You’re out on vacation, travelling in a foreign country of choice. The weather is perfect. The people are friendly. Your family loves the atmosphere. You wonder what it would be like to live and work here – to perhaps make this place a permanent home. These thoughts are not uncommon. But before you get carried away into tourist fantasyland, there are a few points to ponder regarding business and legal matters. It’s always good to dream, but it’s important to have a reality check along with it as well, especially if you have a spouse or kids along for the ride.

Citizenship

How important is citizenship in maintaining a life in a new country? It depends on the country, but you absolutely have to have this information on hand. There are drastically different rules in European countries, Asian countries, South American countries, etc. You need to look up what the requirements for citizenship are, how long it takes to apply for them, if there are temporarily passports you can get while going through various legal processes, if there are any criminal or credit background checks you have to go through with, and a myriad of different legal constructs to look through. [Read more…]