Getting Serious

I was originally going to write about France, Spain, and Portugal today, but I will write about them, hopefully, in my next post. Portugal in particular is still on my mind, but my situation at the moment has me looking elsewhere. Your situation is probably more favorable for any of these, and I would like to hear what you have to say. Visit my contact page and tell me about your experiences.

I can’t put into words what my mindset has been lately. The details aren’t important to this post, but they are pertinent to what I have been doing this week. The anxiety I have experienced in the past week or so has shifted my focus from the location to the process of expatriation. If you are going to move to another country, you have to start doing your homework on visa requirements before you worry about the apartment you will live in.

I have been using AI to help me organize the steps for meeting the requirements for the move. I have concerns about the doomsday predictions about AI that have been in the news lately, but it has been a valuable tool for organizing my research, understanding the data I’ve collected, and bringing to light some things I hadn’t considered. I have a monthly subscription to a popular AI platform that will deep dive into my questions. It provides the sources of its information, which is important to me. It is up to you to decide what you are comfortable with.

Knowing What to Do

I think everyone knows that it’s a good idea to have a passport when traveling to a foreign country. In 2020, during the pandemic when nobody could travel, I wanted to be prepared for when life got back to normal, so I applied for my passport. Apparently the State Department wasn’t getting many requests. I was surprised when my passport arrived six days after I submitted my application. My passport is good until 2030. That is one step that is taken care of. I haven’t misplaced it either.

My first point is that I completed one step before I started to seriously consider a move. My next point is that there are many more steps to accomplish. After months of researching various countries and international relocation websites, I had a general idea of the steps I needed to take, but I wasn’t sure of every step.

As I mentioned earlier, I enlisted the help of AI. I have found that to get the best answers, I have to ask my best questions. I have learned to include a lot of detail about what I’m looking for. Here is a sample question I asked recently about a certain country, with the name redacted:

“These questions do pertain to the United States of Mars. Can you prepare a checklist of the steps I need to follow to legally move and apply for residency status? We have gone over this before, but I think it should be updated in case there have been changes in requirements. I would also like to double-check if there have been any minimum income requirements.”

The AI was deliberate in answering my questions. Something that might concern you, but that is very beneficial, is that the platform I use can recall previous chats and bring up personal considerations I haven’t fully thought through. It knows my health issues and can remind me that a certain location may not provide the healthcare I need.

After asking more questions and gathering more information, I asked for a checklist of everything that will get me into the country and through the residency application, from my kitchen table to a house in my new country.

Here are the bullet points from my checklist:

Before You Leave (US Side)

• Passport
• Birth certificate, apostilled
• FBI background check
• SSA income letter
• USDA health certificate for my cats
• Basic Spanish

After You Arrive

• Enter as a tourist
• Get an address
• Health card (carné de salud) and vaccine certificate
• Notarial income certificate
• Certified translations
• Apply online
• Attend the appointment with originals
• Pay the fee
• Get your cédula (Resident in Progress)

These are the steps for my proposed destination, and it looks like I have my work cut out for me. The one spoiler hint is that the nation at the top of my list is a Spanish-speaking nation. Some of the steps for other countries are probably similar, and some may be different. These steps are specific to me and no one else.

Another Question

Before the chat session ended, I asked my AI platform for another checklist. Since there are a lot of different agencies I will need to contact, I asked for a checklist with contact information for each one. It covers everything from the courthouse and state vital records office to the FBI, Interpol, the USDA, and the destination country’s ministry of agriculture. I even asked for information on locating experienced interpreters. I will probably have to ask for more contact information, but I have plenty for now.

It’s Encouraging

Because of my life situation, I have been discouraged about the prospects of improving my lot in life. With the checklist I am starting to work on, I am putting words into action. It’s easier to get out of bed in the morning knowing that I have a plan. I would say that I am 90% confident about where I intend to move. I am keeping up with the news in that country to make sure there is no situation there that would be a dealbreaker. It’s a good idea to keep other countries in mind just in case.

Things to Look for in the Near Future

To the readers who have come here and read my blog, I want to thank you for visiting, and I hope you will continue to check in. I would like more visitors to my blog, so in the near future I will start promoting it to make it easier to find. I am also going to add a link where you can leave a tip. Any donations will be specifically earmarked for my move. I want to make this clear: I don’t want anyone who reads this to feel obligated. My personal experiences might be helpful for anyone considering becoming an expat. I hope this blog will inspire others living on a fixed income who have the same worries and concerns that I do. For those of you living on a fixed income, I especially want you to think carefully before making any donation. You need to have the resources for your own dreams.

I am currently investigating the best platforms for promoting my blog and for accepting donations. It’s important to me that I can limit donations to a small amount, ideally $5 to $10. I want to set it up so that I cover any administrative fees myself instead of asking you to pay an additional amount. I hope this makes sense.

Please use the Contact link on the menu and drop me a note. I’m getting lots of messages, but unfortunately they are from bots asking for money. I find it somewhat humorous but also sad.

Until I post again, everybody please take good care of yourselves and be the best person you can be.