. Sort this with a cross-border tax specialist before you go — not after your first European tax return arrives.

2026 updates to be aware of: Germany’s dual citizenship law is now fully in effect (June 2024). Spain’s Golden Visa closed April 3, 2025. Portugal’s NHR ended — IFICI+ replaced it but covers only certain professions, not passive retirees. Estonia added a 2% security contribution from January 2026, raising the effective resident tax rate. Romania is on track to join Schengen in 2026. Always verify current requirements with official government sources or a licensed immigration attorney at the time of application.

Next Steps: Tools and Deeper Comparisons

Use the filter bar above to narrow by visa type or region. For side-by-side country analysis, the Country Comparison Hub covers the most popular pairings with 2026 visa data, income requirements, cost breakdowns, and citizenship timelines. The Cost of Living Calculator lets you compare monthly expenses across 29 European cities against your current US city. The Visa Finder takes your income type and target budget and outputs the countries where you qualify today.