Travel Tip 67

How evaluate a country before moving abroad.

Digital nomads are becoming the new expat, but they still have to evaluate countries before they set out.

I’ve lived in France, Morocco, Türkiye, Bangladesh and now Peru. Here’s what to consider if you want to dip your toes in expat life.

I was so happy the day that I received my resident card for Peru!

Do other expats like living there?

First, check what other expats say about the country. One great source is the Expat Insider Survey, which compiles feedback from expats who live around the world. It’s published by InterNations, an expat organization I belonged to when I lived in Istanbul. In my opinion, it’s one of the most credible expat sources out there. Whatever source you use, make sure that you’re looking at feedback from people in your situation. Look for citizens of your home country, people in your situation (digital nomad, worker, retired, etc.), and people who are staying as long as you plan to stay.

Social media is less reliable but can still give you a feel for what expats say about the country they’re living in. There are several Facebook groups for expats living in Cusco and they tend to give a good idea of what expats here are looking for or complaining about. They’re full of posts from Cusqueñians about apartments for rent and expats asking for recommendations on hair salons or immigration lawyers. There are also a lot of posts from people considering moving to Cusco asking all kinds of questions, with responses from expats who already live here. One great thing about social media is you can look for people who already live in the place you’re considering and contact them directly.

My status as a legal resident of Cusco gets me in free to museums and allows me to go to Machu Picchu for free on Sundays.

Research the visa situation. 

Once you’ve established that it’s a country you’d like to visit or live in, check how long you can legally be there and what kind of visa you can get. Depending on your nationality, you might only be able to get a tourist visa, or you may be able to get a different kind of visa that will allow you to stay longer.

Can you get a visa on arrival?

You need to know if the country allows you to get a visa on arrival, or if you have to apply for a visa ahead of time. A visa on arrival means that when you show up at the airport, the country’s immigration officials will stamp your passport with a visa for a certain number of days. Each country has its own rules about which nationalities can enter just for showing up and which nationalities have to first get permission by applying for a visa before arrival. 

Becoming a legal resident of Cusco also got me a special stamp in my passport.

How long is the visa good for?

Either way, you also need to know how many days that visa will allow you to be in the country. If you’re going the digital nomad route, you should plan to stay only as long as a tourist visa will allow, unless the country has a specific visa for digital nomads. Just in case you want to stay longer, you need to check if you’re allowed to renew the visa and what that process is. Some countries allow you to apply online, others make you visit an immigration office. Some won’t let you renew at all but will give you another visa if you leave the country for a few days. Leaving the country just to get another visa is called a border hop, because you’re just hopping the border for the required amount of time before you can re-enter. Some countries charge a small amount per day for overstaying a visa, which is often cheaper than a border hop.

Can you get a visa that’s not a tourist visa?

If you’re considering moving somewhere to stay permanently, or at least longer than a tourist visa would allow, you need to check what options you have. Colombia allows some nationalities to apply for a digital nomad visa, which is valid up to two years. (Check Colombia’s digital nomad requirements here). Some countries have relatively easy requirements to be a legal permanent resident or even a dual citizen, depending on your citizenship. One of the easiest countries for people with US passports is Panama, which allows permanent resident status in just 30 days and citizenship with either investment or employment with a Panamanian company. In Peru, I have a work visa that I have to renew every year, as long as I keep my job with the photography company that I created. I’m the owner, CEO and sole employee of Jasper Photography LLC, founded in Cusco.

Do you have questions about being an expat in Peru? 

You can contact me to arrange a phone call. I’m happy to answer your questions about traveling and living in Peru.

Blog

Rock climbing in the Sacred Valley

What else is there to do near Cusco besides visit Machu Picchu? A lot! Here’s my first experience rock climbing in the Sacred Valley, which you pass through on the way from Cusco to Mapi (as the locals call it). I went with climbing guide Jaseh Munelo, who I can now recommend unconditionally. Click on the link above to find out why!

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The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget

If you want to travel around South America but think it would be too expensive, this is the guide for you. Part of my contribution is a new section about sustainable travel. Traveling on a budget and traveling sustainably actually go very well together. Click on the link above to order the physical book or the ebook.