Are you an expat living in The USA?

Expat Arrivals is looking for locals to contribute to this guide, and answer forum questions from others planning their move to The USA. Please contact us if you'd like to contribute.

There’s no one-size-fits-all rule for settling into expat life in a new country, but here are a few helpful articles and personal stories that may help make your move a little easier.

Cost of living continues to climb in the US

With widespread predictions of an upcoming economic downturn in the US in the latter half of 2023, it's crucial that those looking to move here keep an eye on major cost of living changes. Nineteen US cities are included in the 227 expat destinations worldwide assessed by Mercer's Cost of Living… Read more

Tax-saving strategies for American expats and digital nomads for 2022

Living abroad is an adventure and a privilege, but Americans living overseas, whether as a long-term settled expat or as a nomadic remote worker, still have to file US taxes. If you’re an American who has settled in (or who spends significant amounts of time in) another country, you may have… Read more

6 tips on how to make friends as an expat

Whether you’re a single expat going it alone or moving with your family, making friends will have a huge impact on your life in your new home. Making friends in a new destination is an important step in making an adopted country feel like home. Friends can help you settle in and learn about the… Read more

Interview with Hendrik – a South African living in the USA

Hendrik is a South African expat who moved to England at a relatively young age and later lived in New York before finally making the move to Denver, Colorado a few years ago. He describes to Expat Arrivals what expat life is like in Denver, shares his favourite spots and things to do in the city,… Read more

The best US cities to move to in 2021

In a country as vast as the US, there are seemingly countless cities to choose from for those considering a fresh start in a new environment. To help narrow it down, we've pored over countless quality-of-life rankings for 2021 to find the five best US cities to move to in 2021. In no… Read more

Expat Book Reviews

Expat books can be indispensable resources when it comes to relocation. Put down the fiction and pick up a guide, memoir or teaching tool that can help you make your time living and working overseas a success. Expat books for parents My Moving Booklet By VALERIE BESANCENEY… Read more

Interview with Edwina – a New Yorker living in Portland

Originally from New York, Edwina recently moved to Portland from Paris, France where she lived for 6 years. She loves forming community around singing, dancing, rolling skating and laughing! Edwina has loved adjusting to a new life in Portland and finds it to be the … Read more

Interview with Peter – A Danish expat living in Portland

Peter H. Fogtdal is a novelist, poet, human being, ex-astrologer, Beatles-fan, spiritual airhead, American resident and a Danish citizen. Living between Copenhagen and Portland since 2005, Peter is now based permanently in the 'City of Roses', where he writes full time. His published… Read more

American abroad? Here's what to do if you haven't been paying your US taxes

Over nine million Americans live abroad. Many assume that because they are no longer US residents or because they file foreign taxes in another country, that they no longer have to file a US tax return. However, this is unfortunately not the case. The US tax system is unusual in that it requires… Read more

Consequences for not filing US income taxes as an American expat

How does the IRS go about finding you - an American expatriate - when you have not filed your US income taxes and what are the potentially debilitating results?  Living abroad for most of us is the adventure of a lifetime. We are exposed to so many new experiences and our senses are… Read more

Interview with Simona – an Italian expat living in Northern California

Simona Carini is an Italian-born expat who has been living in Northern California for 25 years. Over the years she has seen many processes and experiences change for expats moving to the US. For example, all her dealings with official services happened before the era of the internet and were… Read more

Book review: Bloom Where You're Planted by Lasairiona McMaster

Many expats agree that the most overwhelming part of relocating is often figuring out where to actually begin. With the internet so readily available, expats are exposed to so much information and guides which can easily become overwhelming. This is why books like Bloom Where You’re Planted… Read more

What American expats need to know about filing US taxes in 2020

Living abroad is an incredible experience – however, it is slightly marred for American expats by the fact that they will still have to file US taxes reporting their worldwide income. This is often in addition to filing foreign taxes in their country of residence,… Read more

Book review: The American Way of Life, The Foreigner's Perspective

Author Claude Koehl’s latest book, ‘The American Way of Life: The Foreigner’s Perspective’, is a must-read for any expat planning a move to the USA. With more than two decades of expat experience behind her, Koehl uses humorous anecdotes of her first-hand experiences to provide readers… Read more

US Expat Taxes in 2019

A new year brings a new tax season. A lot has changed for Americans filing US taxes in 2019 though, as it’s the first tax season for tax returns that include the changes made in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, aka the Trump Tax Reform. As all American citizens and green card holders,… Read more

Colleges and universities in the USA

The US has over 4,000 degree-granting institutions, which opens up an amazing wealth of opportunities for expats moving to the country with children approaching college age. Though the sheer magnitude of options can seem daunting, a bit of research and background knowledge can make it easier to… Read more

Getting a social security number in the USA

Expats moving to the United States will need a Social Security Number (SSN) before formally starting a job. This is used to report one's earnings to the government, and in this way it is similar to the National Insurance (NI) number in the UK. Those residing but not working in the US are… Read more

Financial aid and student visa requirements in the USA

Most American colleges welcome expat students and won't treat them differently for most of the admission process. However, financial aid and visa requirements for international college admissions are two logistical hurdles that expats should consider well in advance. Cost of college in the US… Read more

Applying to college in the USA

Expat international students applying to American four-year colleges for bachelor degrees should be aware that the application process differs quite markedly from admission practices elsewhere in the world. Additionally, it will be necessary to shoulder the added logistical burden of obtaining… Read more

Interview with Molly – A British expat living in Ohio

British-born Molly moved to Toledo, Ohio, in 2013 to be with her American husband. Her blog, Transatlantic Notes, is a collection of tips, musings about American life, and even recipes. To learn more about life in the USA, read our Expat Arrivals country guide. About Molly Q: Where are you… Read more

Should US Expats Claim the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion When Filing US Taxes?

Americans living abroad find themselves in the unfortunate position of having to file US taxes, as well as in many cases taxes in the country where they are living.   The US is the only developed nation that taxes based on citizenship, so that all US citizens (and green card holders, as well… Read more

Interview with Karen – a British expat living in the USA

Karen is a British expat who is currently living in Bentonville, Arkansas, USA. Her family moved there over 18 months ago with her husband’s job. She tries to focus on the small positives in their everyday lives which can make life happier for everyone. She also likes to write about the… Read more

Preparing for a move to the USA

  ~ an excerpt by Julie Musk, author of A Slice of Apple Pie: Your One-Stop Guide to Living in America During the run-up to the move you will probably experience mixed feelings. When we moved to the US, people kept saying, "I bet you’re excited!" In reality though, we were so… Read more

Top US expat tips for tax season

Tax season is upon us again, and for Americans living abroad this not only means having to file Form 1040, put potentially other forms too. The US is the only developed nation that taxes based on citizenship rather than on residence, meaning that as a US citizen or green card holder, wherever you… Read more

Tips to help children cope with moving to another country

Our guest writer shares her experience of moving from Japan, where she had two kids, back to her homeland of Malaysia, which was completely new to her children. At age 12, a regular Malaysian girl, I started my moving journey. My first move was to a local host family so I could a… Read more

How to Find Happiness as an Expat Woman

Moving to another country will mean a lot of work to get things in perfect harmony in your future. There are many reasons why people become expatriates, such as a company promotion or starting a new business abroad. Whatever reasons you may have, you should keep in mind that adapting to a new… Read more

Book Review: Harvesting Stones: An American Woman’s International Journey of Survival

It isn’t often that a book manages to take up residence inside your head, determined not to let you rest until you’ve explored every facet, every angle, every detail. In the days and weeks since finishing Paula Lucas’s Harvesting Stones: An American Woman’s International Journey of Survival… Read more

Book Review: The Emotionally Resilient Expat: Engage, Adapt and Thrive Across Cultures

Increasingly for many, the adventure of packing up an everyday life, moving countries and resettling in an exotic location is becoming a reality due to growing globalization of employment.   International schools, expat real estate and relocation services, language institutes, nationality… Read more

Book Review: The Stress-Free Guide to Studying in the States, a Step-by-Step Plan for International Students

Oh, the American Dream of attending a prestigious US college or university: students proudly wearing their campus sweaters, joining fraternities and sports teams, the dorm life and ambitious faces, buried in mountains of books before confidently sailing off into their glowing futures… However… Read more

Understanding health insurance in the USA

Healthcare in the USA is really a mixed bag. On one hand, the USA represents some of the best medical research facilities in the world and on the other, there are numerous underfunded practices and access is limited, especially for low-income earners.   The standard of healthcare facilities… Read more

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