Potential US Expat

[Vic]

Hello,

I currently live in the US. I have hunted in Africa six times. I have several trophies in the US, and two (elephant and lion) in Africa.

I have about five years to work before retiring. I am looking to move abroad as an Expat. I’m looking for some suggestions.

I want a Country that is friendly to animal trophy importation. I also don’t want to deal with political wokeness, so Canada and Europe are out. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[buckshot85]

Renounce your citizenship?

 

[Vic]

No, I’m not doing that. I served this country honorably for years. I’m looking for a relaxed environment without political BS.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Morocco used to be an Expat haven, but that might have changed with North African politics. Costa Rica and some of the island nations are other expat hubs with little bs.

 

[sgt_zim]

I don't know how Panama is on CITES and trophies and so forth, but they are a pretty gun friendly country. The missus and I have Panama very high on our list if we feel like we need to go expatting.

The west of the country, around David near the Costa Rican border, is high enough in the mountains that neither A/C nor heat are needed much. Huge American ex-pat community around there, doctors and so on and so forth.

Panama uses the USD as its currency, and Balboas for coinage, on a 1 to 1 parity with the penny to the Balboa. Land is relatively inexpensive, and you'd be equidistant from the Pacific and the Caribbean in David. It's a 5 or 6 hour drive to Panama City or San Jose, CR from David.

It is definitely worth your time investigating.

Additionally, it is fairly easy to obtain a Panamanian passport. I don't remember the specifics (how much time/money it takes) off the top of my head, but as those things go, Panama is one of the easiest in the world.

 

[Vic]

Thanks everyone. I have heard about Panama through my hunting guide in Botswana. I will investigate it further as far as animal imports.
Morocco is interesting as well.

 

[wesheltonj]

Hello,

I currently live in the US. I have hunted in Africa six times. I have several trophies in the US, and two (elephant and lion) in Africa.

I have about five years to work before retiring. I am looking to move abroad as an Expat. I’m looking for some suggestions.

I want a Country that is friendly to animal trophy importation. I also don’t want to deal with political wokeness, so Canada and Europe are out. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

My guess might be Argentina or Uruguay.

 

[sgt_zim]

My guess might be Argentina or Uruguay.

Hmmm...Argentina's government has had stability issues, even within the last 20 or 30 years (they've defaulted on the currency 3X this century, I believe), and quite apart from the Perons.

Chilé is also pretty high on my list, though they seem to be sliding back towards the stupid things they were doing when they elected Allende.

 

[mdwest]

What languages do you speak?

There are several expat havens that have significant numbers of former US servicemen/women living in them..

Thailand, Panama, and the Philippines immediately come to mind..

Depending on not just the country, but also the region within the country you are looking at, language skills vary in importance.. Force example, if English is your only language, you'd likely have no problem in Phuket, Thailand.. but good luck being able to communicate with many people or get much accomplished if you live just 50 miles north east in Surat Thani...

Closer to home, I know of pretty significant expat populations in Costa Rica, Panama, and Belize.. At one point I was giving pretty serious consideration to Belize.. I found that property is inexpensive in the southern coastal area (was pretty easy to get about a 2,000 sq foot, basic house and 5-10 acres of land somewhere in the $60K range.. and "luxury" living in the north near the resort areas was pretty easily accomplished for less than $500K).. Belize is reasonably firearms friendly (not great.. but you can own them..).. pretty expat friendly.. etc... and english is the primary language spoken.. so very little challenge when it comes to trying to buy a replacement part for the car, or talk to someone at the local coffee shop, etc.. from a conversational point of view... Overall cost of living is substantially lower than even the lowest COL places in the US.. so stretching retirement dollars a long way isnt terribly hard.. you can live a reasonably comfortable life in Belize on a not so huge income..

All of that said.. Belize is actually a good bit more expensive than other Central America options.. Medical facilities for an older/retired person are a bit behind many other Central America options.. Policing there is... well... a complete farce.. and as a result crime in certain areas can be a serious problem.. etc..

All things you are going to want to take into consideration (in addition to who is trophy friendly) before making a final decision..

If you are a Spanish speaker.. Ive got a buddy that lives in an expat community just outside Mangua, Nicaragua.. he's probably the happiest guy I know living abroad.. he is huge into fine cigars and fine rums... and his life is full of them.. he's got a great house, on a really nice piece of property that is walking distance from the beach and is living a pretty fancy life on his meager US Army retirement pay.. but he'll be the first to tell you that if you dont speak Spanish and/or get easily frustrated by the silliness of most Central American governments.. dont bother moving.. you have to accept the bad to be able to enjoy the good.. and take life lessons from your dog (i.e. kick some grass over that shit, and move on....)....

 

[dchum]

Mexico, Check out San Miguel de Allende. Mexico is trophy friendly. Just a thought.
Even Cabo San Lucas, lots of houses going up with owners from everywhere.

 

[wesheltonj]

Mexico, Check out San Miguel de Allende. Mexico is trophy friendly. Just a thought.
Even Cabo San Lucas, lots of houses going up with owners from everywhere.

But Mexico is not gun friendly.

 

[TucsonFX4]

Hmmm...Argentina's government has had stability issues, even within the last 20 or 30 years (they've defaulted on the currency 3X this century, I believe), and quite apart from the Perons.

Chilé is also pretty high on my list, though they seem to be sliding back towards the stupid things they were doing when they elected Allende.

I’ve spent a couple weeks in southern Chile and loved it. Great people and countryside. It is a surprisingly socialist country though. What we (USA) consider far left is about central in Chile, and both scales are just sliding further left. Not that politics are part of your question, but even if what’s important to you is allowable now, will it be in 5 or 10 years? Sometimes reading the tea leaves isn’t very hard.

 

[TucsonFX4]

But Mexico is not gun friendly.

Yes it is…


….you just have to pick a cartel faction.

 

[VertigoBE]

I’ll be following this with interest. If anyone has suggestions in the neighbourhood of Europe, I’ll be glad to hear them. Not Morocco though, would not be acceptable for the mrs.

 

[TucsonFX4]

I’ve also previously done some cursory searching for expat possibilities, but solely looking at firearms freedoms as a judge.

My conclusion was the USA brought home the gold, and no one else finished the race. Clearly my life and experience is one sided, as I’ve only lived in the US. But given that, I’m quite confident I would be unhappy living in any other country unless I left most or all of my firearms behind as well as my desire for them.

I’m not trying to say guns aren’t allowed in other countries, just saying it’s a whole other league in the USA.

 

[WAB]

My guess might be Argentina or Uruguay.

Uruguay is the Switzerland of South America. Great banking systems, low cost of living, a hunting culture. You could do much worse.

Argentina is a total mess politically. Evita may have been a good movie, but the Peronists have destroyed the country. Much of the infrastructure is falling to pieces. Great place to visit but I wouldn’t live there.

I have a friend looking into Majorca as a retirement location. He seems to think it would be a good bet. He’s a retired naval officer so the island likely has some appeal.

 

[Osama Mahdi]

New zealand is beautifu,, hunting red stag but I don't think they are gun friendly

 

[SFRanger7GP]

I have worked all of Latin America and lived in several of the countries down south to include Panama, Argentina, Bolivia and Colombia. I am fluent in Spanish (language and culture). We currently spend about half the year at our place in Colombia. If I wasn't married to a Colombiana, I would never go anywhere in Latin America again with the exception of Argentina.

If the US frustrates you, you will lose your shit in Latin America. We have Colombian family and friends that dream of leaving the US and returning to their native land. Most go running back to the US. It is fun and it is an adventure living in Latin America, but it requires lots of patience (and booze).

Safe travels

 

[Nyati]

Morocco......all you could have is a shotgun.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I worked 39 years for a major oil company and lived as an expat in Trinidad(3.5 yrs), Angola(5.5 years) and Nigeria(6 yrs). I sort of dreamed about retiring and living in Namibia, but in the end, came back to the good old US of A. New Zealand would be another good option.